Electrode Materials Research Articles

Structure-Foldable and Performance-Tailorable PI Paper-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerators Processed and Controlled by Laser-Induced Graphene.

Laser-induced graphene (LIG) technology has provided a new manufacturing strategy for the rapid and scalable assembling of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG). However, current LIG-based TENG commonly rely on polymer films, e.g., polyimide (PI) as both friction material and carbon precursor of electrodes, which limit the structural diversity and performance escalation due to its incapability of folding and creasing. Using specialized PI paper composed of randomly distributed PI fibers to substantially enhance its foldability, this work creates a new type of TENG, which are structurally foldable and stackable, and performance tailorable. First, by systematically investigating the laser power-regulated performance of single-unit TENG, the open-circuit voltage can be effectively improved. By further exploiting the folding process, multiple TENG units can be assembled together to form multi-layered structures to continuously expand the open-circuit voltage from 5.3 to 34.4Vcm-2, as the increase of friction units from 1 to 16. Last, by fully utilizing the unique structure and performance, representative energy-harvesting and smart-sensing applications are demonstrated, including a smart shoe to recognize running motions and power LEDs, a smart leaf to power a thermometer by wind, a matrix sensor to recognize writing trajectories, as well as a smart glove to recognize different objects.

Thixotropic Composite Hydrogel Electrode Composed of a Polymer Hydrogelator and Water-Dispersive Tungsten Oxide Flat Microparticles.

Here, we introduce an organic/inorganic composite hydrogel as a versatile gel electrode material. This composite hydrogel was formed by simply mixing an aqueous solution of flat microparticles of tungsten oxide, exhibiting superior water dispersibility, with a hydrogel composed of a water-soluble polyaramide-based polymer hydrogelator. The resulting composite hydrogel exhibited uniform dispersion of tungsten oxide flat particles throughout the hydrogel matrix, supplementing the structure formed by the polymer hydrogelator. It maintained the gel-forming capability and thixotropic behavior inherent to the polymer hydrogelator while showcasing the electrochemical characteristics of tungsten oxide. With its spreadability and applicability to various electrode shapes, a composite hydrogel is presented as a potential spreadable gel electrode material.

2D-on-2D Al-Doped NiCo LDH Nanosheet Arrays for Fabricating High-Energy-Density, Wide Voltage Window, and Ultralong-Lifespan Supercapacitors.

Battery-type electrode materials with high capacity, wide potential windows, and good cyclic stability are crucial to breaking through energy storage limitations and achieving high energy density. Herein, a novel 2D-on-2D Al-doped NiCo layered double hydroxide (NiCoAlx LDH) nanosheet arrays with high-mass-loading are grown on a carbon cloth (CC) substrate via a two-step hydro/solvothermal deposition strategy, and the effect of Al doping is employed to modify the deposition behavior, hierarchical morphology, phase stability, and multi-metallic synergistic effect. The optimized NiCoAl0.1 LDH electrode exhibits capacities of 5.43, 6.52, and 7.25 C cm-2 (9.87, 10.88, and 11.15 F cm-2) under 0-0.55, 0-0.60, and 0-0.65V potential windows, respectively, illustrating clearly the importance of the wide potential window. The differentiated deposition strategy reduces the leaching level of Al3+ cations in alkaline solutions, ensuring excellent cyclic performance (108% capacity retention after 40000 cycles). The as-assembled NiCoAl0.1 LDH//activated carbon cloth (ACC) hybrid supercapacitor delivers 3.11 C cm-2 at 0-2.0V, a large energy density of 0.84 mWh cm-2 at a power density of 10.00mW cm-2, and excellent cyclic stability with ≈135% capacity retention after 150000 cycles.

