Pooi See Lee

3D carbon based nanostructures for advanced supercapacitors

Supercapacitors have attracted intense attention due to their great potential to meet the demand of both high energy density and power density in many advanced technologies. Various carbon-based nanocomposites are currently pursued as supercapacitor electrodes because of the synergistic effect between carbon (high power density) and pseudo-capacitive nanomaterials (high energy density). This feature article aims to review most recent progress on 3D (3D) carbon based nanostructures for advanced supercapacitor applications in view of their structural intertwinement which not only create the desired hierarchical porous channels, but also possess higher electrical conductivity and better structural mechanical stability. The carbon nanostructures comprise of CNTs-based networks, graphene-based architectures, hierarchical porous carbon-based nanostructures and other even more complex carbon-based 3D configurations. Their advantages and disadvantages are compared and summarized based on the results published in the literature. In addition, we also discuss and view the ongoing trends in materials development for advanced supercapacitors.

Facile Coating of Manganese Oxide on Tin Oxide Nanowires with High-Performance Capacitive Behavior

In this paper, a very simple solution-based method is employed to coat amorphous MnO2 onto crystalline SnO2 nanowires grown on stainless steel substrate, which utilizes the better electronic conductivity of SnO2 nanowires as the supporting backbone to deposit MnO2 for supercapacitor electrodes. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge/discharge methods have been carried out to study the capacitive properties of the SnO2/MnO2 composites. A specific capacitance (based on MnO2) as high as 637 F g(-1) is obtained at a scan rate of 2 mV s(-1) (800 F g(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1)) in 1 M Na2SO4 aqueous solution. The energy density and power density measured at 50 A g(-1) are 35.4 W h kg(-1) and 25 kW kg(-1), respectively, demonstrating the good rate capability. In addition, the SnO2/MnO2 composite electrode shows excellent long-term cyclic stability (less than 1.2% decrease of the specific capacitance is observed after 2000 CV cycles). The temperature-dependent capacitive behavior is also discussed. Such high-performance capacitive behavior indicates that the SnO2/MnO2 composite is a very promising electrode material for fabricating supercapacitors.

Highly Stretchable Piezoresistive Graphene–Nanocellulose Nanopaper for Strain Sensors

Highly stretchable graphene-nanocellulose composite nanopaper is fabricated for strain-sensor applications. Three-dimensional macroporous nanopaper from crumpled graphene and nanocellulose is embedded in elastomer matrix to achieve stretchability up to 100%. The stretchable graphene nanopaper is demonstrated for efficient human-motion detection applications.

Large Areal Mass, Flexible and Free-Standing Reduced Graphene Oxide/Manganese Dioxide Paper for Asymmetric Supercapacitor Device

Well-separated RGO sheets decorated with MnO2 nanoparticles facilitate easy access of the electrolyte ions to the high surface area of the paper electrode, enabling the fabrication of a thicker electrode with heavier areal mass and higher areal capacitance (up to 897 mF cm(-2) ). The electrochemical performance of the bent asymmetric device with a total active mass of 15 mg remains similar to the one in the flat configuration, demonstrating good mechanical robustness of the device.

Rational Design of MnO/Carbon Nanopeapods with Internal Void Space for High-Rate and Long-Life Li-Ion Batteries

Searching the long-life MnO-based materials for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) is still a great challenge because of the issue related to the volumetric expansion of MnO nanoparticles (NPs) or nanowires (NWs) during lithiation. Herein, we demonstrate an unexpected result that a peapod-like MnO/C heterostructure with internal void space can be facilely prepared by annealing the MnO precursor (MnO-P) NW/polydopamine core/shell nanostructure in an inert gas, which is very different from the preparation of typical MnO/C core/shell NWs through annealing MnO NW/C precursor nanostructure. Such peapod-like MnO/C heterostructure with internal void space is highly particular for high-performance LIBs, which can address all the issues related to MnO dissolution, conversion, aggregation and volumetric expansion during the Li(+) insertion/extraction. They are highly stable anode material for LIBs with a very high reversible capacity (as high as 1119 mAh g(-1) at even 500 mA g(-1)) and fast charge and discharge capability (463 mAh g(-1) at 5000 mA g(-1)), which is much better than MnO NWs (38 mAh g(-1) at 5000 mA g(-1)) and MnO/C core/shell NWs (289 mAh g(-1) at 5000 mA g(-1)). Such nanopeapods also show excellent rate capability (charged to 91.6% in 10.6 min using the constant current mode). Most importantly, we found that MnO/C nanopeapods show no capacity fading even after 1000 cycles at a high current density of 2000 mA g(-1), and no morphology change. The present MnO/C nanopeapods are the most efficient MnO-based anode materials ever reported for LIBs.

