Insight into defect-engineered gallium oxynitride nanoparticle-based electrodes with improved electrochemical performance for supercapacitors

Template-assisted growth of Ga-based nanoparticle clusters on Si: effect of post-annealing process on the Ga ion beam exposed 2D arrays fabricated by focused ion beam nanolithography

We demonstrate template-assisted growth of gallium-based nanoparticle clusters on silicon substrate using a focused ion beam (FIB) nanolithography technique. The nanolithography counterpart of the technique steers a focussed 30 kV accelerated gallium ion beam on the surface of Si to create template patterns of two-dimensional dot arrays. Growth of the nanoparticles is governed by two vital steps namely implantation of gallium into the substrate via gallium beam exposure and formation of the stable nanoparticles on the surface of the substrate by subsequent annealing at elevated temperature in ammonia atmosphere. The growth primarily depends on the dose of implanted gallium which is in the order of 107atoms per spot and it is also critically influenced by the temperature and duration of the post-annealing treatment. By controlling the growth parameters, it is possible to obtain one particle per spot and particle densities as high as 109particles per square centimetre could be achieved in this case. The demonstrated growth process, utilizing the advantages of FIB nanolithography, is categorized under the guided organization approach as it combines both the classical top-down and bottom-up approaches. Patterned growth of the particles could be utilized as templates or nucleation sites for the growth of an organized array of nanostructures or quantum dot structures.

Gallium-based nascent electrode materials towards promising supercapacitor applications: a review

To meet the energy requirement of the modern era, supercapacitors are promising candidates for energy storage devices, which possess the potential to compete with the future battery technology. To accomplish this pivotal task, it is vital to choose electrode materials that have high power and energy density as well as superb electrochemical stability. For the past few years, the use of gallium-based materials for energy storage applications has attracted attention because of their excellent activity towards electrochemical energy storage applications despite the single oxidation state (i.e., +3 which is redox inactive and does not contribute towards pseudo capacitance). Recently, research on gallium-based materials has started and will be continued further owing to the fact that gallium-based materials possess numerous excellent properties such as fast charge and discharge rate, high power density, long cycle life, stability over a wide range of temperatures, excellent electron velocity, superior chemical and physical stabilities and high voltage application capability, which make them a potential class of electrode materials for supercapacitors. The enhancement in the electrochemical performance upon the introduction of gallium into the system can make it a futuristic candidate for electrochemical energy storage devices. Herein, we systematically outline the synthesis and characterization of gallium-based materials and their composites as explored by esteemed researchers focusing only on their supercapacitive performance via electrochemical techniques. For a better understanding, the underlying charge storage mechanism and identified characteristics are presented to give a crystal-clear idea about the field. In addition, the key challenges and impending perspectives of gallium-based electrodes for supercapacitor applications are debated.

Gallium Nitride Based Electrode for High-Temperature Supercapacitors

Gallium nitride (GaN) single crystal, as the representative of wide-band semiconductors, has great prospects for high-temperature energy storage, of its splendid power output, robust temperature stability, and superior carrier mobility. Nonetheless, it is an essential challenge for GaN-based devices to improve energy storage. Herein, an innovative strategy is proposed by constructing GaN/Nickel cobalt oxygen (NiCoO₂  ）heterostructure for enhanced supercapacitors (SCs). Benefiting from the synergy effect between the porous GaN network as a highly conductive skeleton and the NiCoO₂ with massive active sites. The GaN/NiCoO₂ heterostructure-based SCs with ion liquids electrolyte are assembled and delivered an impressive energy density of 15.2 µWh cm^-2 and power density, as well as superior service life at 130 °C. The theoretical calculation further explains that the reason for the energy storage enhancement of the GaN/NiCoO₂ is due to the presence of the built-in electric fields. This work offers a novel perspective for meeting the practical application of GaN-based energy storage devices with exceptional performance capable of operation under high-temperature environments.

A hybrid GaN/Ga2O3 structure anchored on carbon cloth as a high-performance electrode of supercapacitors

GaN/Ga2O3/carbon cloth exhibited high performance as a supercapacitor electrode, with α-Ga2O3 as an absorption/reaction site for H+ and GaN as an electron channel.