Hierarchical Manganese-Nickel Sulfide Nanosheet Arrays as an Advanced Electrode for All-Solid-State Asymmetric Supercapacitors

Evaluation of the effect of precursor ratios on the electrochemical performances of binder-free NiMn-phosphate electrodes for supercapattery

Binary metal phosphate electrodes have been widely studied for energy storage applications due to the synergistic effects of two different transition elements that able to provide better conductivity and stability. Herein, the battery-type binder-free nickel-manganese phosphate (NiMn-phosphate) electrodes were fabricated with different Ni:Mn precursor ratios via microwave-assisted hydrothermal technique for 5 min at 90 °C. Overall, NiMn3P electrode (Ni:Mn = 1:3) showed an outstanding electrochemical performance, displaying the highest specific (areal) capacity at 3 A/g of 1262.4 C/g (0.44 C/cm2), and the smallest charge transfer resistance of 108.8 Ω. The enhanced performance of NiMn3P electrode can be ascribed to the fully grown amorphous nature and small-sized flake and flower structures of NiMn3P electrode material on the nickel foam (NF) surface. This configuration offered a higher number of active sites and a larger exposed area, facilitating efficient electrochemical reactions with the electrolyte. Consequently, the NiMn3P//AC electrode combination was chosen to further investigate its performance in supercapattery. The NiMn3P//AC supercapattery exhibited remarkable energy density of 105.4 Wh/kg and excellent cyclic stability with 84.7% retention after 3000 cycles. These findings underscored the superior electrochemical performance of the battery-type binder-free NiMn3P electrode, and highlight its potential for enhancing the overall performance of supercapattery.

Heterostructured Mn-Sn Bimetallic Sulfide Nanocubes Confined in N, S-co-Doped Carbon Framework as High-Performance Anodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries

Benefiting from its high theoretical capacity, tin disulfide (SnS2) draws abundant interest and attention for its promising practical prospect for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, the huge volumetric variation in sodiation/desodiation reactions usually results in the fast decay of rate and cycling properties, which seriously obstructs its future applicable foregrounds. Herein, heterostructured Mn-Sn bimetallic sulfide nanocubes confined in N and S-codoped carbon (MSS@NSC) were rationally designed via a facile coprecipitation followed by a sulfurization strategy. When used as anodes for SIBs, the heterojunctions at the interfaces effectively accelerate the Na+ diffusion rate to promote the sodium-storage reaction kinetics. The N and S-codoped carbon provides a rapid conductive framework for the fast charge transport during the sodium-storage process. Moreover, the beneficial confinement effect of the NSC layer effectively guarantees a superb cycle property for the MSS@NSC anode. The favorable synergistic effects between the highly conductive framework of the NSC and MSS heterostructure endow the MSS@NSC anode with satisfactory electrochemical Na-storage properties.

In situ tellurization strategy for crafting nickel ditelluride/cobalt ditelluride hierarchical nanostructures: A leap forward in hybrid supercapacitor electrode materials

Advancements in renewable energy conversion can be significantly propelled by optimizing the performance of transition-metal-based electrodes. In this study, we introduce an innovative, in situ tellurization strategy to synthesize novel, flower-like hierarchical structures of nickel ditelluride/cobalt ditelluride (NiTe2/CoTe2) on a nickel foam substrate (labeled as NF/FNCT), making them promising candidates for electrodes in hybrid supercapacitors. Initially, we utilized a hydrothermal method to create flower-like NiCo-layered double hydroxide (NiCo-LDH) nanoarrays on nickel foam (NF/FNCLDH). This process was followed by the tellurization of these nanoarrays, which yields the NiTe₂/CoTe₂ nanostructures. The strategic assembly of active materials on a conductive substrate effectively obviates the need for inert, slow-conductive binders, thereby facilitating redox chemistry. Capitalizing on the synergistic effects of the conductive tellurium and hierarchical flower-like nanomorphology, the NF/FNCT showcases expedited electron/ion transport, enhanced efficiency, and exceptional electrochemical performance. The NF/FNCT electrode discloses an impressive capacity of 1388.9 (±3) C/g, superior rate capability (83.45 % capacity retention at 30 A/g), and remarkable cycling durability of 96.67 %. Furthermore, when integrated with activated carbon (AC), the resultant hybrid supercapacitor delivers a desirable energy density of 58.85 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 806.85 W kg-1, demonstrating commendable rate capability and cycling durability. This investigation opens new avenues for the synthesis of materials for hybrid supercapacitors.