Electrochemical ocean iron fertilization and alkalinity enhancement approach toward CO2 sequestration

Achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 requires the development of effective negative emission techniques, including ocean-based approaches for CO2 sequestration. However, the implementation and testing of marine CO2 removal (mCDR) techniques such as ocean iron fertilization (OIF) or ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) face significant challenges. Herein, a novel self-operating electrochemical technology is presented that not only combines OIF and OAE, but also recovers hydrogen gas (H2) from seawater, hence offering a promising solution for achieving quantifiable and transparent large-scale mCDR. Experimental results show that the electrochemical OIF (EOIF) can not only increase the concentration of ferrous iron (Fe+2) by 0–0.5 mg/L, but also significantly increases the seawater pH by 8% (i.e., a 25% decrease in the hydrogen ions concentration). The release of iron (Fe+2/Fe+3) can be regulated by adjusting the magnitude of the electric current and its form (e.g., pulsed current and polarity reversal), as well as by optimizing the electrode material and geometry. In certain ocean regions, enhanced iron concentrations stimulate the naturally occurring biological carbon pump (BCP), leading to increased phytoplankton growth, CO2 uptake, and subsequent export of carbon to the deep ocean. Simultaneously, the system increases seawater alkalinity and the buffer capacity, enhancing CO2 solubility and storage in the shallow ocean through the solubility pump. The obtained measurements demonstrate the scalability of EOIF and its ability to operate using solar energy at a lower cost. Overall, the proposed EOIF technology offers a practical, effective, and sustainable solution for addressing climate change on a large scale.

Design of a new nanocomposite based on Keggin-type [ZnW12O40]6− anionic cluster anchored on NiZn2O4 ceramics as a promising material towards the electrocatalytic hydrogen storage

Extensive research efforts have been dedicated to developing electrode materials with high capacity to address the increasing complexities arising from the energy crisis. Herein, a new nanocomposite was synthesized via the sol–gel method by immobilizing K6ZnW12O40 within the surface of NiZn2O4. ZnW12O40@NiZn2O4 was characterized by FT-IR, UV–Vis, XRD, SEM, EDX, BET, and TGA-DTG methods. The electrochemical characteristics of the materials were examined using cyclic voltammogram (CV) and charge–discharge chronopotentiometry (CHP) techniques. Multiple factors affecting the hydrogen storage capacity, including current density (j), surface area of the copper foam, and the consequences of repeated cycles of hydrogen adsorption–desorption were evaluated. The initial cycle led to an impressive hydrogen discharge capability of 340 mAh/g, which subsequently increased to 900 mAh/g after 20 cycles with a current density of 2 mA in 6.0 M KOH medium. The surface area and the electrocatalytic characteristics of the nanoparticles contribute to facilitate the formation of electrons and provide good diffusion channels for the movement of electrolyte ions throughout the charge–discharge procedure.

Development Status and Improvement Measures of Electrode Materials for Aqueous Zinc Ion Batteries

Development Status and Improvement Measures of Electrode Materials for Aqueous Zinc Ion Batteries

Developing a High‐Performing Spinel LiMn2O4 Cathode Material with Unique Morphology, Fast Cycling and Scaled Manufacture

AbstractHigh power application of Li‐battery remains a challenge due to the lack of stable fast‐charging cathode materials. Lithium manganese oxide (LMO) cathode is very promising due to its high operating voltage and fast charging ability; however, the associated Mn‐dissolution is one of the main hindrances to its practical applicability. In this work, we demonstrate for the first time the use of a commercially scalable method through a proprietary Calix flash calcination (CFC) technology to develop high‐performance electrode materials where a novel CXL LMO material was manufactured and tested. CXL LMO|Li metal cell showed a reversible specific capacity of 110 mAh/g with 99 % retention after 100 cycles and showed excellent rate performance up to 20 C current rate (~20 mA/cm2 current density). CXL LMO|Graphite cell (areal capacity 1 mAh/cm2) was also reported with 86 % capacity retention over more than 500 cycles. Cross‐section morphology revealed a unique multi‐layered structure that was retained at the core of the novel LMO material. It obtained lesser Mn dissolution compared to commercial LMO. The scalable synthesis procedure through CFC technology, can be broadly applicable to produce unique electrode morphology as demonstrated here for the CXL LMO representing a promising pathway for electrode manufacturing for high‐power Li‐batteries.

