Solution processed nanostructured cerium oxide electrode: Electrochemical engineering towards solid-state symmetric supercapacitor device

"Unveiling marigold assembled micro flowers of tungsten oxide towards solid-state flexible pouch and coin cell supercapacitors"

Marigold analogues micro flowers of tungsten oxide (WO3) have been grown in thin film form through simple and cost-effective solution chemistry approach on stainless steel substrate. Aqueous precursor involving WO4-2 ions agglomerated as self-sacrificing template growing initially into the nano-petal, followed by self-assembly; leading to marigold analogues micro flower surface architecture. This enthralling morphology motivated us not only to fabricate supercapacitive electrode but also to design complete solid-state supercapacitor devices in dual configurations: flexible pouch cell and coin cell. Interestingly, both devices even in symmetric configuration yields remarkable potential window of 1.82 V when sandwiched by gel inclusive of Li+ ions dispersed in non-conducting polyvinyl alcohol matrix. Solid-state flexible pouch cell and coin cell delivered specific capacitances of 103.98 ± 3.59 and 30.09 ± 1.03 F/g respectively at a scan rate of 5 mV/s. Assembled electrode, coin-cell and flexible pouch-cells have been well assessed in-depth through specific capacitances using cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge discharge, diffusive and capacitive contributions, mechanical bending tests, electrochemical active surface area, and electrochemical impedance analysis. Practical applicability has been demonstrated for designed flexible pouch cell to run small fan and light emitting diode panel whereas coin cell to run light emitting diode panel.

Sensitive Cr3+ sensor based on novel poly(luminol-co-1,8-diaminonaphthalene)/CeO2/MWCNTs nanocomposites

In this study, poly(luminol-co-1,8-diaminonaphthalene) (PLim-DAN) was synthesized and subsequently modified with MWCNTs and CeO2 NPs. The synthesized nanocomposites were analyzed using IR, SEM, TEM, and XRD. Furthermore, a comprehensive set of thermal behavior measurements were taken using TGA/DTG analysis. Next, the electroactivity of the developed nanocomposites was tested as an electrochemical sensor to measure the concentration of Cr3+ ions in phosphate buffers. The GCE adapted with the PLim-DAN/CeO2/CNTs-10% nanocomposite (NC) exhibited the highest current response among the other compositions and copolymers. The fabricated nanocomposite sensor showed high sensitivity, with a value of 19.78 μA μM-1 cm-2, and a low detection limit of 4.80 ± 0.24 pM. The analytical performance was evaluated by plotting a current calibration curve versus the concentration of Cr3+ ions. It was found to be linear (R2 = 0.9908) over the range of 0.1 nM to 0.1 mM, identified as the linear dynamic range (LDR). This electrochemical sensor demonstrated that it could be a useful tool for environmental monitoring by accurately detecting and measuring carcinogenic Cr3+ ions in real-world samples.

Agricultural waste to real worth biochar as a sustainable material for supercapacitor

Biochar made from agricultural waste is gaining more attention in energy field due to its sustainability, low cost, apart from having high supercapacitance performance. Also, it has a wide range of environmental applications, including wastewater treatment, upgrading soil fertility, contaminant immobilization, and in situ carbon sequestration. The existing thermo-chemical methodologies for converting agricultural waste into a sustainable material i.e. biochar and the role of activation agents in enhancing the performance of these materials were critically analyzed and discussed. An overview of recent trends in agricultural waste-derived biochar for supercapacitor electrodes is highlighted in this review that emphasizes green circular economy for encouraging net-zero utility of agriculture waste biomass. The roles of various newly prepared "green" electrolytes in reducing the negative consequences of supercapacitor is also reviewed. The trashing of agricultural waste and the depletion of energy supplies has become a global concern, hurting the world's ecosystem and economy through pollution and a fuel crisis and hence the concept of a green circular economic model is also highlighted.

