In situ tellurization strategy for crafting nickel ditelluride/cobalt ditelluride hierarchical nanostructures: A leap forward in hybrid supercapacitor electrode materials

Construction of NiCoSe2 nanosheets supported on CuNi2S4 nanospheres for advanced hybrid supercapacitors

The interface engineering strategy of hybridizing transition metal sulfides (TMSs) with other electroactive materials has proven to be a powerful strategy to exploit advanced electrode materials for supercapacitors (SCs). Herein, CuNi2S4 nanospheres were grown directly onto carbon cloth (CC) by a single-step electrodeposition procedure, and the bimetallic selenide NiCoSe2 then was deposited over the CuNi2S4 nanospheres to create a flexible CuNi2S4@NiCoSe2 hybrid electrode material with special core-shell architecture. The nanoflower-like hybrid structure not only increases the redox active sites but also provides short paths for electron/ion transport and improves redox reaction kinetics. The CuNi2S4@NiCoSe2 electrode achieves a capacity value of 979.2 C g-1/3.43 C cm-2 at 1 A g-1 along with good rate performance, outperforming pristine CuNi2S4 and NiCoSe2. This wonderful supercapacitive behavior is related to the synergy of CuNi2S4's high conductivity and NiCoSe2's high electroactivity. Furthermore, the hybrid supercapacitor using the CuNi2S4@NiCoSe2cathode along with the porous carbon from pine pollen anode achieves an energy density (78.9 Wh kg-1 at 720.2 W kg-1) and maintains 91.4 % of original capacity after 50,000 cycles. These findings affirm that the CuNi2S4@NiCoSe2 heterostructure is structurally superior as an electrode material in advanced energy storage systems.

Reduced graphene oxide modified nickel foam-based quaternary layered double hydroxides nanosheets as catalysts for vaporized hydrogen peroxide decomposition

Vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) is extensively utilized as a disinfectant. However, long-term exposure to VHP poses serious health risks to humans, necessitating the development of efficient VHP catalytic materials. Herein, reduced graphene oxide modified nickel foam-based quaternary layered double hydroxides nanosheets (LDHs/rGO/NF) were prepared for VHP decomposition. Comprehensive material characterizations confirm the successful fabrication of the LDHs/rGO heterogeneous structure. The LDHs/rGO/NF catalyst exhibits superior catalytic activity compared to LDHs/NF and rGO/NF and the VHP concentration is reduced to 1 ppm within 34 min. The enhanced VHP decomposition efficiency originates from the synergistic effect of LDHs and rGO. The electron transfer from rGO to LDHs is evidenced by electrochemical measurements. The introduction of rGO into LDHs/NF improves the reduction capacity of the catalyst, thus accelerating the redox cycle during VHP decomposition. Moreover, the LDHs/rGO/NF catalyst exhibits exceptional stability in multiple recycling tests, highlighting its potential application in the field of VHP disinfection.

Reinforced supercapacitor electrode via reduced graphene oxide encapsulated NiTe2-FeTe2 hollow nanorods

Metal telluride-based nanomaterials have garnered considerable interest as positive electrode materials for supercapacitors due to their plentiful redox-active sites, robust chemical stability, and excellent electrical conductivity. In this work, these advantageous properties are further enhanced by hybridizing NiTe2-FeTe2 (NFT) hollow nanorods with reduced graphene oxide (RGO), resulting in an NFT@RGO composite suitable for supercapacitor applications. The hollow rod-like structure promotes efficient ion diffusion and maximizes the exposure of electroactive sites, while the RGO network boosts conductivity and mitigates nanomaterial agglomeration, thus preserving structural integrity and prolonging material durability. The NFT@RGO-based electrode exhibits a notable capacity of 1388.5 C g-1 at 1 A g-1, with 93.82% capacity retention after 10 000 cycles. This remarkable performance arises from the synergistic contributions of the Ni and Fe metals, the electrically conductive Te element, the RGO framework, and the unique hollow morphology of the nanorods. Furthermore, a hybrid device employing activated carbon (AC) as the negative electrode (NFT@RGO//AC) achieves an energy density of 61.11 W h kg-1 and retains 89.85% of its capacity over 10 000 cycles, underscoring the promise of NFT@RGO for next-generation supercapacitors. These findings position the designed nanomaterial as an excellent candidate for high-performance energy storage systems.

