Switchable Polyacrylonitrile-Copolymer for Melt-Processing and Thermal Carbonization-3D Printing of Carbon Supercapacitor Electrodes with High Capacitance

Redox-active electrolyte-based printed ionologic devices

Ionic devices, such as electrochemical capacitor diodes (CAPodes) and gate-controlled CAPodes with transistor-like gating characteristics (G-CAPodes), offer a novel approach to energy-efficient and nature-inspired logic computing. Their miniaturization and integration render them ideal for ion-transistor circuits, enabling the regulation and signaling of ions and biomolecules. Here, we report an asymmetric system to achieve a potential-driven ion pump for CAPode based on a redox-active Keggin-type electrolyte. This unidirectional capacity is achieved through asymmetric polarization between a plane metal and a porous carbon electrode, enabling selective redox reactions on the metal surface. The nanoporous carbon effectively balances the charge on the redox electrode, while redox couples control the working voltage range. Printed ionologic devices are demonstrated for logic gates, and an integrated NAND (NOT-AND) circuit was constructed using two CAPodes and one G-CAPode. This work proposes a concept for switchable iontronic devices, providing a deeper understanding and applicability of these devices.

MgxCo1-x(OH)2@C as an electrode for supercapacitors: effect of doping level on energy storage capability

Incorporating non-electrochemically active elements (such as Zn and Mg) into the framework of active components can enhance structural stability, leading to improved cycling performance. However, limited research has been conducted on the impact of varying doping concentrations. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of how different levels of Mg doping in Co(OH)2 affect the supercapacitor performance. We synthesized a range of cobalt hydroxides with precisely controlled Mg content using a cation ion-exchange reaction method. Our findings suggest that the Mg component can be evenly distributed in the composite material, and when the Co/Mg ratio exceeds 1 : 1, the formation of Mg-O-Co bonds can be observed. When used as an electrode for a supercapacitor, the doped cobalt hydroxides exhibit superior performance than the undoped version and some recently reported cobalt hydroxide-based devices. Particularly, they show a high specific capacitance of 700.2 C g-1@1.0 A g-1versus 448.2 F g-1@1.0 A g-1, a large energy density of 48 W h kg-1@800 W kg-1versus 39 W h kg-1@775 W kg-1, and excellent cycling stability, with only slight fluctuations around 100% capacitance retention after 30 000 cycles of continuous charge and discharge. This research not only offers guidance on the optimal doping level of the redox-active metal hydroxides for improving supercapacitor performance but also presents a novel method for preparing various metal hydroxides/oxides and their composite forms.

Advancements in Manganese-Based Cathode for Sustainable Energy Utilization

Manganese-based compounds, especially manganese oxides, are one of the most exceptional electrode materials. Specifically, manganese oxides have gained significant interest owing to their unique crystal structures, high theoretical capacity, abundant natural availability and eco-friendly nature. However, as transition metal semiconductors, manganese oxide possess low electrical conductivity, limited rate capacity, and suboptical cycle stability. Thus, combining manganese oxides with carbon or other metallic materials can significantly improve their electrochemical performance. These composites increase active sites and conductivity, thereby improving electrode reaction kinetics, cycle stability, and lifespan of supercapacitors (SCs) and batteries. This paper reviews the latest applications of Mn-based cathodes in SCs and advanced batteries. Moreover, the energy storage mechanisms were also proposed. In this review, the development prospects and challenges for advanced energy storage applications of Mn-based cathodes are summarized.