Enhancing electrochemical reaction sites in nickel-cobalt layered double hydroxides on zinc tin oxide nanowires: a hybrid material for an asymmetric supercapacitor device.

Conducting nanowires are of particular interest in energy-related research on devices such as supercapacitors, batteries, water splitting electrodes and solar cells. Their direct electrode/current collector contact and highly conductive 1D structure enable conducting nanowires to provide ultrafast charge transportation. In this paper, we report the facile synthesis of nickel cobalt layered double hydroxides (LDHs) on conducting Zn(2)SnO(4) (ZTO) and the application of this material to a supercapacitor. This study also presents the first report of an enhancement of the active faradic reaction sites (electroactive sites) resulting from the heterostructure. This novel material demonstrates outstanding electrochemical performance with a high specific capacitance of 1805 F g(-1) at 0.5 A g(-1), and an excellent rate performance of 1275 F g(-1) can be achieved at 100 A g(-1). Furthermore, an asymmetric supercapacitor was successfully fabricated using active carbon as a negative electrode. This asymmetric device exhibits a high energy density of 23.7 W h kg(-1) at a power density of 284.2 W kg(-1). Meanwhile, a high power density of 5817.2 W kg(-1) can be achieved at an energy density of 9.7 W h kg(-1). More importantly, this device exhibits long-term cycling stability, with 92.7% capacity retention after 5000 cycles.

Dodecyl sulfate-induced fast faradic process in nickel cobalt oxide–reduced graphite oxide composite material and its application for asymmetric supercapacitor device

In this contribution, we report a facile preparation method of nickel cobalt oxide–reduced graphite oxide (NiCo2O4–rGO) composite material. A fast Faradic process has been realized by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-induced ultrasmall NiCo2O4 nanocrystals on rGO. As a result, this composite material gives a high specific capacitance of 1222 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 and 768 F g−1 at 40 A g−1, showing an outstanding rate capability. An asymmetric supercapacitor device with high energy and power densities has been successfully assembled based on NiCo2O4–rGO composite material and activated carbon. The optimized device shows a high energy density of 23.32 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 324.9 W kg−1. In addition, this asymmetric device shows good stability towards multistage current charge–discharge cycles.

Stretchable and Wearable Electrochromic Devices

Stretchable and wearable WO3 electrochromic devices on silver nanowire (AgNW) elastic conductors are reported. The stretchable devices are mechanically robust and can be stretched, twisted, folded, and crumpled without performance failure. Fast coloration (1 s) and bleaching (4 s) time and good cyclic stability (81% retention after 100 cycles) were achieved at relaxed state. Proper functioning at stretched state (50% strain) was also demonstrated. The electrochromic devices were successfully implanted onto textile substrates for potential wearable applications. As most existing electrochromic devices are based on rigid technologies, the innovative devices in their soft form hold the promise for next-generation electronics such as stretchable, wearable, and implantable display applications.

Ultrahigh-performance solar-blind photodetectors based on individual single-crystalline In2Ge2O7 nanobelts

[∗] Dr. L. Li , Dr. T. Y. Zhai , Dr. X. S. Fang , Prof. Y. Bando , Prof. D. Golberg International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA) National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) Namiki 1–1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305–0044 (Japan) E-mail: LI.Liang@nims.go.jp; ZHAI.Tianyou@nims.go.jp; FANG.Xiaosheng@nims.go.jp Prof. P. S. Lee , Dr. C. Y. Yan School of Materials Science and Engineering Nanyang Technological University (NTU) (Singapore) Dr. M. Y. Liao , Prof. Y. Koide Sensor Materials Center, NIMS Namiki 1–1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305–0044 (Japan) E-mail: Meiyong.Liao@nims.go.jp

Polydopamine Spheres as Active Templates for Convenient Synthesis of Various Nanostructures

In this work, monodisperse polydopamine (PDA) spheres with tunable diameters have been synthesized through a facile and low cost method using a deionized water and alcohol mixed solvent. The PDA spheres possess surface functional groups (-OH, -NH(2)), exhibiting an extraordinary versatile active nature. It is demonstrated that the PDA spheres could serve as an active template for the convenient synthesis of various nanostructures, e.g., MnO(2) hollow spheres or PDA/Fe(3)O(4) and PDA/Ag core/shell nanostructures. No surface modification or special treatment is required for the synthesis of these nanostructures, which makes the fabrication process simple and very convenient. The novel application of PDA/Fe(3)O(4) spheres as fillers in nanocomposites for high-performance capacitors is demonstrated, indicating a promising practicality. The PDA spheres provide a new general platform not only for the facile assembly of nanostructures but also a green synthetic template for practical applications.