Stabilized Nickel‐Rich‐Layered Oxide Electrodes for High‐Performance Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Next‐generation Li‐ion batteries are expected to exhibit superior energy and power density, along with extended cycle life. Ni‐rich high‐capacity layered nickel manganese cobalt oxide electrode materials (NMC) hold promise in achieving these objectives, despite facing challenges such as capacity fade due to various degradation modes. Crack formation within NMC‐based cathode secondary particles, leading to parasitic reactions and the formation of inactive crystal structures, is a critical degradation mechanism. Mechanical and chemical degradation further deteriorate capacity and lifetime. To mitigate these issues, an artificial cathode electrolyte interphase can be applied to the active material before battery cycling. While atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been extensively explored for active material coatings, molecular layer deposition (MLD) offers a complementary approach. When combined with ALD, MLD enables the deposition of flexible hybrid coatings that can accommodate electrode material volume changes during battery operation. This study focuses on depositing ‐titanium terephthalate thin films on a electrode via ALD‐MLD. The electrochemical evaluation demonstrates favorable lithium‐ion kinetics and reduced electrolyte decomposition. Overall, the films deposited through ALD‐MLD exhibit promising features as flexible and protective coatings for high‐energy lithium‐ion battery electrodes, offering potential contributions to the enhancement of advanced battery technologies and supporting the growth of the EV and stationary battery industries.

Colloidal synthesis of ZnTe nanocrystals by laser ablation and fabrication of hybrid light emitting device

Zinc telluride (ZnTe) nanocrystals (NCs) have generated the interest of researchers as an electrode material in hybrid light emitting devices (HLEDs) due to its potentially high capacity. However, due to the restricted fundamental charging capacity of the electrode materials, the available energy of existing nanomaterial light emitting devices remains enough for a wide range of applications. In this research, ZnTe nanocrystals were synthesized using Nd: YAG laser at energy 600 mJ by 150 pulse number to form a battery device out of ITO/ZnTe/TPD/Ni. The spectra of the ZnTe NCs were assessed using ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) and photoluminescence (PL). The results proved that the synthesized NCs were nanocrystalline structures. The energy gap (Eg) within ZnTe NCs regarded as (PL) spectrum has been identified to be about 3.6 eV. ZnTe NCs produced via laser ablation enhance the functionality of the HLEDs by increasing the carrier's charge mobility and, as a further benefit, by facilitating recombination processes inside ZnTe NCs with TPD organic polymer. In addition to lighting at 3V, current-voltage (I-V) specifications establish suitable environment as well as formation.

Fabrication of Multiple-Channel Electrochemical Microneedle Electrode Array via Separated Functionalization and Assembly Method

Real-time monitoring of physiological indicators inside the body is pivotal for contemporary diagnostics and treatments. Implantable electrodes can not only track specific biomarkers but also facilitate therapeutic interventions. By modifying biometric components, implantable electrodes enable in situ metabolite detection in living tissues, notably beneficial in invasive glucose monitoring, which effectively alleviates the self-blood-glucose-managing burden for patients. However, the development of implantable electrochemical electrodes, especially multi-channel sensing devices, still faces challenges: (1) The complexity of direct preparation hinders functionalized or multi-parameter sensing on a small scale. (2) The fine structure of individual electrodes results in low spatial resolution for sensor functionalization. (3) There is limited conductivity due to simple device structures and weakly conductive electrode materials (such as silicon or polymers). To address these challenges, we developed multiple-channel electrochemical microneedle electrode arrays (MCEMEAs) via a separated functionalization and assembly process. Two-dimensional microneedle (2dMN)-based and one-dimensional microneedle (1dMN)-based electrodes were prepared by laser patterning, which were then modified as sensing electrodes by electrochemical deposition and glucose oxidase decoration to achieve separated functionalization and reduce mutual interference. The electrodes were then assembled into 2dMN- and 1dMN-based multi-channel electrochemical arrays (MCEAs), respectively, to avoid damaging functionalized coatings. In vitro and in vivo results demonstrated that the as-prepared MCEAs exhibit excellent transdermal capability, detection sensitivity, selectivity, and reproducibility, which was capable of real-time, in situ glucose concentration monitoring.

