Hybrid materials utilizing polyelectrolyte-derivatized carbon nanotubes and vanadium-mixed addenda heteropolytungstate for efficient electrochemical charging and electrocatalysis

Wells-Dawson Arsenotungstate Porous Derivatives for Electrochemical Supercapacitor Electrodes and Electrocatalytically Active Materials

Two Wells-Dawson arsenotungstate coordination polymers, [{Cu^II(bim)₂}₃(As₂W₁₈O₆₂)] (1) and [(Cu^I₁₀pz₁₀Cl₄)(As₂W₁₈O₆₂)] (bim = 2,2'-biimidazole; pz = pyrazine), have been assembled via a hydrothermal method and fully characterized. Compound 1 exhibits a 2,6-connected two-dimensional hybrid layer based on asymmetrically modified {As₂W₁₈} anions and {Cu(bim)₂} linkers, which is extended to a three-dimensional network with a special interlayer structure and a one-dimensional tunnel. Compound 2 is a host-guest framework that consists of a Cu-pz-Cl network with 20-member square rings, 16-member irregular rings, and embedded eight-node {As₂W₁₈} guest molecules. Compounds 1 and 2 show uncommon specific capacitance (834.8 and 960.1 F g^-1, respectively, at a current density of 2.4 A g^-1), enduring cycling stability (capacitance retention rates of 89.3% and 91.9%, respectively, after 5000 cycles), and good electrical conductivity, which are superior to those of the unmodified zero-dimensional Dawson arsenotungstate compound and most reported electrode materials in terms of their stable structure, special layer spacing, and orderly channels. Moreover, the title compounds exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activity for oxidizing ascorbic acid and reducing nitrite.

A High-Capacity Negative Electrode for Asymmetric Supercapacitors Based on a PMo12 Coordination Polymer with Novel Water-Assisted Proton Channels

The development of a negative electrode for supercapacitors is a critical challenge for the next-generation of energy-storage devices. Herein, two new electrodes formed by the coordination polymers [Ni(itmb)₄ (HPMo₁₂ O₄₀ )]·2H₂ O (1) and [Zn(itmb)₃ (H₂ O)(HPMo₁₂ O₄₀ )]·4H₂ O (2) (itmb = 1-(imidazo-1-ly)-4-(1,2,4-triazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene), synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method, are described. Compounds 1 and 2 show high capacitances of 477.9 and 890.2 F g^-1 , respectively. An asymmetric supercapacitor device assembled using 2 which has novel water-assisted proton channels as negative electrode and active carbon as positive electrode shows ultrahigh energy density and power density of 23.4 W h kg^-1 and 3864.4 W kg^-1 , respectively. Moreover, the ability to feed a red light emitting diode (LED) also demonstrates the feasibility for practical use. The results allow a better elucidation of the storage mechanism in polyoxometalate-based coordination polymers and provide a promising direction for exploring novel negative materials for new-generation high-performance supercapacitors.

Polyoxometalate Metal-Organic Frameworks: Keggin Clusters Encapsulated into Silver-Triazole Nanocages and Open Frameworks with Supercapacitor Performance

To investigate the relationship between the structures of polyoxometalate host-guest materials and their energy-storage performance, three novel polyoxometalate-based metal-organic compounds, [Ag₁₀(C₂H₂N₃)₈][HVW₁₂O₄₀], [Ag₁₀(C₂H₂N₃)₆][SiW₁₂O₄₀], and [Ag(C₂H₂N₃)][Ag₁₂(C₂H₂N₃)₉][H₂BW₁₂O₄₀] are synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method and further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses and other numerous characterization techniques. In compound [Ag₁₀(C₂H₂N₃)₈][HVW₁₂O₄₀], the Keggin clusters are intersected into channels formed by a 3D open metal-organic framework. In contrast, in compounds [Ag₁₀(C₂H₂N₃)₆][SiW₁₂O₄₀] and [Ag(C₂H₂N₃)][Ag₁₂(C₂H₂N₃)₉][H₂BW₁₂O₄₀], the Keggin clusters are encapsulated into silver-triazole metal-organic nanocages to construct core-shell structures, which are further fused together by covalent bonds to form 3D polyoxometalate-based metal-organic frameworks. The electrochemical properties of three compound-based electrodes are estimated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge, electrochemically active surface area, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results of the electrochemical performance tests indicate that these compounds possess high specific capacitance and cycling stability, especially [Ag₁₀(C₂H₂N₃)₈][HVW₁₂O₄₀], showing a specific capacitance of 93.5 F g^-1, which is higher than that of many other polyoxometalate-based electrode materials. A possible mechanism of the electrochemical performance is explored, which is mainly related to the redox capacity of polyoxometalate, the electrochemically active surface area, the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and the microstructures of polyoxometalate-based metal-organic frameworks.