Kinetically well-matched porous framework dual carbon electrodes for high-performance sodium-ion hybrid capacitors

Sodium-ion hybrid capacitors (SIHCs) have attracted extensive interest due to their applications in sodium-ion batteries and capacitors, which have been considered expectable candidates for large-scale energy storage systems. The crucial issues for achieving high-performance SIHCs are the reaction kinetics imbalances between the slow Faradic battery-type anodes and fast non-Faradaic capacitive cathodes. Herein, we propose a simple self-template strategy to prepare kinetically well-matched porous framework dual-carbon electrodes for high-performance SIHCs, which stem from the single precursor, sodium ascorbate. The porous framework carbon (PFC) is obtained by direct calcination of sodium ascorbate followed by a washing process. The sodium-ion half cells with PFC anodes exhibit high reversible capacity and fast electrochemical kinetics for sodium storage. Moreover, the as-obtained PFC can be further converted to porous framework activated carbon (PFAC) with rich porosity and a high specific surface area, which displays high capacitive properties. By using kinetically well-matched battery-type PFC anodes and capacitive PFAC cathodes, dual-carbon SIHCs are successfully assembled, which can work well in 0-4 V. The optimal PFC//PFAC SIHC exhibits high energy density (101.6 Wh kg-1 at 200 W kg-1), power density (20 kW kg-1 at 51.1 Wh kg-1), and cyclic performance (71.8 % capacitance attenuation over 10,000 cycles).

Layered bimetallic hydroxide nanocage assembled on MnO2 nanotubes: A hierarchical porous sugar gourd-like electrocatalyst for the sensitive detection of hydrogen peroxide in food

Hydrogen peroxide is used widely as a disinfection or bleaching additive during processing in the food industry. However, excessive residues of hydrogen peroxide in food have serious human health implications. In the present study, a novel electrochemical sensing electrode (MnO₂/ZIF-67@LDH) with hierarchical porous sugar gourd-like structure was fabricated through a multi-step hydrothermal method using ZIF as the precursor. The unique porous nanocage structure of the sensing electrode provided multidimensional charge transfer channels and accelerated the electron transfer rate. As a hydrogen peroxide sensor, the electrode had two detection linear ranges of 1×10^-3-4 mmol L^-1 and 4-8 mmol L^-1, and the detection limit was 0.26 µmol L^-1. The MnO₂/ZIF-67@LDH sensor was also applied to determine the content of hydrogen peroxide in actual food samples of juice and milk, and satisfactory recovery were achieved. The present study provides a novel and effective design strategy for the construction of electrochemical sensing electrodes.

New nickel-rich ternary carbonate hydroxide two-dimensional porous sheets for high-performance aqueous asymmetric supercapattery

Transition metal carbonate hydroxides (M-CHs) are promising candidates for electrode materials in supercapattery, due to their low-cost preparation and high-energy features. However, they also suffer from ionic kinetics bottlenecks without efficient morphological design. Tailoring the chemical compositions and nanostructures of electrode materials to realize high performance is significant for meeting the current demand for electrical energy storage devices. Therefore, we present a simple hydrothermal method for constructing better electrochemically active M-CHs with ternary metal components and hierarchical nanostructures that are assembled by interwoven nanosheets. Benefiting from higher contents of Ni species and superior two-dimensional/three-dimensional (2D/3D) pore structures, the fabricated cobalt-nickel-zinc carbonate hydroxides with Co/Ni/Zn molar ratios of 2:3:1 (CoNiZn-231) delivered the best specific capacity of 1130.8 C g^-1 at 1 A g^-1, decent rate performance (67.2% in 1-10 A g^-1), and excellent cycling performance (92.6% over 10,000 cycles) in comparison with the majority of mono/bimetallic materials. Then, an alkaline hybrid (CoNiZn-231//activated carbon (AC)) device is developed, which shows a high energy density of 31.62 Wh kg^-1 at a power density of 646 W kg^-1 and an excellent capacity retention of 99.27% after 10,000 cycles. Herein, the rational design of trimetallic compositions and hierarchical structures of carbonate hydroxides is described, which provides good choices for the synthesis of high-performance electrode materials in electrochemical energy storage applications.