High-performance hybrid supercapacitors enabled by CoTe@CoFeTe double-shelled nanocubes

Metal tellurides, known for their superior electrical conductivity and excellent electrochemical properties, are promising candidates for supercapacitor applications. This study introduces a novel method involving a metal-organic framework hybrid to synthesize CoTe@CoFeTe double-shelled nanocubes. Initially, zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF67) and CoFe Prussian blue analog (PBA) nanocubes are synthesized through an anion-exchange reaction with [Fe(CN)6]3- ions. Subsequent annealing treatment converts these structures into Co3O4@CoFe2O4 double-shelled nanocubes. These are then subjected to a tellurization process to form CoTe@CoFeTe, which exhibits outstanding supercapacitive performance. Notably, the CoTe@CoFeTe based-electrode demonstrates superior supercapacitive properties compared to their oxide counterparts, mainly due to the introduction of tellurium ions. These nanocubes show an impressive specific capacity of 1312 C g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 and maintain 92.35% of their capacity after 10 000 charging cycles, highlighting their durability and the synergistic effect of the mixed metals and their hollow structure. Furthermore, when used as the positive electrode material in a hybrid supercapacitor with activated carbon (AC), the device achieves an energy density of 64.66 W h kg-1 and retains 88.25% of its capacity after 10 000 cycles. These results confirm the potential of the developed material for advanced supercapacitor applications.

Novel design of nickel cobalt boride nanosheets-decorated molybdenum disulfide hollow spheres as efficient battery-type materials of hybrid supercapacitors

Transition metal borides (TMBs) with high theoretical capacitances and excellent electronic properties have attracted much attention as a promising active material of supercapacitors (SCs). However, TMB nanoparticles are prone to conduct self-aggregation, which significantly deteriorates the electrochemical performance and structural stability. To address the severe self-aggregation in TMBs and improve the active material utilization, it is imperative to provide a conductive substrate that promotes the dispersion of TMB during growths. In this work, sheet-like nickel cobalt boride (NCB) was grown on molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) hollow spheres (H-MoS2) by using simple template growth and chemical reduction methods. The resultant NCB/H-MoS2-50 was observed with uniform NCB nanosheets structure on the surface of the H-MoS2 and stronger MB bonding. After optimizing the loading amount of H-MoS2, the optimal composite (NCB/H-MoS2-50) modified nickel foam (NF) exhibits a superior specific capacity (1302 C/g) than that of the NCB electrode (957 C/g) at 1 A/g. Excellent rate capability of 84.8% (1104 C/g at 40 A/g) is also achieved by the NCB/H-MoS2-50 electrode. The extraordinary electrochemical performance of NCB/H-MoS2-50 is credited to the unique nanosheet-covered hollow spheres structure for facilitating ion diffusion and versatile charge storage mechanisms from the pseudocapacitive behavior of H-MoS2 and the Faradaic redox behavior of NCB. Furthermore, a hybrid SC is assembled with NCB/H-MoS2-50 and activated carbon (AC) electrodes (NCB/H-MoS2-50//AC), which operates in a potential window up to 1.7 V and delivers a high energy density of 76.8 W h kg-1 at a power density of 850 W kg-1. A distinguished cycling stability of 93.2% over 20,000 cycles is also obtained for NCB/H-MoS2-50//AC. These findings disclose the significant potential of NCB/H-MoS2-50 as a highly performed battery-type material of SCs.

Boosting the capacitive property of binary metal tellurium of MnCoTe/NiFeTe yarn coils-like through surface engineering for high-performance supercapacitors

