Boosting the Energy Density of Hybrid Supercapacitor Electrodes
New research improves hybrid supercapacitors by developing more efficient electrodes, representing a substantial advancement in energy storage technology.
Supercapacitors, like batteries, are a form of storing energy devices. However, unlike batteries, supercapacitors store energy electrostatically through charge accumulation on their electrode surfaces.
Hybrid supercapacitors (HSCs) combine the benefits of both systems by combining electrodes from both systems. Despite synthesis approaches allowing HSC electrode active components to develop directly on conductive substrates without adding binders (“self-supporting” electrodes), the proportion of active material in these electrodes has remained too low for business needs.
Researchers have discovered a creative approach to enhance the active-mass ratio to produce huge gains in key metrics.
Breakthrough in Supercapacitor Electrode Efficiency
Hybrid supercapacitors, as highlighted by Wei Guo, a scientist at Northwestern Polytechnical University in China, bring together the benefits of high energy and power densities, extended cycle life, and safety. This positions them as a promising area in the field of electrochemical energy storage. In our paper, we suggest a new approach to generate a diverse range of two-dimensional superstructures that address the conventional challenge of low active-mass ratio in self-supporting electrodes.
Novel Methodology and Findings
In this research, researchers examined β-Ni(OH)2, a type of nickel hydroxide that forms plate-like structures on a carbon-fiber substrate upon crystallization from solution. Introducing NH4F to the reaction solution substituted a hydroxide ion with a fluoride ion. Consequently, the produced Ni-F-OH plates reached a thickness of 700 nm. They exhibited a substantial mass loading of 29.8 mg cm-2, accounting for up to 72% of the electrode mass.
Various theoretical and empirical examinations, encompassing x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) conducted at Advanced Light Source (ALS) Beamlines 7.3.1 and 8.0.1, along with scanning transmission x-ray microscopy (STXM) at Beamline 5.3.2.2, were employed to elucidate the mechanism governing the novel morphology.
The findings indicated that the introduction of F–ions adjusts the surface energy of the plates, a crucial factor in nanocrystal growth. Simultaneously, NH4+ ions deplete excess local OH–, preventing the re-emergence of the undesired β-Ni(OH)2 phase. Additionally, employing a similar approach enabled researchers to generate various bimetallic superstructures and their derivatives, heralding the emergence of a versatile class of metal-based hydroxides for innovative energy-storage systems to address evolving future requirements.
Read the original article on: SciTechDaily
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