Nanosilver-Particles Integrated Ni3 Sn2 S2 -CoS Composite as an Advanced Electrode for High Energy Density Hybrid Cell

An ion-exchange process is a promising approach to design advanced electrode materials for high-performance energy storage devices. Herein, a nanostructured Ni₃ Sn₂ S₂ -CoS (NSS-CS) composite is fabricated by successive hydrothermal and ion-exchange processes. Since the incorporation of redox-rich cobalt element enables the NSS-CS composite to be more electrochemically active, its impact on the electrochemical performance is therefore extensively studied. Particularly, the NSS-CS-0.2 g electrode material delivered a high areal capacity of 830.4 µAh cm^-2 at 5 mA cm^-2 . Additionally, a room-temperature wet-chemical approach is employed to anchor nanosilver (nAg)-particles on the NSS-CS-0.2 g (nAg@NSS-CS-0.2 g) to further exalt its electrokinetics. Consequently, the nAg@NSS-CS-0.2 g electrode shows a higher areal capacity of 948.5 µAh cm^-2 (193.5 mAh g^-1 ) than that of the NSS-CS-0.2 g. Furthermore, its practicability is also examined by assembling a hybrid cell. The assembled hybrid cell delivers a high areal capacity of 969.2 µAh cm^-2 (49.2 mAh g^-1 ) at 7 mA cm^-2 and maximum areal energies and power densities of 0.784 mWh cm^-2 (40.8 Wh kg^-1 ) and 45 mW cm^-2 (2347.4 W kg^-1 ), respectively. The efficiency of the hybrid cells is also tested by harvesting solar energy, followed by energizing electronic components. This work can pave the way for significant attraction in designing advanced electrodes for energy-related fields.

Hierarchical CuCo2O4@CoS-Cu/Co-MOF core-shell nanoflower derived from copper/cobalt bimetallic metal-organic frameworks for supercapacitors

Rational design of composite materials with unique core-shell nanoflower structures is an important strategy for improving the electrochemical properties of supercapacitors such as capacitance and cycle stability. Herein, a two-step electrodeposition technique is used to orderly synthesize CuCo₂O₄ and CoS on Ni foam coated with Cu/Co bimetal metal organic framework (Cu/Co-MOF) to fabricate a hierarchical core-shell nanoflower material (CuCo₂O₄@CoS-Cu/Co-MOF). This unique structure can increase the electrochemically active site of the composite, promoting the Faradaic redox reaction and enhancing its electrochemical properties. CuCo₂O₄@CoS-Cu/Co-MOF shows a prominent specific capacitance of 3150 F g^-1 at 1 A g^-1, marvelous rate performance of 81.82% (2577.3 F g^-1 at 30 A g^-1) and long cycle life (maintaining 96.74% after 10,000 cycles). What is more, the assembled CuCo₂O₄@CoS-Cu/Co-MOF//CNTs device has an energy density of 73.19 Wh kg^-1 when the power density is 849.94 W kg^-1. It has unexpected application prospects.

Flexible nickel disulfide nanoparticles-anchored carbon nanofiber hybrid mat as a flexible binder-free cathode for solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors

Nickel disulfide nanoparticles (NiS₂NPs)-anchored carbon nanofibers (NiS₂NPs@CNF) hybrid mats were fabricated via the sequential process of stabilization and carbonization of electrospun polyacrylonitrile-based fibers followed by hydrothermal growth of NiS₂NPs on the porous surface of CNFs. The vertical growth of NiS₂NPs on entire surfaces of porous CNFs appeared in the SEM images of hybrid mat. The hierarchical NiS₂NPs@CNF core-shell hybrid nanofibers with 3D interconnected network architecture can endow continuous channels for easy and rapid ionic diffusion to access the electroactive NiS₂NPs. The conductive and interconnected CNF core could facilitate electron transfer to the NiS₂shell. Moreover, the porous CNF as a buffering matrix can resist volumetric deformation during the long-term charge-discharge process. The NiS₂NPs@CNF electrode can yield high specific capacitance (916.3 F g^-1at 0.5 A g^-1) and reveal excellent cycling performances. The solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was fabricated with NiS₂NPs@CNF mat as a binder-free positive electrode and activated carbon cloth as a negative electrode. As-assembled ASC not only produce high specific capacitance (364.8 F g^-1at 0.5 A g^-1) but also exhibit excellent cycling stability (∼92.8% after 5000 cycles). The ASC delivered a remarkably high energy density of 129.7 Wh kg^-1at a power density of 610 W kg^-1. These encouraging results could make this NiS₂NPs@CNF hybrid mat a good choice of cathode material for the fabrication of flexible solid-state ASC for various flexible/wearable electronics.

