A new high-performance cathode material for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries: Polypyrrole/vanadium oxide nanotubes

Fabrication of double-shell hollow NiO@N-C nanotubes for a high-performance supercapacitor

Rational fabrication of carbon-based materials hybridized with transition-metal oxides is crucial for the design of supercapacitor electrodes with superior properties.

Interconnected CoFe2O4-Polypyrrole Nanotubes as Anode Materials for High Performance Sodium Ion Batteries

CoFe₂O₄-coated polypyrrole (PPy) nanotubes (CFO-PPy-NTs) with three-dimensional (3-D) interconnected networks have been prepared through a simple hydrothermal method. The application has been also studied for sodium ion batteries (SIBs). The finely crystallized CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles (around 5 nm in size) are uniformly grown on the PPy nanotubes. When tested as anode materials for SIBs, the CFO-PPy-NT electrode maintains a discharge capacity of 400 mA h g^-1 and a stable Coulombic efficiency of 98% after 200 cycles at 100 mA g^-1. Even at a higher current density of 1000 mA g^-1, the composite can still retain a discharge capacity of 220 mA h g^-1 after 2000 cycles. The superior electrochemical performance could be mainly ascribed to the uniform distribution of CoFe₂O₄ on the 3-D matrix of PPy interconnected nanotubes, which favors the diffusion of sodium ions and electronic transportation and also buffers the large volumetric expansion during charge/discharge. Thereby our study suggests that such CFO-PPy-NTs have great potential as an anode material for SIBs.

Polymer-Based Organic Batteries

The storage of electric energy is of ever growing importance for our modern, technology-based society, and novel battery systems are in the focus of research. The substitution of conventional metals as redox-active material by organic materials offers a promising alternative for the next generation of rechargeable batteries since these organic batteries are excelling in charging speed and cycling stability. This review provides a comprehensive overview of these systems and discusses the numerous classes of organic, polymer-based active materials as well as auxiliary components of the battery, like additives or electrolytes. Moreover, a definition of important cell characteristics and an introduction to selected characterization techniques is provided, completed by the discussion of potential socio-economic impacts.

Developments in conducting polymer fibres: from established spinning methods toward advanced applications

This review provides a comprehensive picture of the history and latest developments in the field of conducting polymer fibres as well as their current/future applications.

Conducting polymers and their inorganic composites for advanced Li-ion batteries: a review

Conducting polymers are promising materials for organic–inorganic composites in lithium-ion batteries due to electrical conductivity and high coulombic efficiency, and are able to be cycled hundreds or thousands of times with only small degradation.

A new method to prepare vanadium oxide nano-urchins as a cathode for lithium ion batteries

Urchin-like vanadium oxide nanotubes clusters and post-annealed clusters synthesized by a new method acted as the cathodes for Li-ion battery.

Synthesis of Mo, W, and Mo- and W-Doped Multiwall VONTs via Sol-Gel and Hydrothermal Methods

Mo, W, and Mo and W were doped into multiwall vanadium oxide nanotubes. The syntheses were performed using sol-gel method followed by hydrothermal method. The synthesized samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, EDX, and TEM techniques. The XRD patterns of the synthesized samples indicated that Mo and W could be doped into VONTs totally up to 50%. The SEM and TEM images showed that the prepared samples have tubular and multiwall morphology and open ends.

Rational synthesis of silver vanadium oxides/polyaniline triaxial nanowires with enhanced electrochemical property

We designed and successfully synthesized the silver vanadium oxides/polyaniline (SVO/PANI) triaxial nanowires by combining in situ chemical oxidative polymerization and interfacial redox reaction based on β-AgVO(3) nanowires. The β-AgVO(3) core and two distinct layers can be clearly observed in single triaxial nanowire. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopic and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopic investigations indicate that the outermost layer is PANI and the middle layer is Ag(x)VO((2.5+0.5x)) (x < 1), which may result from the redox reaction of Ag(+) and aniline monomers at the interface. The presence of the Ag particle in a transmission electron microscopy image confirms the occurrence of the redox reaction. The triaxial nanowires exhibit enhanced electrochemical performance. This method is shown to be an effective and facile technique for improving the electrochemical performance and stability of nanowire electrodes for applications in Li ion batteries.