Applications In Energy Storage Devices Research Articles

SnS/MnSe heterostructures for enhanced optoelectronics and dielectric applications.

In this work, we synthesized SnS and MnSe compositions using a hydrothermal method and then prepared the SnS/MnSe heterostructure. By using X-ray diffraction, the structural characteristics of these compounds were examined. It was discovered that both the pure phases MnSe and SnS appeared in the SnS/MnSe sample, confirming the heterostructure formation. The Raman analysis also confirmed the formation of a heterostructure of the SnS/MnSe sample containing two phases, MnSe and SnS. The individual MnSe and SnS compositions show good optical properties, having bandgap values around 1.3 and 1 eV, respectively, whereas the prepared heterostructure shows a very low bandgap value of around 0.4 eV. The SnS sample shows nano sheet-like morphology, and MnSe shows rectangular-like shapes, whereas the SnS/MnSe heterostructure shows the presence of both shapes. The EDX study shows all the constituent elements in the SnS/MnSe heterostructure sample. The electrical study also shows that the properties of the prepared heterostructure are different from those of pure compositions. Investigating the dielectric characteristics with respect to temperature and frequency allowed for a thorough analysis of several parameters, including the electric modulus, dielectric constant, AC conductivity, and impedance spectroscopy. Applications for electronic and energy storage devices may benefit from the aforementioned optical, electrical, and dielectric characteristics of the SnS/MnSe heterostructure.

Azonia-Naphthalene: A Cationic Hydrophilic Building Block for Stable N-Type Organic Mixed Ionic-Electronic Conductors.

Conjugated polymers that can efficiently transport both ionic and electronic charges have broad applications in next-generation optoelectronic, bioelectronic, and energy storage devices. To date, almost all the conjugated polymers have hydrophobic backbones, which impedes efficient ion diffusion/transport in aqueous media. Here, we design and synthesize a novel hydrophilic polymer building block, 4a-azonia-naphthalene (AN), drawing inspiration from biological systems. Because of the strong electron-withdrawing ability of AN, the AN-based polymers show typical n-type charge transport behaviors. We find that cationic aromatics exhibit strong cation-π interactions, leading to smaller π-π stacking distance, interesting ion diffusion behavior, and good morphology stability. Additionally, AN enhances the hydrophilicity and ionic-electronic coupling of the polymer, which can help to improve ion diffusion/injection speed, and operational stability of organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs). The integration of cationic building blocks will undoubtedly enrich the material library for high-performance n-type conjugated polymers.

Effect of Annealing Temperature on the Electrochemical Behavior of Hydrothermal Assisted Bismuth Phosphate Nanostructures

: In the present scenario, society requires various energy sources due to the depletion of fossil fuels. In the current work, Bismuth Phosphate nanostructures are synthesized via the hydrothermal method at different aging periods and were further annealed at 300 These samples are abbreviated as BP6300, BP12300, BP18300, and BP24300. Further, we analyzed the synthesized samples' structural, morphological, and electrochemical behavior. X-ray Diffraction Technique is used to analyze the phase and crystal structure of all the synthesized samples. A field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) is used to analyze the morphology. Raman and FTIR spectra also approved the structure of materials and functional groups of all the synthesized samples. EDX spectra analysis confirmed the results quantitatively by detecting all the elements present in the synthesized material. High–resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra confirmed the oxidation states of the synthesized samples. Various aging period treatments with annealing temperatures play a significant role in tuning the electrochemical behavior of working electrodes for battery or hybrid energy storage applications. The drop casting method was adopted for the fabrication of working electrodes, and all the electrochemical analysis of these electrodes was done in the 2 M KOH electrolyte solution. Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), Galvanostatic Charge Discharge (GCD), and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) of all the samples were analyzed in the 3-electrode setup and exhibited a high potential window of 1.4 V. The specific capacity is found to be maximum for BP12300 samples. The investigation revealed that synthesized material could be used as an electrode for various energy storage device applications. Keywords: Bismuth Phosphate, Cyclic Voltammetry, Galvanostatic charge-discharge, and hydrothermal method.