An innovative synthesis of carbon-coated TiO2 nanoparticles as a host for Na+ intercalation in sodium-ion batteries.

In this work, an innovative route to synthesize an anatase TiO2@C composite is presented. The synthesis was conducted using a soft chemistry microwave-assisted method using titanium(IV) butoxide as a titanium precursor. The residual (un)converted titanium precursor remaining after TiO2 synthesis was used as a carbon precursor and thermally treated under H2 to obtain nanoparticles of the TiO2@C composite. A superior reversible specific capacity was obtained with TiO2@C (120 mA h g-1 at a C/20 rate, 3rd cycle) compared to that with pristine TiO2 (66.5 mA h g-1 at a C/20 rate, 3rd cycle), in agreement with the importance of carbon coating addition to TiO2 nanoparticles as negative electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries.

New Numerical Approach to Determine the Optimum Mixing Ratio of Electrode Materials for Maximum Li-ion Battery Performance by the Hierarchical Homogenization and Feedforward Neural Networks

New Numerical Approach to Determine the Optimum Mixing Ratio of Electrode Materials for Maximum Li-ion Battery Performance by the Hierarchical Homogenization and Feedforward Neural Networks

Nanotechnology's potential in advancing renewable energy solutions

Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising frontier in the quest for sustainable energy solutions, offering transformative opportunities to address pressing challenges in renewable energy generation, storage, and conversion. This review explores the potential of nanotechnology in advancing renewable energy solutions, encompassing a wide range of applications spanning solar energy, wind energy, energy storage, and fuel cells. By leveraging the unique properties of nanomaterials, such as high surface area-to-volume ratio, tunable optical and electronic properties, and enhanced catalytic activity, researchers and engineers can develop innovative materials and devices with unprecedented performance and efficiency. Nanotechnology-enabled advancements in solar photovoltaics include the development of next-generation solar cells incorporating nanostructured materials, such as quantum dots, nanowires, and perovskite-based solar cells, to enhance light absorption, charge transport, and overall power conversion efficiency. In the realm of energy storage, nanomaterials hold promise for improving the performance and longevity of batteries, supercapacitors, and other energy storage devices through enhanced electrode materials, electrolytes, and nanostructured architectures. Furthermore, nanotechnology-driven innovations in wind energy, such as lightweight and durable nanocomposite materials for turbine blades, and advancements in fuel cell technologies, including catalyst nanoparticles for efficient hydrogen production and conversion, exemplify the diverse applications and transformative potential of nanotechnology in renewable energy. Through a comprehensive analysis of recent research and development efforts, this abstract underscores the critical role of nanotechnology in accelerating the transition to a sustainable and renewable energy future. Keywords: Nanotechnology, Renewable Energy, Solar Energy, Wind Energy, Energy Storage, Nanomaterials.

Nanostructured binary transition-metal-sulfides and nanocomposites as high-performance electrodes for hybrid supercapacitors

Supercapacitors (SCs) are attractive as promising energy storage devices because of their distinctive attributes, such as high power density, good current charge/discharge ability, excellent cyclic stability, reasonable safety, and low cost. Electrode materials play key roles in achieving excellent performance of these SCs. Among them, binary transition metal sulfides (BTMSs) have received significant attention, attributed to their high conductivity, abundant active sites, and excellent electrochemical properties. This topic review aims to summarize recent advances in principles, design, and evaluation of the electrochemical performance for nanostructured BTMSs (including nickel–cobalt sulfides, zinc–cobalt sulfides, and copper–cobalt sulfides.) and their nanocomposites (including those carbon nanomaterials, transition metal oxides, binary transition metal oxides, transition metal sulfides, and polymers). Nanostructuring of these BTMSs and nanocomposites as well as their effects on the performance were discussed, including nanoparticles, nanospheres, nanosheets, nanowires, nanorods, nanotubes, nanoarrays, and hierarchitectured nanostructures. Their electrochemical performance has further been reviewed including specific capacitance, conductivity, rate capability, and cycling stability. In addition, the performance of hybrid supercapacitors (HSCs) assembled using the nanostructured BTMSs as the cathodes also have been summarized and compared. Finally, challenges and further prospects in the HSCs-based BTMS electrodes are presented.