Three-dimensional high-aspect-ratio microarray thick electrodes for high-rate hybrid supercapacitors

Hybrid supercapacitors (HSCs) with facile integration and high process compatibility are considered ideal power sources for portable consumer electronics. However, as a crucial component for storing energy, traditional thin-film electrodes exhibit low energy density. Although increasing the thickness of thin films can enhance the energy density of the electrodes, it gives rise to issues such as poor mechanical stability and long electron/ion transport pathways. Constructing a stable three-dimensional (3D) ordered thick electrode is considered the key to addressing the aforementioned contradictions. In this work, a manufacturing process combining lithography and chemical deposition techniques is developed to produce large-area and high-aspect-ratio 3D nickel ordered cylindrical array (NiOCA) current collectors. Positive electrodes loaded with nickel-cobalt bimetallic hydroxide (NiOCA/NiCo-LDH) are constructed by electrodeposition, and HSCs are assembled with NiOCA/nitrogen-doped porous carbon (NiOCA/NPC) as negative electrodes. The HSCs exhibits 55% capacity retention with the current density ranging from 2 to 50 mA cm-2. Moreover, it maintains 98.2% of the initial capacity after long-term cycling of 15,000 cycles at a current density of 10 mA cm-2. The manufacturing process demonstrates customizability and favorable repeatability. It is anticipated to provide innovative concepts for the large-scale production of 3D microarray thick electrodes for high-performance energy storage system.

Opportunities at the Intersection of 3D Printed Polymers and Pyrolysis for the Microfabrication of Carbon-Based Energy Materials

In an era marked by a growing demand for sustainable and high-performance materials, the convergence of additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, and the thermal treatment, or pyrolysis, of polymers to form high surface area hierarchically structured carbon materials stands poised to catalyze transformative advancements across a spectrum of electrification and energy storage applications. Designing 3D printed polymers using low-cost resins specifically for conversion to high performance carbon structures via post-printing thermal treatments overcomes the challenges of 3D printing pure carbon directly due to the inability of pure carbon to be polymerized, melted, or sintered under ambient conditions. In this perspective, we outline the current state of AM methods that have been used in combination with pyrolysis to generate 3D carbon structures and highlight promising systems to explore further. As part of this endeavor, we discuss the effects of 3D printed polymer chemistry composition, additives, and pyrolysis conditions on resulting 3D pyrolytic carbon properties. Furthermore, we demonstrate the viability of combining continuous liquid interface production (CLIP) vat photopolymerization with pyrolysis as a promising avenue for producing 3D pyrolytic carbon lattice structures with 15 μm feature resolution, paving way for 3D carbon-based sustainable energy applications.

Liquid Gallium-Assisted Pyrolysis of MOF Affording CNT Non-Hollow Frameworks in High Yields for High-Performance Sodium-Ion Battery Anode

Carbon materials have great potential for applications in energy, biology, and environment due to their excellent chemical and physical properties. Their preparation by carbonization methods encounters limitations and the carbon loss during pyrolysis in the form of gaseous molecules results in low yield of carbon materials. Herein a low-energy (600 °C) and high-yield (82 wt.%) carbonization strategy is developed using liquid gallium-assisted pyrolysis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) affording the N-doped carbon nanotube (CNT) non-hollow frameworks encapsulating Co nanoparticles. The liquid gallium layer offers protection against air, promotes heat transfer, and limits the escape of small carbonaceous gaseous molecules, which greatly improve the yields of the pyrolysis reaction. Experimental and theoretical results reveal that the synergistic interaction between CNTs and N/O-containing groups gives a non-hollow framework composed of N/O-enriched and open CNTs (NOCNTF-15, 15 denotes the 15 mm thickness of the liquid gallium layer during the pyrolysis) with high specific capacity (185 mAh g-1 at 10 A g-1) and ultra-stable cyclability (stable operation at 10 A g-1 and 50 °C for 20 000 cycles). This study provides a unique approach to carbonization that facilitates the practical application of low-cost CNTs and other MOFs-derived carbon materials in high-performance sodium-ion batteries (SIBs).