Hierarchical CoP@NiMn-P Nanocomposites Grown on Carbon Cloth for High-Performance Supercapacitor Electrodes

Transition metal phosphides (TMPs) are potential candidates for supercapacitors. To improve their performance by adjusting their morphology and composition, hierarchical CoP@NiMn-P nanocomposites were successfully prepared by the hydrothermal method, electrodeposition, and low-temperature phosphorization. NiMn-P nanosheets were coated on CoP nanowires to form a hierarchical structure. Electrochemical analysis results indicated that the specific capacitance reached 2162.2 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 with a high capacitance retention ratio of 83.3% after 5000 cycles at a current density of 10 A g-1. This excellent electrochemical performance was attributed to the large specific surface area and enhanced conductivity. Furthermore, an asymmetric supercapacitor, CoP@NiMn-P//AC, was prepared using CoP@NiMn-P as the positive electrode and AC as the negative electrode. A large voltage window of 1.6 V and high energy density of 21.1 Wh kg-1 at 804.3 W kg-1 with a good capacity retention rate were achieved. The results confirm that CoP@NiMn-P has good potential for application in high-performance energy storage devices and provide a reference for the design of phosphide with morphology/composition optimization.

Ceramic Composite Gel Polymer Electrolyte for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Battery

As the most extreme application of electrical energy storage devices, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) not only have the high energy density, but also show long charge/discharge life cycles. Nevertheless, some inherent issues hinder its widespread application, such as the safety problems, lithium metal extrusion, dendrite growth, and the high cost, together with the limited resources of lithium metal. As one of the next-generation batteries, zinc-ion battery (ZIB) is a promising candidate to solve the above problems, due to their high theoretical capacity, low cost, high abundance, low potential, high energy density, and intrinsic safety. Three-types electrolytes, liquid-state, solid-state, and gel-state, are included in ZIBs. The aqueous ZIBs with liquid-state electrolytes are usually considered as ultra-intrinsic batteries. However, various side reactions of dendrite growth, oxygen evolution reaction, hydrogen evolution reaction, and metal Zn corrosion deteriorate the electrochemical reaction of ZIB.Herein, ceramic composite gel polymer electrolytes preparing by electrospinning process were applied to improve the electrochemical properties of ZIB. The gel polymer electrolytes containing amounts of aqueous liquid electrolytes have the activity of water, which can extend the electrochemical stability window and provide good flexibility and H+ insertion/extraction during charge/discharge process for high capacity and good cyclic stability.

Size dependent electrochemical properties of green synthesized NiO nanoparticles as a supercapacitor electrode

The nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) are synthesized by a green method using the leaf extract of Ocimum sanctum (OS) as a reducing agent. The NiO NPs of different sizes are synthesized using various concentrations of leaf extract of OS. The average crystallite size and particle size of the NiO NPs is measured using XRD and Transmission electron microscope (TEM) respectively. The size of NiO NPs is observed to decrease from ∼ 17 nm to ∼ 13 nm with increase in concentrations of leaf extract of OS. The morphology and elemental analysis of the NiO NPs is carried out using Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis respectively. The cyclic voltammetric (CV) studies on electrode of NiO NPs showed a pseudocapacitive behavior with a specific capacitance of 100 Fg−1 at a scan rate of 100 mV/sec for the particles with the size of ∼ 13 nm. The Galvonostatic charge–discharge studies showed a prolonged discharge time for the electrode of NiO NPs with size of ∼ 13 nm for a current density of 5 A/g. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies of electrodes of NiO NPs indicate the electric double layer capacitance (EDLC) and diffusion controlled pseudo capacitance behavior. The synthesized electrode shows capacitance retention of 84 % for 2500 cycles, is chosen for designing a supercapacitor device for glowing 10 red light emitting diodes (LEDs). Therefore, the use of leaf extract of OS is an ecofriendly alternative for synthesis of NiO NPs of different sizes that has applications in energy storage devices.

