Nickel cobaltite nanosheets coated on metal-organic framework-derived mesoporous carbon nanofibers for high-performance pseudocapacitors

Recent Development on Transition Metal Oxides-Based Core-Shell Structures for Boosted Energy Density Supercapacitors

In recent years, nanomaterials exploration and synthesis have played a crucial role in advancing energy storage research, particularly in supercapacitor development. Researchers have diversified materials, including metal oxides, chalcogenides, and composites, as well as carbon materials, to enhance energy and power density. Balancing energy density with electrochemical stability remains challenging, driving intensified efforts in advancing electrode materials. This review focuses on recent progress in designing and synthesizing core-shell materials tailored for supercapacitors. The core-shell architecture offers advantages such as increased surface area, redox active sites, electrical conductivity, ion diffusion kinetics, specific capacitance, and cyclability. The review explores the impact of core and shell materials, specifically transition metal oxides (TMOs), on supercapacitor electrochemical behavior. Metal oxide choices, such as cobalt oxide as a preferred core and manganese oxide as a shell, are discussed. The review also highlights characterization techniques for assessing structural, morphological, and electrochemical properties of core-shell materials. Overall, it provides a comprehensive overview of ongoing TMOs-based core-shell material research for supercapacitors, showcasing their potential to enhance energy storage for applications ranging from gadgets to electric vehicles. The review outlines existing challenges and future opportunities in evolving TMOs-based core-shell materials for supercapacitor advancements, holding promise for high-efficiency energy storage devices.

A non-enzymatic glucose sensor based on a mesoporous carbon sphere immobilized Co-MOF-74 nanocomposite

Exploration of credible non-enzymatic glucose sensors with high selectivity and sensitivity is of great significance for early clinical monitoring of glucose concentration and preventing the threat of diabetes to human health. Here, mesoporous carbon (MC) sphere immobilized Co-MOF-74 nanorods (NRs), denoted as Co-MOF-74 NRs/MC, were successfully prepared, in which the nanostructural porous carbon sphere was obtained using cobalt glycolate as the built-in template followed by a subsequent carbonization and acid treatment, and the MC spheres were then in situ deposited on the surface of Co-MOF-74 NRs via a solvothermal method. Benefiting from the good conductivity of the grafted porous carbon spheres and the abundant active sites, as well as the permeability of microporous MOF-74 nanocrystals, the Co-MOF-74 NRs/MC modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) exhibited effective non-enzymatic glucose sensing performance with a fast response time (less than 3 s) and a glucose sensitivity of 98.0 μA cm-2 mM-1. Furthermore, the Co-MOF-74 NRs/MC/GCE showed a favourable anti-interference capability in the presence of various interferents and good long-term reusability. The applicability of Co-MOF-74 NRs/MC/GCE for glucose sensing in real serum samples was also investigated, verifying the applicability of the electrode for targeted glucose monitoring in practical applications.

High-Performance 3D Nanostructured Silver Electrode for Micro-Supercapacitor Application

In the current energy crisis scenario, the development of renewable energy forms such as energy storage systems among the supercapacitors is an urgent need as a tool for environmental protection against increasing pollution. In this work, we have designed a novel 3D nanostructured silver electrode through an antireplica/replica template-assisted procedure. The chemical surface and electrochemical properties of this novel 3D electrode have been studied in a 5 M KOH electrolyte. Microstructural characterization and compositional analysis were studied by SEM, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, XRD technique, and Kripton adsorption at -198 °C, together with cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge cycling measurements, Coulombic efficiency, cycle stability, and their leakage current drops, in addition to the self-discharge and electrochromoactive behavior, were performed to fully characterize the 3D nanostructured electrode. Large areal capacitance value of 0.5 F/cm2 and Coulombic efficiency of 97.5% are obtained at a current density of 6.4 mA/cm2 for a voltage window of 1.2 V (between -0.5 and 0.8 V). The 3D nanostructured silver electrode exhibits excellent capacitance retention (95%) during more than 2600 cycles, indicating a good cyclic stability. Additionally, the electrode delivers a high energy density of around 385.87 μWh/cm2 and a power density value of 3.82 μW/cm2 and also displays an electrochromoactive behavior. These experimental results strongly support that this versatile combined fabrication procedure is a suitable strategy for improving the electrochemical performances of 3D nanostructured silver electrodes for applications as micro-supercapacitors or in electrochemical devices.