Dealloyed nickel skeleton hosting in-situ formed multimetallic phosphides for enhanced electrochemical energy storage

Transition metal phosphides (TMPs) exhibit considerable potential in supercapacitors (SCs) electrodes fabrication due to their high power densities and conducive ion transport, positioning them as quintessential candidates for such application. Despite their promise, monometallic phosphides require further electrochemical performance enhancements. This work unveils an innovative strategy for synthesizing complex cobalt/nickel phosphides directly on a nickel skeleton (Ni@NCP), achieved by the selectively leaching copper from a Ni–Cu alloy via a dealloying process after electrodeposition, significantly improving electrochemical performance through increased electroactive sites and optimized ion diffusion channels. The Ni@NCP electrode exhibits an impressive specific capacitance of 612 F g−1 at a high current density of 20 A g−1. Furthermore, the unique hollow nanotube structure greatly enhances cyclic stability, maintaining 80.1 % capacity after 10,000 cycles at 10 A g−1. This research presents a methodical approach to electrode material synthesis, emphasizing the construction of supportive frameworks and active sites, thereby underscoring the substantial potential for advancements in SC electrode technology.

Nickel-copper-cobalt mixed oxide electrode material for high performance asymmetric supercapacitor

Nickel copper cobalt oxide (NiCuCoO) ternary metal oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by employing the hydrothermal method. NiCuCoO electrode demonstrates a specified capacity of 596 C g−1 at 1 A g−1, high capacitance retaining of 99% even if 1000 sequences at the density of current 10 A g−1, and significant extended cyclic strength over 1000 sequences. The gathered asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) tool via NiCuCoO as the cathode and activated carbon as anode materials achieve a specified capacity of 168 C g−1 at a current density of 1 Ag−1, an excellent capacity retaining of 95% even later than 5000 sequences at a density of current 10 A g−1. The fabricated device exhibits a high density of energy and power is 96 Wh kg−1 and 841 W kg−1. The prepared material confirms an excellent capacitance routine, so this work represents for a next-generation energy storage device.

Development of Nd doped AlFeO3 electrode material for supercapacitor applications

The development of metal oxides nanoscale structures with enhanced chemically active surfaces, faster ion/charge transport kinetics with shorter ion-diffusion paths is demand in the field of supercapacitor. The issue of transition metal oxides has been successfully resolved through the utilization of metal doping, which concurrently enhances surface area, accelerates ion migration and enhances thermal and structural stability. The Nd doped AlFeO3 electrode substance fabricated hydrothermal process for electrochemical properties. The different analytical tools determined physical and electrochemical characteristics of prepared electrode material. Nd@AlFeO3 electrode material demonstrates specific capacitance of 1326 F/g at 1 A/g measured from galvanostatic charging/discharging plot which maintains remarkable stability after 5000th cycles. The Nyquist plot determines lower charge transfer resistance of Nd@AlFeO3 electrode material (1.15 Ω). The Nd@AlFeO3 electrode material exhibited improved electrochemical properties which makes it promising candidate for integration into supercapacitor devices.