Constructing 1D/2D NiCo‐LDH Nanowire/MXene Composites for Efficient And Stable Lithium Storage

AbstractBimetallic layered double hydroxide (LDH) delivers competitive performance in lithium‐ion battery (LIB) because of the unique layered structure. However, the electrochemical performance of LDH is hindered by the low conductivity and the huge structure change upon cycling. To face this challenge, the 1D/2D NiCo‐LDH nanowire/MXene composites (NiCo‐LDH/MXene) are dedicatedly constructed via a simple one‐step hydrothermal method. Owing to the robust conductive skeleton is enabled by MXene nanosheets and abundant electroactive sites provided by NiCo‐LDH nanowires, the NiCo‐LDH/MXene anode exhibits rapid ion diffusion, exceptional redox reaction, and superior structural stability. Consequently, it offers a high specific capacitance of 1081 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at the current density of 100 mA g−1 and impressive rate performance, i.e., 439 mAh g−1 at the current density of 1000 mA g−1. These results will motivate the exploration of advanced electrode materials for application in energy storage devices.

Lithium supercapacitors with environmentally-friend water-processable solid-state hybrid electrolytes of zinc oxide/polymer/lithium hydroxide

Environment-friendly and safe solid-state electrolytes are of utmost importance for energy storage devices, but no study has been reported on water-processable hybrid electrolytes that take advantage of both organic and inorganic components. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate that novel water-processable hybrid films, consisting of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle, lithium hydroxide (LiOH), and branched-poly(ethylene imine) (bPEI), act as efficient solid-state electrolytes for lithium supercapacitors. The ZnO:bPEI:LiOH (ZPL) hybrid solutions were prepared using water by varying ZnO molar ratios up to 60 mol% to the repeating unit of bPEI. The enhanced ionic conductivity (∼1.36 mS/cm), which is higher than that of bPEI:LiOH electrolytes, was achieved at ZnO = 30 mol%. The best ZPL supercapacitors, exhibiting high performances of peak potential (2.0 V) and energy density (3.38 mWh/kg) upon charging at 0.4 mA/g only, could be stably operated over 1000 charging/discharging cycles. Series connection of multiple ZPL supercapacitors delivered increased output potentials (∼4.5 V from three devices in series) with reproducible charging/discharging performances. The experimental result supports that the present ZPL hybrid electrolyte technology paves the way for eco-friendly processes of next-generation solid-state electrolytes that can be a key in safe energy storage devices for applications to electrical vehicles etc.

Design strategies towards transition metal single atom catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction – A review

The electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is pivotal in energy conversion <i>via</i> a 4e⁻ ORR pathway and green hydrogen peroxide production <i>via</i> 2e⁻ ORR pathway. Transition metal single atom catalysts (TM SACs) have attracted intense attention in recent years for ORR due to their high activity and near maximum metal atom utilization. The future development of TM SACs for ORR requires improved understanding of reaction pathways, since currently the true origin of activity remains contentious owing to the lack of qualitative/quantitative information about active sites. Knowledge-guided design is imperative for the optimization of TM SACs performance in terms of activity and selectivity. This review focuses on the latest progress in the design of TM SACs for ORR, placing particular attention on efforts to elucidate reaction mechanisms. Experimental evidence based on <i>in-situ/operando</i> characterization measurements, along with theoretical predictions, are summarized to deepen understanding of the structure-performance relationships at both atomic and molecular level. Finally, some perspectives are offered relating to the fundamental science needed for TM SACs to find practical application in energy storage and conversion devices. We hope this review will inspire the development of new synthetic routes towards high-performance ORR electrocatalysts for the energy sector.

Development and characterization of cellulose acetate-based Li-ion conducting membrane and its application in energy storage devices

Development and characterization of cellulose acetate-based Li-ion conducting membrane and its application in energy storage devices

Rational Design of High-Loading Electrodes with Superior Performances Toward Practical Application for Energy Storage Devices.