Polyoxometalate-Incorporated Metallacalixarene@Graphene Composite Electrodes for High-Performance Supercapacitors

Composites of polyoxometalate (POM)/metallacalixarene/graphene-based electrode materials not only integrate the superiority of the individual components perfectly but also ameliorate the demerits to some extent, providing a promising route to approach high-performance supercapacitors. Herein, first, we report the preparations, structures, and electrochemical performance of two fascinating POM-incorporated metallacalixarene compounds [Ag₅(C₂H₂N₃)₆][H₅ ⊂ SiMo₁₂O₄₀] (1) and [Ag₅(C₂H₂N₃)₆][H₅ ⊂ SiW₁₂O₄₀] (2); (C₂H₂N₃ = 1 H-1,2,4-triazole). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses illustrated that both 1 and 2 possess intriguing POM-sandwiched metallacalix[6]arene frameworks. Nevertheless, our investigations, including the electrochemical cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge tests, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, reveal that the oxidation ability of the Keggin ions is a primary effect in electrochemical performance of these POM-incorporated metallacalixarene compounds. Namely, the electrodes containing Mo as metal atoms in the Keggin POM shows much higher capacitance than the corresponding W-containing ones. Moreover, compound 1@graphene oxide (GO) composite electrodes are fabricated and systematically explored for their supercapacitor performance. Thanks to the synergetic effects of GO and POM-incorporated metallacalixarenes, the compound 1@15%GO-based electrode exhibits the highest specific capacitance of up to 230.2 F g^-1 (current density equal to 0.5 A g^-1), which is superior to majority of the reported POM-based electrode materials.

Ionic Liquid-Derived Imidazolium Cation Linkers for the Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Polyoxometalate-MWCNT Composite Electrodes with High Power Capability

Imidazolium cations derived from ionic liquids were demonstrated as effective linker molecules for the layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition of polyoxometalates (POMs) to increase the charge storage of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) electrodes. MWCNTs modified with GeMo12O40(4-) (GeMo12) via an imidazolium cation linker demonstrated highly reversible redox reactions and a capacitance of 84 F cm(-3), close to 4 times larger than bare CNT. Compared to CNT-GeMo12 composites fabricated with a conventional polyelectrolyte linker poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), (PDDA), the imidazolium cations resulted in lower POM loading, but higher conductivity and in turn superior performance at fast charge-discharge conditions. A polymerized imidazolium linker (PIL) was also synthesized based on the ethyl-vinyl-imidazolium monomer. CNT-GeMo12 composites fabricated with this PIL achieved high POM loading comparable to PDDA, while still maintaining the good conductivity and high rate capabilities shown by the monomer imidazolium units. The high conductivity imparted by the PIL is especially valuable for the fabrication of multilayer POM composites. Dual-layer GeMo12 O40(4-)-SiMo12O40(4-) (GeMo12-SiMo12) electrodes built with this PIL demonstrated a combined contribution of the individual POMs resulting in a capacitance of 191 F cm(-3), over nine times larger than bare MWCNT. The PIL dual layer composites also maintained 72% of this capacitance at a fast rate of 2 V s(-1), compared to just over 50% retention for similar electrodes fabricated with PDDA.