Nanocomposites for Electrochemical Energy Storage - An Overview

Abstract

Energy storage and conversion are major problems of our modern society. In the last decades, in order to minimize these problems, a growing research activity was dedicated to the development of new systems involved in this energy field. The fabrication of supercapacitors based on new materials, such as electrochemical double layer capacitor, can offer attractive potentialities. Indeed, these supercapacitors are able to provide a power density ten times higher than that supplied by batteries, and allow a larger number of charge and discharge cycles. The performance of supercapacitors highly depends on the properties of electrode materials. Ternary composites combining both capacitive and faradaic reactions can address the improvement necessary for relatively cost effective and performance of supercapacitors. Particularly, ternary nanocomposites systems of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), conducting polymer (CPs) films and metal oxide/hydroxide; CNT:CP:Metal oxide; has been proposed as potential electrodes for electrochemical supercapacitors, as alternatives to overcome the drawbacks associated with single component electrodes for the construction of high performance supercapacitors.