Design, Perspective, and Challenge of Niobium‐Based Anode Materials for High‐Energy Alkali Metal‐Ion Batteries

AbstractThe rapid advancement of clean energy has aroused an increased demand for advanced energy storage systems. Alkali metal‐ion batteries (AMIBs) including lithium/sodium/potassium‐ion batteries (LIBs/SIBs/PIBs) play a crucial role in these systems, and their development is closely related to the progress of electrode materials. Niobium (Nb)‐based materials exhibit distinctive features such as quasi‐2D framework, high intercalation potential, robust pseudo‐capacitance effect, and minimal volume expansion during cycles. These characteristics render them highly valuable for energy storage applications. However, the low conductivity and limited capacity of Nb‐based electrode materials significantly limit their widespread development in energy storage applications. To address these challenges, various strategies have been explored. This review primarily summarizes the recent advancements in research on Nb‐based anode materials for AMIBs over the past decade. The synthesis strategy, structure design, and material composite of Nb‐based materials are systematically discussed, and the performances of different types of batteries are also well analyzed and compared. Meanwhile, their merits in the fast‐charging realm are then highlighted. Importantly, this review presents the key issues and challenges encountered by Nb‐based anode materials in future energy storage, along with novel concepts and solutions for the research and development of next‐generation Nb‐based anodes.

Anodized CuO-based reusable non-enzymatic glucose sensor as an alternative method for the analysis of pharmaceutical glucose infusions: a cyclic voltammetric approach.

Analyzing pharmaceutical products is a quality control requirement in a production facility. This study presents a CuO electrode-based reusable non-enzymatic sensor as an alternative method for rapid analysis of glucose levels in glucose infusions. CuO is extensively employed as an electrode material in non-enzymatic glucose sensors. Conventionally, these electrodes are fabricated using chemical synthesis of CuO followed by immobilization to the electrode substrate. In contrast, here, Cu metal was mechanically modified to create a grooved surface, followed by electrochemical anodization and subsequent annealing process to grow a seamless CuO layer in situ with enhanced catalytic activity. The morphology of the electrodes was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The direct electrocatalytic activity of the developed CuO-modified electrode towards glucose oxidation in alkaline media was investigated by cyclic voltammetry in detail. The CuO-modified electrode commenced the oxidation process around 0.10V vs. Ag pseudo-reference electrode, demonstrating a significant reduction in the overvoltage for glucose oxidation compared to the bare Cu electrode. The sensor is capable of detecting glucose at low oxidation potentials such as 0.2V with a sensitivity value of 0.37 µA ppm-1, a wide linear range (80-2300ppm), limit of quantification (LOQ) of 1ppm, greater repeatability, 1% precision, 3% bias, a short response time (80s), good reproducibility and excellent reusability (196 consecutive attempts). The enhanced performance and cost-effectiveness make this sensor a promising alternative method for product analysis in glucose injection solutions.

Multiple phase transformation of ZIF-L to LDH and Ag nanoparticles decorated on CoNi layered double hydroxides for high-performance supercapacitor and highly efficient hydrogen evolution reaction

ZIF-L-derived binary layered double hydroxide (LDH) established active catalysts have been shown to have potential as electrode materials in the development of high-performance supercapacitors (SCs) and hydrogen evaluation reactions (HER). This study uses conductive nano-silver (Ag) particles in hierarchically integrated CoNi-LDH nanosheets (NSs), which are described. The developed Ag@CoNi-LDH NSs electrode has a very high specific capacitance of 2878 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 and an impressive rate capability. This is due to consistent morphology, plentiful electroactive sites, homogeneous particle size, and decreased electronic/ionic impedance. The fabrication of solid-state hybrid supercapacitors (HSCs) using Ag@CoNi-LDH NSs as the positive electrode and activated carbon (AC) as the negative electrode in PVA/KOH polymer gel electrolytes has been described. The prepared supercapacitors achieve a maximum energy density of 105 Wh kg−1 at power densities of 1183 Wh kg−1, coupled with excellent initial capacitance retentions of 97 % after 20,000 cycles. Ag@CoNi-LDH NSs demonstrate effective electrocatalytic activity towards HER with an ultra-low overpotential of 26 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and the associated Tafel value of 35 mV dec−1 using 0.5 M acidic electrolyte. It is possible to attribute the extraordinary electrochemical performance to the thoughtful mixture of two electroactive materials in the future.