3D Carbon/Cobalt‐Nickel Mixed‐Oxide Hybrid Nanostructured Arrays for Asymmetric Supercapacitors

The electrochemical performance of supercapacitors relies not only on the exploitation of high‐capacity active materials, but also on the rational design of superior electrode architectures. Herein, a novel supercapacitor electrode comprising 3D hierarchical mixed‐oxide nanostructured arrays (NAs) of C/CoNi₃O₄ is reported. The network‐like C/CoNi₃O₄ NAs exhibit a relatively high specific surface area; it is fabricated from ultra‐robust Co‐Ni hydroxide carbonate precursors through glucose‐coating and calcination processes. Thanks to their interconnected three‐dimensionally arrayed architecture and mesoporous nature, the C/CoNi₃O₄ NA electrode exhibits a large specific capacitance of 1299 F/g and a superior rate performance, demonstrating 78% capacity retention even when the discharge current jumps by 100 times. An optimized asymmetric supercapacitor with the C/CoNi₃O₄ NAs as the positive electrode is fabricated. This asymmetric supercapacitor can reversibly cycle at a high potential of 1.8 V, showing excellent cycling durability and also enabling a remarkable power density of ～13 kW/kg with a high energy density of ～19.2 W·h/kg. Two such supercapacitors linked in series can simultaneously power four distinct light‐emitting diode indicators; they can also drive the motor of remote‐controlled model planes. This work not only presents the potential of C/CoNi₃O₄ NAs in thin‐film supercapacitor applications, but it also demonstrates the superiority of electrodes with such a 3D hierarchical architecture.     

Core–Shell Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Hollow Spheres/Co3O4 Nanosheets as Advanced Electrode for High‐Performance Supercapacitor

Co₃O₄/nitrogen‐doped carbon hollow spheres (Co₃O₄/NHCSs) with hierarchical structures are synthesized by virtue of a hydrothermal method and subsequent calcination treatment. NHCSs, as a hard template, can aid the generation of Co₃O₄ nanosheets on its surface; while SiO₂ spheres, as a sacrificed‐template, can be dissolved in the process. The prepared Co₃O₄/NHCS composites are investigated as the electrode active material. This composite exhibits an enhanced performance than Co₃O₄ itself. A higher specific capacitance of 581 F g^?1 at 1 A g^?1 and a higher rate performance of 91.6% retention at 20 A g^?1 are achieved, better than Co₃O₄ nanorods (318 F g^?1 at 1 A g^?1 and 67.1% retention at 20 A g^?1). In addition, the composite is employed as a positive electrode to fabricate an asymmetric supercapacitor. The device can deliver a high energy density of 34.5 Wh kg^?1 at the power density of 753 W kg^?1 and display a desirable cycling stability. All of these attractive results make the unique hierarchical Co₃O₄/NHCS core–shell structure a promising electrode material for high‐performance supercapacitors.     

一步合成Mn3O4@RGO复合材料及其非对称超级电容器的应用

在乙醇胺和水组成的混合溶剂中, Mn(Ac)₂与氧化石墨烯一步反应得到还原石墨烯(RGO)与黑锰矿纳米颗粒(Mn₃O₄)组成的复合材料Mn₃O₄@RGO。以Mn₃O₄@RGO为正极, RGO为负极, 组装得到了具有优良储能性能的非对称型超级电容器Mn₃O₄@RGO//RGO。基于活性物质的总质量, 电容器的最大能量密度可达21.7 Wh/kg, 相应的功率密度为0.5 kW/kg; 同时, 最大功率密度为8 kW/kg时, 对应的能量密度为11.1 Wh/kg。Mn₃O₄@RGO//RGO还表现出良好的循环稳定性, 在经历5000次循环后, 比电容依然保持88.4%。电容器的良好储能性能可归因于在RGO表面生长的高密度Mn₃O₄纳米颗粒和RGO的良好导电性能。     