3D printed energy devices: generation, conversion, and storage

The energy devices for generation, conversion, and storage of electricity are widely used across diverse aspects of human life and various industry. Three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a promising technology for the fabrication of energy devices due to its unique capability of manufacturing complex shapes across different length scales. 3D-printed energy devices can have intricate 3D structures for significant performance enhancement, which are otherwise impossible to achieve through conventional manufacturing methods. Furthermore, recent progress has witnessed that 3D-printed energy devices with micro-lattice structures surpass their bulk counterparts in terms of mechanical properties as well as electrical performances. While existing literature focuses mostly on specific aspects of individual printed energy devices, a brief overview collectively covering the wide landscape of energy applications is lacking. This review provides a concise summary of recent advancements of 3D-printed energy devices. We classify these devices into three functional categories; generation, conversion, and storage of energy, offering insight on the recent progress within each category. Furthermore, current challenges and future prospects associated with 3D-printed energy devices are discussed, emphasizing their potential to advance sustainable energy solutions.

Fabrication of Porous Reduced Graphene Oxide Encapsulated Cu(OH)2 Core-shell Structured Carbon Fiber-Based Electrodes for High-Performance Flexible Supercapacitors

To explore next-generation flexible supercapacitors, lightweight, superior conductivity, low cost, and excellent capacitance are the preconditions for practical use. However, subjected to unsatisfactory conductivity, limited surface areas, and poor porosity leading to long ion transport channels, carbon fiber (CF)-based flexible supercapacitors need to further boost the electrochemical properties. Hence, a porous reduced graphene oxide encapsulated Cu(OH)2 core-shell structured CF-based electrode was fabricated through a scalable approach. The inexpensive Cu(OH)2 nanoarrays were controllably grown in situ on a CF substrate, with residual Cu promoting conductivity. Porous graphene oxide (PrGO), which served as the shell, was realized by Ni nanoparticle etching, which not only provided more active sites for capacitance as well as shortened accessible pathways for the ion transport but also effectively alleviated the exfoliation of the internal active materials. Moreover, thanks to this distinctive core-shell architecture, the extra space between the outer PrGO layer and the internal ordered Cu(OH)2 nanoarrays provided increased space for capacitance storage. The assembled PrGO/Cu(OH)2/Cu@CF electrode exhibited an excellent areal capacitance, reaching up to 722 mF cm-2 at a current density of 0.5 mA cm-2, attributed to its superior structure and materials advantages. The resulting PrGO/Cu(OH)2/Cu@CF//AC//CF asymmetric flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor achieved a high energy density of 0.052 mWh cm-2 and exhibited long-term durability. This work proposes a low-cost and effective way to fabricate hierarchically structured electrodes for wearable CF-based supercapacitors.

Capillary Evaporation on High-Dense Conductive Ramie Carbon for Assisting Highly Volumetric-Performance Supercapacitors

Conductive biomass carbon possesses unique properties of excellent conductivity and outstanding thermal stability, which can be widely used as conductive additive. However, building the high-dense conductive biomass carbon with highly graphitized microcrystals at a lower carbonization temperature is still a major challenge because of structural disorder and low crystallinity of source material. Herein, a simple capillary evaporation method to efficiently build the high-dense conductive ramie carbon (hd-CRC) with the higher tap density of 0.47 cm3 g-1 than commercialized Super-C45 (0.16 cm3 g-1 ) is reported. Such highly graphitized microcrystals of hd-CRC can achieve the high electrical conductivity of 94.55 S cm-1 at the yield strength of 92.04 MPa , which is higher than commercialized Super-C45 (83.92 S cm-1 at 92.04 MPa). As a demonstration, hd-CRC based symmetrical supercapacitors possess a highly volumetric energy density of 9.01 Wh L-1 at 25.87 kW L-1 , much more than those of commercialized Super-C45 (5.06 Wh L-1 and 19.30 kW L-1 ). Remarkably, the flexible package supercapacitor remarkably presents a low leakage current of 10.27 mA and low equivalent series resistance of 3.93 mΩ. Evidently, this work is a meaningful step toward high-dense conductive biomass carbon from traditional biomass graphite carbon, greatly promoting the highly-volumetric-performance supercapacitors.