High-loading electrodes play a crucial role in designing practical high-energy batteries as they reduce the proportion of non-active materials, such as current separators, collectors, and battery packaging components. This design approach not only enhances battery performance but also facilitates faster processing and assembly, ultimately leading to reduced production costs. Despite the existing strategies to improve rechargeable battery performance, which mainly focus on novel electrode materials and high-performance electrolyte, most reported high electrochemical performances are achieved with low loading of active materials (<2mgcm-2). Such low loading, however, fails to meet application requirements. Moreover, when attempting to scale up the loading of active materials, significant challenges are identified, including sluggish ion diffusion and electron conduction kinetics, volume expansion, high reaction barriers, and limitations associated with conventional electrode preparation processes. Unfortunately, these issues are often overlooked. In this review, the mechanisms responsible for the decay in the electrochemical performance of high-loading electrodes are thoroughly discussed. Additionally, efficient solutions, such as doping and structural design, are summarized to address these challenges. Drawing from the current achievements, this review proposes future directions for development and identifies technological challenges that must be tackled to facilitate the commercialization of high-energy-density rechargeable batteries.

NiFe Nanoparticle Nest Supported on Graphene as Electrocatalyst for Highly Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

Designing cost-efffective electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) holds significant importance in the progression of clean energy generation and efficient energy storage technologies, such as water splitting and rechargeable metal-air batteries. In this work, an OER electrocatalyst is developed using Ni and Fe precursors in combination with different proportions of graphene oxide. The catalyst synthesis involved a rapid reduction process, facilitated by adding sodium borohydride, which successfully formed NiFe nanoparticle nests on graphene support (NiFe NNG). The incorporation of graphene support enhances the catalytic activity, electron transferability, and electrical conductivity of the NiFe-based catalyst. The NiFe NNG catalyst exhibits outstanding performance, characterized by a low overpotential of 292.3mV and a Tafel slope of 48mVdec-1, achieved at a current density of 10mAcm- 2. Moreover, the catalyst exhibits remarkable stability over extended durations. The OER performance of NiFe NNG is on par withthat of commercial IrO2 in alkaline media. Such superb OER catalytic performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect between the NiFe nanoparticle nests and graphene, which arises from their large surface area and outstanding intrinsic catalytic activity. The excellent electrochemical properties of NiFe NNG hold great promise for further applications in energy storage and conversion devices.

Steps towards the ideal CV and GCD results with biodegradable polymer electrolytes: Plasticized MC based green electrolyte for EDLC application

Advanced materials are a primary focus of many research groups for applications in energy storage devices. Natural polymers, as a branch of advanced materials, are currently a hot topic to produce clean energy and reduce microplastics problems in the ocean and their potential harm to human health through ingestion. A novel biodegradable green polymer electrolyte was selected for energy storage in the current investigation. The MC polymer was impregnated with a fixed weight percent (40 %) of sodium thiocyanate (NaSCN) and different amount of glycerol to produce flexible films of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) using solution casting method. The XRD test reveals that the lowest degree of crystallinity is present in the most conductive electrolyte with increasing plasticizer. According to the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results, the sample that was incorporated with 50 % glycerol displayed the highest conductivity. FTIR was employed to observe the interaction of electrolyte components. Ions were found to be the primary species contributing to conduction, with transference numbers of 0.958 and 0.042 for ions (tion) and electrons (te), respectively. The results obtained from the linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) data confirm that the sample can withstand a voltage of approximately 2.54 V. This voltage level is suitable for extensive practical applications. The shape of the CV pattern was almost comparable to an ideal rectangular shape at low scan rates. A slight increase in the internal resistance (ESR) of the EDLC cell was observed, which increased from 59 to 68 Ω. The battery cycler was used to charge and discharge the designed EDLC device and some key parameters, including capacitance (110 F.g−1), energy density (15 Wh.Kg−1), and power density (1300 W.Kg−1) were determined from the discharge curve. Ultimately, based on the study of the assembled cell, it has been suggested that supercapacitors have emerged as potential alternative to replace environmentally harmful Li-ion batteries in advancing green energy.

CEI Optimization: Enable the High Capacity and Reversible Sodium‐Ion Batteries for Future Massive Energy Storage

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) have attracted attention due to their potential applications for future energy storage devices. Despite significant attempts to improve the core electrode materials, only some work has been conducted on the chemistry of the interface between the electrolytes and essential electrode materials. Therefore, the different cathode–electrolyte interfaces (CEIs) that form between various cathode materials and liquid electrolytes for SIBs are briefly reviewed, and the requirements of CEI performance in low‐temperature SIBs. Modifying the cathode materials and electrolyte formulas offers an efficient strategy for CEI enhancement. The summary and analysis, given in this article, may serve as a reference for the development of better sodium‐ion batteries.