Fe2O3纳米纤维锂离子电池负极材料的制备及其电化学性能研究

Fe₂O₃具有理论比容量高和价格低廉等特点, 已成为锂离子电池负极材料的研究热点之一。实验以不同质量比PVP/FeCl₃溶液为前驱体, 静电纺丝技术制备PVP/FeCl₃纳米纤维并热处理, 得到不同直径的Fe₂O₃纳米纤维负极材料, 并以水热合成法制备了Fe₂O₃纳米颗粒。利用X射线衍射、热重、红外光谱、扫描电镜、透射电镜和恒流充放电等测试手段对材料的物相、微观形貌和电化学性能进行表征。结果表明, Fe₂O₃纳米纤维比Fe₂O₃纳米颗粒表现出更优的电化学性能, 直径为160 nm的Fe₂O₃纳米纤维负极材料的倍率性能和循环性能最佳, 材料在0.1 A/g电流密度下的可逆容量为827.3 mAh/g;在2 A/g电流密度下70次循环放电比容量有439.1 mAh/g。     

High‐Stacking‐Density,Superior‐Roughness LDH Bridged with Vertically Aligned Graphene for High‐Performance Asymmetric Supercapacitors

The high‐performance electrode materials with tuned surface and interface structure and functionalities are highly demanded for advanced supercapacitors. A novel strategy is presented to conFigure high‐stacking‐density, superior‐roughness nickel manganese layered double hydroxide (LDH) bridged by vertically aligned graphene (VG) with nickel foam (NF) as the conductive collector, yielding the LDH‐NF@VG hybrids for asymmetric supercapacitors. The VG nanosheets provide numerous electron transfer channels for quick redox reactions, and well‐developed open structure for fast mass transport. Moreover, the high‐stacking‐density LDH grown and assembled on VG nanosheets result in a superior hydrophilicity derived from the tuned nano/microstructures, especially microroughness. Such a high stacking density with abundant active sites and superior wettability can be easily accessed by aqueous electrolytes. Benefitting from the above features, the LDH‐NF@VG can deliver a high capacitance of 2920 F g^?1 at a current density of 2 A g^?1, and the asymmetric supercapacitor with the LDH‐NF@VG as positive electrode and activated carbon as negative electrode can deliver a high energy density of 56.8 Wh kg^?1 at a power density of 260 W kg^?1, with a high specific capacitance retention rate of 87% even after 10 000 cycles.     

Ionic Liquid‐Controlled Growth of NiCo2S4 3D Hierarchical Hollow Nanoarrow Arrays on Ni Foam for Superior Performance Binder Free Hybrid Supercapacitors

A significant development in the design of a NiCo₂S₄ 3D hierarchical hollow nanoarrow arrays (HNA)‐based supercapacitor binder free electrode assembled by 1D hollow nanoneedles and 2D nanosheets on a Ni foam collector through controlling ionic liquid 1‐octyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride ([OMIm]Cl) concentration is reported. The unique NiCo₂S₄‐HNA electrode acquires high specific capacity (1297 C g^?1 at 1 A g^?1, 2.59 C cm^?2 at 2 mA cm^?2), excellent rate capability (maintaining 73.0% at 20 A g^?1), and long operational life (maintaining 92.4% after 10 000 cycles at 5 A g^?1), which are superior to those for 1D hollow nanoneedle arrays (HNN) and 2D porous nanoflake arrays (PNF). The outstanding electrochemical performance is attributed to the novel 3D structure with large specific surface, hollow cores, high porosity as well as stable architecture. In addition, a hybrid supercapacitor applying 3D NiCo₂S₄‐HNA as the positive electrode and active carbon as the negative electrode exhibits a high energy density of 42.5 Wh kg^?1 at a power density of 2684.2 W kg^?1 in an operating voltage of 1.6 V. Robust cycling stability is also expressed with 84.9% retention after repeating 10 000 cycles at 5 A g^?1, implying their great potential in superior‐performance supercapacitors.     