The effects of DOPO modified Co-based metalorganic framework on flame retardancy, stiffness and thermal stability of epoxy resin

In this work, the effect of a modified metal organic framework material on the fire resistance and mechanical properties of epoxy resin (EP) has been explored. The cobalt based metal organic framework (ZIF-67) was synthesized from an organic ligand with a Schiff base structure. Then DOPO@ZIF-67 was synthesized by modifying ZIF-67 with 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO), and its effect on EP modification was explored. Compared with the pure EP, 4% DOPO@ZIF-67/EP passed the UL94 V-0 level and the ultimate oxygen index (LOI) reached 32.1%. The SEM pictures of carbon residue indicated that DOPO@ZIF-67 formed a more continuous and dense microstructure, which can enhance the thermal barrier and the physical barrier effect. The addition of DOPO@ZIF-67 also can effectively improve the stiffness and damping coefficient of EP composite material. The porous skeleton structure of DOPO@ZIF-67 can endow EP with rigidity and flame-retardant properties. Furthermore, the existence of DOPO made the combination of ZIF-67 with EP better. The results of this study suggest that DOPO@ZIF-67 may be a good additive for modification of the properties of epoxy thermosetting materials.

Binary and Ternary 3D Nanobundles Metal Oxides Functionalized Carbon Xerogels as Electrocatalysts toward Oxygen Reduction Reaction

A series of carbon xerogels doped with cobalt, nickel, and iron have been prepared through the sol-gel method. The doped carbon xerogels were further functionalized with binary and ternary transition metal oxides containing Co, Ni, and Zn oxides by the hydrothermal method. A development in the mesopore volume is achieved for functionalized carbon xerogel doped with iron. However, in the functionalization of carbon xerogel with ternary metal oxides, a reduction in pore diameter and mesopore volume is found. In addition, all functionalized metal oxides/carbon are in the form of 3D nanobundles with different lengths and widths. The prepared samples have been tested as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in basic medium. All composites showed excellent oxygen reduction reaction activity; the low equivalent series resistance of the Zn-Ni-Co/Co-CX composite was especially remarkable, indicating high electronic conductivity. It has been established that the role of Zn in this type of metal oxides nanobundles-based ORR catalyst is not only positive, but its effect could be enhanced by the presence of Ni.

Configuring hierarchical Ni/NiO 3D-network assisted with bamboo cellulose nanofibers for high-performance Ni-Zn aqueous batteries

The further application of Ni-Zn aqueous batteries is majorly restricted by nickel-based cathodes due to their low capacity and poor cycling stability, which requires the development of hierarchically nanostructured nickel and nickel oxides. Herein, we prepare a novel nickel-based electrode with hierarchical 3D networks by configuring nanostructured Ni and Ni/NiO nanoparticles onto bamboo-derived cellulose nanofibers (denoted as Ni/NiO-BCF). Owing to the high conductivity of carbonized nanofibers and enhanced Ni/NiO active sites exposed, the Ni/NiO-BCF electrode delivers a capacity of 248 mA h g^-1 at 0.625 A g^-1 and exhibits a good cycling stability (94.5% after 2000 cycles). The as-fabricated Ni/NiO-BCF//Zn battery shows a high capacity of 296 mA h g^-1 at 0.625 A g^-1 and excellent cycling stability (almost no decay after 1000 cycles). Notably, a peak energy density of 313.4 W h kg^-1 is also achieved from the Ni/NiO-BCF//Zn battery. This work provides novel insights into developing elaborately-nanostructured electrodes from natural and sustainable resources for high-capacity and long-cycle energy storage systems.

Carbon Xerogels Hydrothermally Doped with Bimetal Oxides for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

A total of two carbon xerogels doped with cobalt and nickel were prepared by the sol-gel method. The obtained carbon xerogels underwent further surface modification with three binary metal oxides namely: nickel cobaltite, nickel ferrite, and cobalt ferrite through the hydrothermal method. The mesopore volumes of these materials ranged between 0.24 and 0.40 cm3/g. Moreover, there was a morphology transformation for the carbon xerogels doped with nickel cobaltite, which is in the form of nano-needles after the hydrothermal process. Whereas the carbon xerogels doped with nickel ferrite and cobalt ferrite maintained the normal carbon xerogel structure after the hydrothermal process. The prepared materials were tested as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction using 0.1 M KOH. Among the prepared carbon xerogels cobalt-doped carbon xerogel had better electrocatalytic performance than the nickel-doped ones. Moreover, the carbon xerogels doped with nickel cobaltite showed excellent activity for oxygen reduction reaction due to mesoporosity development. NiCo2O4/Co-CX showed to be the best electrocatalyst of all the prepared electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction application, exhibiting the highest electrocatalytic activity, lowest onset potential Eonset of -0.06 V, and the lowest equivalent series resistance (ESR) of 2.74 Ω.