Synergy of cobalt vacancies and iron doping in cobalt selenide to promote oxygen electrode reactions in lithium-oxygen batteries

A FeCo-Se@NiCo-PO4 Electrode Designed by Hierarchical Strategy for Supercapacitors and NiCo//Bi Batteries

In this work, FeCo-Se and NiCo-PO4 were electrodeposited on nickel foam (NF) successively to prepare a cathode material for asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) and NiCo//Bi batteries. FeCo-Se@NiCo-PO4 combines the advantages of transition metal selenides (TMSs) and transition metal phosphates (TMPs). FeCo-Se electrodeposited in the underlying layer can facilitate electron transfer for higher conductivity. NiCo-PO4 in the outer layer can facilitate OH- ions diffusion because TMPs can be intercalated into ions readily and the outer robust P-O bond of TMPs can stabilize the structure. Precisely because the hierarchical structure maximizes the synergy between FeCo-Se and NiCo-PO4, FeCo-Se@NiCo-PO4 delivers a rapid electron/ion transfer capability and superior electrochemical performance. The FeCo-Se@NiCo-PO4 exhibits a high specific capacitance of 2221.5 F g-1 (888.6 C g-1) at 1 A g-1. Its aqueous ASC shows specific capacitance of 115.8 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 and all-solid-state ASC presents high reversibility. Its aqueous NiCo//Bi battery has superior durability of about 60% capacity retention and 98% Coulombic efficiency after 2300 cycles. And its all-solid-state NiCo//Bi battery possesses a higher energy density and power density.

Tailoring Cationic Cobalt Vacancies in Molybdenum-Cobalt Selenide Derived from POM@ZIF-67 for Enhanced Electrocatalysis in Lithium-Oxygen Batteries

Slow reaction kinetics during redox reactions limits the utilization of the high theoretical energy density of lithium-oxygen batteries (LOBs). Vacancy engineering, a potential strategy for modulating active sites, is critical in the development of high performance catalysts. This study investigates cobalt vacancies in Mo-CoSe2 nanoparticles created by selenization of phosphomolybdic acid (POM) embedded into zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67). The nanomaterial exhibits an outstanding electrochemical performance, characterized by high specific capacitance and excellent cycle durability. The LOBs with cobalt vacancies in the Mo-CoSe2 electrode material exhibit a discharge capacity of 21 836 mAh g-1 at a current density of 100 mA g-1 and exhibit stable cycling performance over 194 cycles at 300 mA g-1. Additionally, density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the presence of cobalt vacancies increases the distance between the surface selenium atoms and the subsurface cobalt atoms. In addition, cobalt vacancies modify the electronic structure of the d-orbitals, lowering the energy barriers of the reaction and accelerating the reaction kinetics by improving the adsorption of the reactants. The research introduces a strategy for the rational design of efficient cathode materials in LOBs.

Two-step electrodeposition synthesis of iron cobalt selenide and nickel cobalt phosphate heterostructure for hybrid supercapacitors

Exploring novel heterostructure with multiscale nanoarchitectures and modulated electronic structure is crucial to improve the electrochemical properties of electrode materials for supercapacitors (SCs). In this study, a two-step electrodeposition approach which involves suitable efficient procedures, is leading to in-situ preparation of iron cobalt selenide (Fe0.4Co0.6Se2) @ nickel cobalt phosphate (NiCo(HPO4)2·3H2O, denoted as NiCo-P) hybrid nanostructure on carbon cloth (CC) substrate. Particularly, depositing two-dimensional (2D) NiCo-P nanosheets on the surface of Fe0.4Co0.6Se2 nanobelts results in formation of well-organized Fe0.4Co0.6Se2@NiCo-P nanocomposite with large surface area, hierarchical porous nanoarchitecture as well as numerous electroactive sites, leading to enhanced electroactivity and accelerated mass/electron transfer. Benefiting from its unique nanoarchitecture and synergistic effect of two components, the obtained free-standing Fe0.4Co0.6Se2@NiCo-P electrode demonstrates gravimetric capacity (Cm)/volumetric capacity (Cd) of 202.3 mAh/g/319.6 mAh cm-3 at 1 A g-1 and good cyclic stability (83.9% capacity retention over 5000 cycles), which are superior to those of pure Fe0.4Co0.6Se2 and NiCo-P electrodes. Impressively, it was established that an aqueous hybrid supercapacitor (HSC) based on Fe0.4Co0.6Se2@NiCo-P and rape pollen derived hierarchical porous carbon (RPHPC) achieves gravimetric energy density (Em)/volumetric energy density (Ed) of 64.4 Wh kg-1/10.7 mWh cm-3 and a long cycle life with 90.3% capacity retention over 10,000 cycles. This report offers a perspective to design selenide/phosphate heterostructure on conducting substrate for electrochemical energy storage applications.