Carbon‐Coated Li3VO4 Spheres as Constituents of an Advanced Anode Material for High‐Rate Long‐Life Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Lithium‐ion batteries are receiving considerable attention for large‐scale energy‐storage systems. However, to date the current cathode/anode system cannot satisfy safety, cost, and performance requirements for such applications. Here, a lithium‐ion full battery based on the combination of a Li₃VO₄ anode with a LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄ cathode is reported, which displays a better performance than existing systems. Carbon‐coated Li₃VO₄ spheres comprising nanoscale carbon‐coating primary particles are synthesized by a morphology‐inheritance route. The observed high capacity combined with excellent sample stability and high rate capability of carbon‐coated Li₃VO₄ spheres is superior to other insertion anode materials. A high‐performance full lithium‐ion battery is fabricated by using the carbon‐coated Li₃VO₄ spheres as the anode and LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄ spheres as the cathode; such a cell shows an estimated practical energy density of 205 W h kg^?1 with greatly improved properties such as pronounced long‐term cyclability, and rapid charge and discharge.     

Nitrogen‐Superdoped 3D Graphene Networks for High‐Performance Supercapacitors

An N‐superdoped 3D graphene network structure with an N‐doping level up to 15.8 at% for high‐performance supercapacitor is designed and synthesized, in which the graphene foam with high conductivity acts as skeleton and nested with N‐superdoped reduced graphene oxide arogels. This material shows a highly conductive interconnected 3D porous structure (3.33 S cm^?1), large surface area (583 m² g^?1), low internal resistance (0.4 Ω), good wettability, and a great number of active sites. Because of the multiple synergistic effects of these features, the supercapacitors based on this material show a remarkably excellent electrochemical behavior with a high specific capacitance (of up to 380, 332, and 245 F g^?1 in alkaline, acidic, and neutral electrolytes measured in three‐electrode configuration, respectively, 297 F g^?1 in alkaline electrolytes measured in two‐electrode configuration), good rate capability, excellent cycling stability (93.5% retention after 4600 cycles), and low internal resistance (0.4 Ω), resulting in high power density with proper high energy density.     

Engineering 2D Architectures toward High‐Performance Micro‐Supercapacitors

The rise of micro‐supercapacitors is satisfying the demand for power storage in portable devices and wireless gadgets. But the miniaturization of the energy‐storage components is significantly limited by their energy density. Electrode materials with adequate electrochemical active surfaces are therefore required for improving performance. 2D materials with ultralarge specific surface areas offer a broad portfolio of the development of high‐performance micro‐supercapacitors in spite of their several critical drawbacks. An architecture engineering strategy is therefore developed to break these natural limits and maximize the significant advantages of these materials. Based on the approaches of phase transformation, intercalation, surface modification, material hybridization, and hierarchical structuration, 2D architectures with improved conductivity, enlarged specific surface, enhanced redox activity, as well as the unique synergetic effect exhibit great promise in the application of miniaturized supercapacitors with highly enhanced performance. Herein, the architecture engineering of emerging 2D materials beyond graphene toward optimizing the performance of micro‐supercapacitors is discussed, in order to promote the application of 2D architectures in miniaturized energy‐storage devices.     

Focus on Spinel Li4Ti5O12 as Insertion Type Anode for High‐Performance Na‐Ion Batteries

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) toward large‐scale energy storage applications has fascinated researchers in recent years owing to the low cost, environmental friendliness, and inestimable abundance. The similar chemical and electrochemical properties of sodium and lithium make sodium an easy substitute for lithium in lithium‐ion batteries. However, the main issues of limited cycle life, low energy density, and poor power density hamper the commercialization process. In the last few years, the development of electrode materials for SIBs has been dedicated to improving sodium storage capacities, high energy density, and long cycle life. The insertion type spinel Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO) possesses “zero‐strain” behavior that offers the best cycle life performance among all reported oxide‐based anodes, displaying a capacity of 155 mAh g^?1 via a three‐phase separation mechanism, and competing for future topmost high energy anode for SIBs. Recent reports offer improvement of overall electrode performance through carbon coating, doping, composites with metal oxides, and surface modification techniques, etc. Further, LTO anode with its structure and properties for SIBs is described and effective methods to improve the LTO performance are discussed in both half‐cell and practical configuration, i.e., full‐cell, along with future perspectives and solutions to promote its use.