Human friendly biodegradable supercapacitors utilizing water-soluble MoOx@Mo-foil as electrode and normal saline as electrolyte

The rapid advancement of biomedical technology has sparked increasing interest in developing biodegradable implantable energy storage devices for applications in biosensors and bioelectronics. However, the limited energy density, biocompatibility, and degradability of existing materials have posed significant challenges to their widespread adoption in the biomedical field. In response, this study presents an electrode material for a solid-state biodegradable supercapacitor consisting of an array structure of molybdenum oxide (MoOx) nanosheets in situ grown on water-soluble molybdenum foil (Mo-foil). The MoOx@Mo-foil electrode exhibits exceptional electrochemical performance, suppressing previous designs. It demonstrated a high capacitance of 433.3 F/g at 1 A/g, and even at 10 A/g, it has a favorable rate capability of 48.9%. Furthermore, cycling stability test revealed an outstanding endurance, with an impressive retention of 88.0% after 5000 cycles. An symmetrical supercapacitor was assembled by combining two MoOx@Mo-foil electrodes with remarkable energy storage capabilities and cycling stability of 94.3% over 5000 cycles. Additionally, the biodegradable supercapacitor exhibited a high energy density of 40.95 Wh/kg at 600.48 W/kg. Moreover, the device is fully biodegradable, which paves the way for advancing the field of bioelectronics and propelling the development of sustainable energy storage technologies for biomedical applications.

Electrochemical performance of bridge molecule-reinforced activated carbon fiber-m-aminobenzenesulfonic acid-polyaniline for braidable-supercapacitor application

The bridge molecule-reinforced activated carbon fiber-m-aminobenzenesulfonic acid-polyaniline (ACF-mABSA-PANI) is designed and fabricated as braidable-supercapacitor electrode to achieve long cycle life and high capacitive performance. The mABSA acts as bridge molecule to form amide bond between mABSA and ACF, as well as sulfonamide bond between mABSA and PANI, which is confirmed by infrared spectrometer and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The interfacial interaction between ACF and PANI is enhanced by chemical bonding, thus alleviating the shedding of polyaniline and improving the cycle life of ACF-mABSA-PANI. The electrostatic potential and Mulliken charge analysis calculations indicate that ACF-mABSA-PANI has an extended delocalized π-π conjugation system. The bridge molecule of mABSA improves the free electron migration efficiency between PANI and ACF, leading to an increase in the specific capacitance of ACF-mABSA-PANI. As a result, ACF-mABSA-PANI presents much higher specific capacitance of 599.3F/g at 0.5 A/g and much higher capacitance retention ratio of 93.8 % after 2000 charge/discharge cycles at 2 A/g while ACF-PANI only keeps 335.0F/g and 54.4 %. Braidable-supercapacitor based on ACF-mABSA-PANI electrode provides an energy density of 39.83 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 900 W kg−1 and maintains a high capacitance retention of 78.1 % after 2000 charge/discharge cycles at 2 A/g. Well-designed ACF-mABSA-PANI presents the potential and promising application for wearable electrochemical energy storage devices.

Exploring metal-free ionic covalent organic framework nanosheets as efficient OER electrocatalysts via cationic-π interactions

Metal-free electrocatalysts play a crucial role in enabling practical water splitting for future clean energy production by facilitating the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, the preparation of such electrocatalysts presents significant challenges due to the limitations of the kinetically sluggish anodic half-cell reaction, which restricts the attainment of high energy inputs. In this study, we present a metal- and pyrolysis-free ionic covalent organic framework (COF) nanosheet, denoted as JUC-627-NS, and investigate its potential as an efficient electrocatalyst for OER by introducing cationic-π interactions. Notably, through the utilization of positively charged JUC-627-NS as cationic donors and π-conjugated graphene as electron donors for the first time, the JUC-627-NS@G-2 composite exhibits an exceptional ultralow overpotential of 275 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2, ranking among the top-performing metal- and pyrolysis-free electrocatalysts reported thus far. Combining theoretical calculations with in-situ infrared spectroscopy, we validate that the imidazolium salt moiety of JUC-627-NS serves as the active center of the electrocatalyst, while the robust cation-π interaction within the complex brings the reaction site closer to graphene, acting as a conductive agent. These findings highlight a novel strategy for advancing the development of metal-free OER electrocatalysts based on ionic COF materials, with promising applications in energy conversion and storage devices.

