Abstract
Many challenges must be overcome in order to create reliable electrochemical energy storage devices with not only high energy but also high power densities. Gaps exist in both battery and supercapacitor technologies, with neither one satisfying the need for both large power and energy densities in a single device. To begin addressing these challenges (and others), we report a process to create a self-assembled array of electrochemically active nanoparticles bound directly to a current collector using extremely short (2 nm or less) conductive tethers. The tethered array of nanoparticles, MnO in this case, bound directly to a gold current collector via short conducting linkages eliminates the need for fillers, resulting in a material which achieves 99.9% active material by mass (excluding the current collector). This strategy is expected to be both scalable as well as effective for alternative tethers and metal oxide nanoparticles.
Highlights
Electrochemical energy storage devices are the leading means of storing charge where size and weight are critical[1,2,3,4,5,6]
Another criterion was to find a synthesis that used ligands which could be exchanged, allowing for further functionalization to form a linkage with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM)
A communication published by Seo et al provided a reproducible and straightforward route to synthesize MnO nanoparticles with oleylamine ligands and allowed for size control by varying the reaction temperature[49]
Summary
Electrochemical energy storage devices are the leading means of storing charge where size and weight are critical[1,2,3,4,5,6]. In some situations it can be beneficial to have a device that can operate using an aqueous electrolyte and avoid some of the safety and other concerns of operating with organic electrolytes All of these different options and modes of operation makes a MnOx based nanoparticle structure extremely versatile in the field of energy storage. Our choice of active material are the manganese oxides, which in addition to their broad range of potential applications (dependent on the choice of a particular MnOx phase), are widely regarded as excellent charge storage materials due to the availability of multiple oxidation states and the structural ability to incorporate cations[32,33,34,45]. Manganese is the 12th most abundant element found in the earth’s crust with Ti and Fe being the only transition metals found in higher quantities[48]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