Improving the performance of electrode materials based on transition metals can significantly push advancements in energy storage devices. In this work, we offer a novel in situ tellurization approach to synthesize brand-new decorated yarn-coils MnCoTe/NiFeTe on a NiF (labeled MCTe/NFTe@NiF) which makes them attractive candidates for electrode materials in hybrid supercapacitors. At first, two consecutive hydrothermal methods were used to create electrode materials MnCo-LDH and MnCo-LDH/NiFe-LDH on nickel foam, respectively. In the following, electrode material MnCo-LDH/NiFe-LDH was subjected to a tellurization process to create MnCoTe/NiFeTe nanostructures. The direct growth strategy of electrode materials on a conductive substrate (NiF) effectively eliminates the need for polymer binder or conductive materials, thereby facilitating the redox process. The MnCoTe/NiFeTe@NiF electrode benefits from the synergistic effects of conductive tellurium and yarn coils-like morphology, resulting in faster electron/ion transport, increased efficiency, and superior electrochemical performance. The MCTe/NFTe@NiF electrode reveals highly desirable electrochemical characteristics, including a specific capacity of 223.36 mA h/g at 1 A/g, and reliable longevity surpassing 10,000 GCD cycles, with maintaining 73.18 % of its initial specific capacity at 30 A/g. We have prepared a hybrid supercapacitor (labeled MCTe/NFTe@NiF(+)//AC@NiF(-)), which utilizes the positive MCTe/NFTe@NiF and the negative AC@NiF electrodes. This hybrid supercapacitor indicated an excellent energy density of 51.55 Wh/kg, a power density of 799.98 W/kg, and showed substantial longevity (92.33 % after 10,000 GCD cycles).

Hierarchical construction of 3D binder-free NiMoO4/CoFe2O4/NF arrays to enhance water splitting and charge-storage efficiency

Developing inexpensive, highly active, robust bi-functional electrocatalysts for energy conversion and storage technology remains a vital challenge. Herein, we hierarchically constructed 3D binder-free NiMoO4/CoFe2O4/NF heterostructure material via an effective and facile two-step hydrothermal process. The strong electronic coupling among NiMoO4 and CoFe2O4 counterparts alternates the charge environment at the NiMoO4/CoFe2O4 interface, which builds the highway for a rapid and continuous charge transfer process. According to the surface characterization data, the 3D NiMoO4/CoFe2O4/NF surface possesses numerous multivalent active sites and affords robust structural and chemical stability to the electrode material. Benefiting from the hierarchical morphological reconstruction and synergistic effect between two functional materials of NiMoO4/CoFe2O4/NF heterostructure attained excellent over potential values of 88 mV and 249 mV with minimal Tafel slope value of 73 mV dec-1, 84 mV dec-1 for HER and OER respectively. For overall water splitting, experimental results demonstrated splendid stability over 50 h with a small cell voltage of 1.56 V at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 in a 1 M KOH alkaline electrolyzer. Furthermore, its specific capacitance (CS) reached 811C g-1 at 1 A/g and retained 85.5 % cycling stability after 5000 cycles at a current density of 5 A/g in a 6 M KOH electrolyte medium. This bi-functional hierarchical NiMoO4/CoFe2O4/NF heterostructured assembly will render outstanding electrocatalytic activity for future sustainable energy conversion and storage systems.

Revolutionizing energy storage with advanced reduced graphene oxide-wrapped MnSe@CoSe@FeSe2 nanowires

Thanks to their good redox activity properties and exceptional conductivity, metal selenides (MSs) have attracted great attention as prospective positive electrodes for hybrid supercapacitors. However, they demonstrate low-rate capacities and poor endurance. Nanomaterials fabricated from MSs and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with a porous skeleton can effectively mitigate the above-mentioned problems. Herein, porous MnSe@CoSe@FeSe2 nanowires wrapped with rGO on nickel foam (NF@MCFS-rGO) are manufactured as a binder-free electrode for a hybrid supercapacitor. The obtained NF@MCFS-rGO, acting as a positive electrode, has distinct advantages such as (1) the porous nanowires are helpful for fast electrolyte penetration, (2) the conductivity of the MCFS is further improved when combined with rGO, and (3) wrapping MCFS within the rGO endows the nanomaterial with much better structural durability. Capitalizing on the high conductivity of the rGO and the porous morphology, the fabricated NF@MCFS-rGO manifests impressive characteristics with a capacitance of 1830 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 and only 6.75% capacitance loss within 10 000 cycles. By matching NF@MCFS-rGO with activated carbon (AC), the fabricated apparatus (AC\\NF@MCFS-rGO) reveals an energy density (ED) of 64.6 W h kg-1 and a long lastingness of 90.55% after 10 000 cycles.