Synergistic innovations in energy Storage: Cu-MOF infused with CNT for supercapattery devices and hydrogen evolution reaction

The tailoring and rational synthesis of metal–organic framework (MOF) with versatile nano/microarchitectures are of great academic interest due to their promising applications in advanced energy storage devices. A simple and cost-effective hydrothermal method was used to synthesize the carbon nanotubes (CNT) doped Cu-MOF, exhibiting astonishing power and energy density. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) measurements were performed, which showed an enhanced surface area of 143 m2/g upon incorporation of CNT. The specific capacity of the Cu-MOF/CNT sample was increased up to 1876C/g compared to the Cu-MOF (1190C/g) and CNT (603C/g). Advance supercapattery was designed using Cu-MOF/CNT as the positive electrode while activated carbon (AC) as the negative electrode. The estimated specific capacitance of Cu-MOF/CNT//AC was 262C/g. To investigate the stability of the asymmetric device, it was subjected to 16,000 charging/discharging cycles that maintained 98.3 % its primary capacity. Consequently, the asymmetric device obtained energy and power density was 47 Wh/kg and 920 W/kg, respectively.

Silicon-oxy-carbide intercalated three-dimensional graphene hybrid membrane for all-solid-state supercapacitors

The demand for high-performance energy storage solutions has driven research towards advanced electrode materials. In this study, a graphene-based hybrid membrane, containing intercalated silicon-oxy-carbide (SiOC), was fabricated using a novel method that combines flow-directed assembly and vapour reduction. This hybrid membrane not only enhances electrolyte transport owing to its three-dimensional network structure but also capitalises on the synergistic advantages of graphene and SiOC owing to strong coupling forces. When compared to individual graphene and SiOC, the resulting flexible all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitor device (ASSSs) demonstrated superior capacitance performance, in terms of a high power density of 8000 W·kg−1 at an energy density of 17.5 W·h·kg−1 and a high energy density of 86.8 W·h·kg−1 at 600 W·kg−1, all within a wide potential window of 0–2.0 V. This innovative methodology has far-reaching implications, offering a straightforward and efficient strategy for designing and preparing three-dimensional (3D) graphene-based membrane electrodes with potential applications in flexible energy storage devices.

Dielectric performance of aluminum cation modified graphene oxide membrane: Influence of Al source

This study demonstrates a facile and effective strategy for modifying the dielectric properties of graphene oxide membranes for applications in advanced energy storage devices. The high dielectric constant and low dielectric loss of graphene oxide (GO) make GO-based materials good dielectric separators for developing thin and flexible devices. Controllable tailoring of the dielectric properties of GO membranes is crucial to advance its applications as a dielectric material. Metal cation modification represents one tailoring strategy, but the effects of cation modification are difficult to compare due to its dependence on the metal cation source and the specific physicochemical conditions. In this study, we explore the dielectric properties of GO membranes modified by the introduction of Al3+ from different chemical sources. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss of an unmodified GO membrane and three Al3+ modified GO (AGO) membranes were measured in the frequency range from 1 Hz to 106 Hz, and the performance of a dielectric capacitor fabricated by sandwiching the GO (AGO) membrane between carbon paper electrodes was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry. Results demonstrate that the three different sources of Al3+ differently impact the dielectric properties of GO membranes and thus the performance of as-fabricated dielectric capacitors. Our results advance the fundamental understanding of how metal cation modification impacts the dielectric properties of GO membranes and demonstrate the possibility of designing membranes with controllable dielectric performance.