In-Situ Growth of Urchin Manganese Sulfide Anchored Three-Dimensional Graphene (γ-MnS@3DG) on Carbon Cloth as a Flexible Asymmetric Supercapacitor

In energy storage-device it is highly crucial to develop durable electrode materials having high specific capacitance and superior energy density without disturbing its inherent flexibility. Herein, we demonstrate three-dimensional graphene oxide decorated monodispersed hollow urchin γ-MnS (γ-MnS@3DG) via proficient one-step solvothermal method. The designed material delivers a remarkable capacitance of 858 F g^-1 at 1 A g^-1. A flexible solid state asymmetric supercapacitor (ASCs) device assembled using surface activated carbon cloth (CC) decorated with γ-MnS@3DG as positive and three-dimension graphene on carbon cloth (3DG@CC) as negative electrode, (γ-MnS@3DG//3DG). The device delivers 26 Wh kg^-1 energy density at power density 500 W kg^-1 @ 1A g^-1 and retains favorable energy density 17.8 Wh kg^-1 at an ultrahigh power density of 1500 W kg^-1@3 A g^-1. This carbon embedded transition-metal sulfide (TMS) based ASC demonstrates eminent mechanical flexibility under rigorous bending states maintaining invariant performance.

Synergistic effects of Fe and Mn dual-doping in Co3S4 ultrathin nanosheets for high-performance hybrid supercapacitors

Dopant engineering in nanostructured materials is an effective strategy to enhance electrochemical performances via regulating the electronic structures and achieving more active sites. In this work, a robust electrode based on Fe and Mn co-doped Co₃S₄ (FM-Co₃S₄) ultrathin nanosheet arrays (NSAs) on the Ni foam substrate is prepared through a facile hydrothermal method followed by a subsequent sulfurization reaction. It has been found that the incorporation of Fe ions is beneficial to higher specific capacity of the final electrode and Mn ions contribute to the excellent rate capability in the reversible redox processes. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further verify that the Mn doping in the Co₃S₄ obviously shorten the energy gap of Co₃S₄, which favors the electrochemical performances. Due to the synergetic effects of different transition metal ions, the as-prepared FM-Co₃S₄ ultrathin NSAs exhibit a high specific capacity of 390 mAh g^-1 at 5 A g^-1, as well as superior rate capability and excellent cycling stability. Moreover, the corresponding quasi-solid-state hybrid supercapacitors constructed with the FM-Co₃S₄ ultrathin NSAs and active carbon exhibit a high energy density of 55 Wh kg^-1 at the power density of 752 W kg^-1. These findings demonstrate a new platform for developing high-performance electrodes for energy storage applications.

Overview of transition metal-based composite materials for supercapacitor electrodes

Supercapacitors (SCs) can bridge the gap between batteries and conventional capacitors, playing a critical role as an efficient electrochemical storage device in intermittent renewable energy sources. Transition metal-based electrode materials have been investigated extensively as a class of electrode materials for SC application, but they have some limitations due to the sluggish ion/electron diffusion and inferior electronic conductivity, restricting their electrochemical performances towards energy storage. Developing advanced transition metal-based electrode materials is crucial for high energy density along with high specific power and fast charging/discharging rates towards high performance SCs. In this review, we highlight the state-of-the-art of transition metal-based electrode materials (transition metal oxides and their composites, transition metal sulfides and their composites, and transition metal phosphides and their composites), focusing on specific morphologies, components, and power characteristics. We also provide future prospects for transition metal-based electrode materials for SCs and hope this review will shed light on the achievement of higher performance and hold great promise in vast applications for future energy storage and conversion.

Orientated VSe2 nanoparticles anchored on N-doped hollow carbon sphere for high-stable aqueous energy application

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have been considered as the promising energy storage materials due to their unique crystalline structure. In this work, the VSe₂ nanoparticles are vertically anchored on N-doping carbon (NC) hollow nanosphere (VSe₂@NC) for aqueous energy application. The electrochemical measurements indicate that the VSe₂@NC electrode exhibits outstanding electrochemical properties with high specific capacitance and excellent cycling life. Moreover, the asymmetric supercapacitor was assembled by using VSe₂@NC cathode and activated carbon anode. It shows high energy density of 85.41 Wh Kg^-1 at a power density of 701.99 W Kg^-1, and high-stable cycling performance of 90% retention after 2000 cycles. The superior properties are attributed to the particular hollow structure design, which accommodates both the high specific capacity of VSe₂ and the desired electrical conductivity of N-doping carbon sphere template.