Enhanced electrochemical performance of MnO2 nanoparticles: graphene aerogels as conductive substrates and capacitance contributors

The role of graphene aerogels in rechargeable batteries

Energy storage systems, particularly rechargeable batteries, play a crucial role in establishing a sustainable energy infrastructure. Today, researchers focus on improving battery energy density, cycling stability, and rate performance. This involves enhancing existing materials or creating new ones with advanced properties for cathodes and anodes to achieve peak battery performance. Graphene aerogels (GAs) possess extraordinary attributes, including a hierarchical porous and lightweight structure, high electrical conductivity, and robust mechanical stability. These qualities facilitate the uniform distribution of active sites within electrodes, mitigate volume changes during repeated cycling, and enhance overall conductivity. When integrated into batteries, GAs expedite electron/ion transport, offer exceptional structural stability, and deliver outstanding cycling performance. This review offers a comprehensive survey of the advancements in the preparation, functionalization, and modification of GAs in the context of battery research. It explores their application as electrodes and hosts for the dispersion of active material nanoparticles, resulting in the creation of hybrid electrodes for a wide range of rechargeable batteries including lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), Li-metal-air batteries, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) and zinc-air batteries (ZABs), aluminum-ion batteries (AIBs) and aluminum-air batteries and other.

A Review of Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Aerogel in Electromagnetic Wave Absorption

Graphene aerogels (GAs) possess a remarkable capability to absorb electromagnetic waves (EMWs) due to their favorable dielectric characteristics and unique porous structure. Nevertheless, the introduction of nitrogen atoms into graphene aerogels can result in improved impedance matching. In recent years, nitrogen-doped graphene aerogels (NGAs) have emerged as promising materials, particularly when combined with magnetic metals, magnetic oxides, carbon nanotubes, and polymers, forming innovative composite systems with excellent multi-functional and broadband absorption properties. This paper provides a comprehensive summary of the synthesis methods and the EMW absorption mechanism of NGAs, along with an overview of the absorption properties of nitrogen-doped graphene-based aerogels. Furthermore, this study sheds light on the potential challenges that NGAs may encounter. By highlighting the substantial contribution of NGAs in the field of EMW absorption, this study aims to facilitate the innovative development of NGAs toward achieving broadband absorption, lightweight characteristics, and multifunctionality.

A three-dimensional Mn-based MOF as a high-performance supercapacitor electrode

Developing new high-performance electrode materials for improving the energy density of supercapacitors is an important task. Herein, a new three-dimensional (3D) metal-orgainc framework (MOF) [Mn(BGPD)(H₂O)₂] (Mn-BGPD; BGPD = N,N'-bis(glycinyl)pyromellitic diimide) was synthesized. When Mn-BGPD is used as the electrode material of supercapacitors, in a three-electrode setup, it shows an outstanding specific capacitance of 832.6 F g^-1 at a current density of 1 A g^-1. The asymmetrical supercapacitor of Mn-BGPD shows an attractive specific capacitance of 100 F g^-1 at 1 A g^-1, which corresponds to an excellent energy density of 35.5 W h kg^-1. Moreover, better cycling stability with a capacitance retention of 46.7% is also shown. The high electrochemical performance makes Mn-BGPD a very promising electrode material for supercapacitors.

CuCoNi–S anchored CoMoO4/MoO3 forming core–shell structure for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors

CoMoO4/MoO3@CuCoNi–S is prepared by hydrothermal and electrodeposition methods. It offers promising supercapacitor properties.