Evolution of Metal Tellurides for Energy Storage/Conversion: From Synthesis to Applications

Metal telluride (MTe)-based nanomaterials have emerged as a potential alternative for efficient, highly conductive, robust, and durable electrodes in energy storage/conversion applications. Significant progress in the material development of MTe-based electrodes is well-sought, from the synthesis of its nanostructures, integration of MTes with supporting materials, synthesis of their hybrid morphologies, and their implications in energy storage/conversion systems. Herein, an extensive exploration of the recent advancements and progress in MTes-based nanomaterials is reviewed. This review emphasizes elucidating the fundamental properties of MTes and providing a systematic compilation of its wet and dry synthesis methods. The applications of MTes are extensively summarized and discussed, particularly, in energy storage and conversion systems including batteries (Li-ion, Zn-ion, Li-S, Na-ion, K-ion), supercapacitor, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and CO2 reduction. The review also emphasizes the future prospects and urgent challenges to be addressed in the development of MTes, providing knowledge for researchers in utilizing MTes in energy storage and conversion technologies.

Boric acid templating synthesis of highly-dense yet ultramicroporous carbons for compact capacitive energy storage

Carbon-based supercapacitors have shown great promise for miniaturized electronics and electric vehicles, but are usually limited by their low volumetric performance, which is largely due to the inefficient utilization of carbon pores in charge storage. Herein, we develop a reliable and scalable boric acid templating technique to prepare boron and oxygen co-modified highly-dense yet ultramicroporous carbons (BUMCs). The carbons are featured with high density (up to 1.62 g cm-3), large specific surface area (up to 1050 m2 g-1), narrow pore distribution (0.4-0.6 nm) and exquisite pore surface functionalities (mainly -BC2O, -BCO2, and -COH groups). Consequently, the carbons show exceptionally compact capacitive energy storage. The optimal BUMC-0.5 delivers an outstanding volumetric capacitance of 431 F cm-3 and a high-rate capability in 1 M H2SO4. In particular, an ever-reported high volumetric energy density of 32.6 Wh L-1 can be harvested in an aqueous symmetric supercapacitor. Our results demonstrate that the -BC2O and -BCO2 groups on the ultramicropore walls can facilitate the internal SO42- ion transport, thus leading to an unprecedented high utilization efficiency of ultramicropores for charge storage. This work provides a new paradigm for construction and utilization of dense and ultramicroporous carbons for compact energy storage.

Exploring the potential of CuCoFeTe@CuCoTe yolk-shelled microrods in supercapacitor applications

Driven by their excellent conductivity and redox properties, metal tellurides (MTes) are increasingly capturing the spotlight across various fields. These properties position MTes as favorable materials for next-generation electrochemical devices. Herein, we introduce a novel, self-sustained approach to creating a yolk-shelled electrode material. Our process begins with a metal-organic framework, specifically a CoFe-layered double hydroxide-zeolitic imidazolate framework67 (ZIF67) yolk-shelled structure (CFLDH-ZIF67). This structure is synthesized in a single step and transformed into CuCoLDH nanocages. The resulting CuCoFeLDH-CuCoLDH yolk-shelled microrods (CCFLDH-CCLDHYSMRs) are formed through an ion-exchange reaction. These are then converted into CuCoFeTe-CuCoTe yolk-shelled microrods (CCFT-CCTYSMRs) by a tellurization reaction. Benefiting from their structural and compositional advantages, the CCFT-CCTYSMR electrode demonstrates superior performance. It exhibits a fabulous capacity of 1512 C g-1 and maintains an impressive 84.45% capacity retention at 45 A g-1. Additionally, it shows a remarkable capacity retention of 91.86% after 10 000 cycles. A significant achievement of this research is the development of an activated carbon (AC)||CCFT-CCTYSMR hybrid supercapacitor. This supercapacitor achieves a good energy density (Eden) of 63.46 W h kg-1 at a power density (Pden) of 803.80 W kg-1 and retains 88.95% of its capacity after 10 000 cycles. These results highlight the potential of telluride-based materials in advanced energy storage applications, marking a step forward in the development of high-energy, long-life hybrid supercapacitors.