Self-templated Synthesis of Nickel Silicate Hydroxide/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite Hollow Microspheres as Highly Stable Supercapacitor Electrode Material

Structure engineering of nickel silicate/carbon composite with boosted electrochemical performances for hybrid supercapacitors

In the wake of the carbon-neutral era, the exploration of innovative materials for energy storage and conversion has garnered increasing attention. While nickel silicates have been a focal point in energy storage research, their application in supercapacitors (SCs) has been relatively underreported due to poor conductivity. A newly designed architecture, designated as rGO@NiSiO@NiO/C (abbreviated for reduced graphene oxide (rGO), nickel silicate (NiSiO), nickel oxide/carbon (NiO/C)), has been developed to enhance the electrochemical performance of NiSiO. The incorporation of inner rGO provides structural support for NiSiO, enhancing conductivity, while the outer NiO/C layer not only boosts conductivity but also safeguards NiSiO from structural degradation and electrolyte dissolution. This architecture eliminates multi-phase mixtures, facilitating rapid electron/mass transfer kinetics and accelerating electrochemical reactions, resulting in exceptional electrochemical properties. The rGO@NiSiO@NiO/C architecture achieves a specific capacitance of 324F·g-1 at 0.5 A·g-1, with a superb cycle performance of ∼ 91 % after 10,000 cycles, surpassing state-of-the-art nickel silicates. Furthermore, the hybrid supercapacitor (HSC) device incorporating the rGO@NiSiO@NiO/C electrode attains an areal capacitance of 159 mF·cm-2 at 2.5 mA·cm-2, a retention ratio of ∼ 98 % after 10,000 cycles, and an energy density of 0.68 Wh·m-2 (26.7 Wh·kg-1) at 3.4 W·m-2 (343.8 W·kg-1). This study presents a layer-by-layer approach for constructing transition metal silicates/C architectures to enhance their electrochemical performance.

Fabrication of Phosphorus-Doped Cobalt Silicate with Improved Electrochemical Properties

The development of electrode materials for supercapacitors (SCs) is greatly desired, and this still poses an immense challenge for researchers. Cobalt silicate (Co₂SiO₄, denoted as CoSi) with a high theoretical capacity is deemed to be one of the sustainable electrode materials for SCs. However, its achieved electrochemical properties are still not satisfying. Herein, the phosphorus (P)-doped cobalt silicate, denoted as PCoSi, is synthesized by a calcining strategy. The PCoSi exhibits 1D nanobelts with a specific surface area of 46 m²∙g⁻¹, and it can significantly improve the electrochemical properties of CoSi. As a supercapacitor’s (SC’s) electrode, the specific capacitance of PCoSi attains 434 F∙g⁻¹ at 0.5 A∙g⁻¹, which is much higher than the value of CoSi (244 F∙g⁻¹ at 0.5 A∙g⁻¹). The synergy between the composition and structure endows PCoSi with attractive electrochemical properties. This work provides a novel strategy to improve the electrochemical performances of transition metal silicates.

3D Yolk-Shell Structured Si/void/rGO Free-Standing Electrode for Lithium-Ion Battery

In this study, we have successfully prepared a free-standing Si/void/rGO yolk–shell structured electrode via the electrostatic self-assembly using protonated chitosan. When graphene oxide (GO) is dispersed in water, its carboxyl and hydroxyl groups on the surface are ionized, resulting in the high electronegativity of GO. Meanwhile, chitosan monomer contains -NH₂ and -OH groups, forming highly electropositive protonated chitosan in acidic medium. During the electrostatic interaction between GO and chitosan, which results in a rapid coagulation phenomenon, Si/SiO₂ nanoparticles dispersed in GO can be uniformly encapsulated between GO sheets. The free-standing Si/void/rGO film can be obtained by freeze-drying, high-pressure compression, thermal reduction and HF etching technology. Our investigation shows that after 200 charge/discharge cycles at the current density of 200 mA·g⁻¹, the specific discharge capacity of the free-standing electrode remains at 1129.2 mAh·g⁻¹. When the current density is increased to 4000 mA·g⁻¹, the electrode still has a specific capacity of 469.2 mAh·g⁻¹, showing good rate performance. This free-standing electrode with a yolk–shell structure shows potential applications in the field of flexible lithium-ion batteries.

Synthesis of urchin-like Ni3Si2O5(OH)4 hierarchical hollow spheres/GO composite with enhanced electrochemical properties for high-performance hybrid supercapacitors

Urchin-like Ni₃Si₂O₅(OH)₄ hierarchical hollow sphere/GO composites were synthesized, which showed an enhanced electrochemical performance of 165 F g⁻¹ at 0.5 A g⁻¹ and 84% capacity retention after 5000 cycles.