Vanadium oxide nanorods as an electrode material for solid state supercapacitor

The electrochemical properties of metal oxides are very attractive and fascinating in general, making them a potential candidate for supercapacitor application. Vanadium oxide is of particular interest because it possesses a variety of valence states and is also cost effective with low toxicity and a wide voltage window. In the present study, vanadium oxide nanorods were synthesized using a modified sol-gel technique at low temperature. Surface morphology and crystallinity studies were carried out by using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. To the best of our knowledge, the as-prepared nanorods were tested with magnesium ion based polymer gel electrolyte for the first time. The prepared supercapacitor cell exhibits high capacitance values of the order of ~ 141.8 F g^-1 with power density of ~ 2.3 kW kg^-1 and energy density of ~ 19.1 Wh kg^-1. The cells show excellent rate capability and good cycling stability.

Reduced graphene oxide doped tellurium nanotubes for high performance supercapacitor

Supercapacitors have been achieving great interest in energy storage systems for the past couple of decades. Such devices with superior performance, mainly, depending on the material architecture of the electrodes. We report on the preparation of Tellurium nanotubes (Te-tubes diameter ∼100 nm and length ∼700 nm), with variable doping of conducting network reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to fabricate high-performance electrode characteristics of rGO @ Te. The prepared material was characterized using XRD, FTIR, FESEM, and Raman spectroscopy techniques, including Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, Barrett-Joyner-Halenda measurements. FTIR study revealed that 15% rGO @ Te has a wide C-O vibration band at ∼ 1,100–1,300 cm⁻¹, over other compositions. FESEM study shows the Te-tubes dispersion in rGO layers. The EDX study revealed that 15% of the composition has an optimistic concentration of C and O elements. In other compositions, either at lower/higher rGO concentration, an uneven count of C and O is observed. These support efficient charge dynamics to achieve superior ultra-capacitor characteristics, thereby achieving specific capacitance C_sp 170 + F/g @ 10 mV/s in a symmetric configuration. The reported values are thirty times higher than pristine Te-tubes (∼5 F/g). This finding suggests that rGO @ Te is a promising candidate for supercapacitor.

Solid state thin electrolyte to overcome transparency-capacity dilemma of transparent supercapacitor

For portable and transparent electronic applications, transparent supercapacitor (T-SC) is developed to act as an energy storing device. Because electric and optical characteristics of the supercapacitor are strongly dependent on its thickness, all solid state T-SC was developed based on sensitively controllable fabrication process. We were able to attain an optimum thickness for the T-SC such that it exhibited an excellent transparency as well as capacity. Thus, the transparency-capacity dilemma, that is, the thickness of a T-SC increases with respect to its capacity while it is inversely proportional to its transparency, was solved through our proposed T-SC structure. Consequently, more than 60% transparency and 80% capacitance retention of 1500 charge/discharge cycles were achieved. The overcoming of transparency-capacity dilemma can enhance the T-SC applicability as a core energy storage device.

The electrochemical kinetics of cerium selenide nano-pebbles: the design of a device-grade symmetric configured wide-potential flexible solid-state supercapacitor

Next-generation portable flexible electronic appliances require liquid-free energy storage supercapacitor devices to eliminate leakage and to support mechanical bending that is compatible with roll-to-roll technologies. Hence, a state-of-the-art process is presented to design a solid-state, wide-potential and flexible supercapacitor through the use of nano-pebbles of cerium selenide via a simple successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method that could allow an industry scalable route. We strongly believe that this is the first approach amongst physical and chemical routes not only for synthesizing cerium selenide in thin-film form but also using it for device-grade supercapacitor applications. The designed solid-state symmetric supercapacitor assembled from cerium selenide electrodes sandwiched by PVA-LiClO₄ gel electrolyte attains a wide potential window of 1.8 V with capacitance of 48.8 F g^-1 at 2 mV s^-1 and reveals excellent power density of 4.89 kW kg^-1 at an energy density of 11.63 W h kg^-1. The formed device is capable of 87% capacitive retention even at a mechanical bending angle of 175°. Lighting up a strip of 21 parallel connected red LEDs clearly demonstrates the practical use of the designed symmetric solid-state supercapacitor, aiming towards the commercialization of the product in the future.

Hierarchical porous CeO2 micro rice-supported Ni foam binder-free electrode and its enhanced pseudocapacitor performance by a redox additive electrolyte

A hierarchical porous CeO₂ micro rice/NF binder free electrode was fabricated via a facile hydrothermal method and the electrochemical performances were enhanced by the addition of 0.2 M K₄[Fe(CN)₆] redox additive in a 3 M KOH electrolyte.