Sheng-Hua Ye

Hierarchical NiCo2O4 nanosheets@hollow microrod arrays for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors

Novel hierarchical NiCo2O4 nanosheets@hollow microrod arrays (NSs@HMRAs) are fabricated by a simple and environmental friendly template-assisted electrodeposition followed by thermal annealing. Due to their unique nanostructures, the NiCo2O4 NSs@HMRAs, as electrodes, exhibited a high specific capacitance (Csp) (678 F g−1 at 6 A g−1) and outstanding cycle stability (Csp retention of 96.06% after 1500 cycles). The desirable superior capacitive performance of the NiCo2O4 NSs@HMRAs can be attributed to the large specific surface area, fast ion diffusion, and perfect charge transmission in the hierarchical NSs@HMRAs. The asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) based on the NiCo2O4 NSs@HMRAs as a positive electrode and active carbon (AC) as a negative electrode was assembled and it exhibited a Csp of 70.04 F g−1 at 5 mV s−1 and a high energy density of 15.42 W h kg−1. Moreover, the NiCo2O4 NSs@HMRAs//AC ASC has an outstanding cycle stability (almost no Csp loss after 2500 cycles), making it promising as one of the most attractive candidates for electrochemical energy storage.

FeOOH/Co/FeOOH Hybrid Nanotube Arrays as High-Performance Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Herein, we developed FeOOH/Co/FeOOH hybrid nanotube arrays (HNTAs) supported on Ni foams for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The inner Co metal cores serve as highly conductive layers to provide reliable electronic transmission, and can overcome the poor electrical conductivity of FeOOH efficiently. DFT calculations demonstrate the strong electronic interactions between Co and FeOOH in the FeOOH/Co/FeOOH HNTAs, and the hybrid structure can lower the energy barriers of intermediates and thus promote the catalytic reactions. The FeOOH/Co/FeOOH HNTAs exhibit high electrocatalytic performance for OER, such as low onset potential, small Tafel slope, and excellent long-term durability, and they are promising electrocatalysts for OER in alkaline solution.

Design and Synthesis of FeOOH/CeO2 Heterolayered Nanotube Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

FeOOH/CeO2 heterolayered nanotubes supported on Ni foam as efficient oxygen evolution electrocatalysts are reported. The hybrid structure can obviously promote the catalytic performance for the oxygen evolution reaction, such as low onset potential, high electroactivity, and excellent long-term durability. This study provides a new route to the design and fabrication of electrocatalysts with high electroactivity and durability for oxygen evolution.

Co(OH)2@PANI Hybrid Nanosheets with 3D Networks as High‐Performance Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Hybrid electrocatalysts with excellent electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen reduction are fabricated using an efficient and facile electrochemical route. The electronic and synergistic effects between Co(OH)2 and polyaniline (PANI) in the composite structure are the key factors that generate the high electrocatalytic activity and excellent stability. A highly efficient, non-precious metal-based flexible electrocatalyst for high-performance electrocatalysts is shown, which reveals a novel route for the design and synthesis of electrocatalysts.

Asymmetric Paper Supercapacitor Based on Amorphous Porous Mn3O4 Negative Electrode and Ni(OH)2 Positive Electrode: A Novel and High-Performance Flexible Electrochemical Energy Storage Device

Here we synthesize novel asymmetric all-solid-state paper supercapacitors (APSCs) based on amorphous porous Mn3O4 grown on conducting paper (NGP) (Mn3O4/NGP) negative electrode and Ni(OH)2 grown on NGP (Ni(OH)2/NGP) as positive electrode, and they have attracted intensive research interest owing to their outstanding properties such as being flexible, ultrathin, and lightweight. The fabricated APSCs exhibit a high areal Csp of 3.05 F/cm3 and superior cycling stability. The novel asymmetric APSCs also exhibit high energy density of 0.35 mW h/cm3, high power density of 32.5 mW/cm3, and superior cycling performance (<17% capacitance loss after 12,000 cycles at a high scan rate of 100 mV/s). This work shows the first example of amorphous porous metal oxide/NGP electrodes for the asymmetric APSCs, and these systems hold great potential for future flexible electronic devices.

Design of polypyrrole/polyaniline double-walled nanotube arrays for electrochemical energy storage.

The novel hybrid polypyrrole (PPy)/polyaniline (PANI) double-walled nanotube arrays (DNTAs) were designed to exploit the synergistic effects and shape effects for supercapacitive energy storage. The PPy/PANI DNTAs showed large specific capacitance (Csp) of 693 F/g at a scan rate of 5 mV/s. The PPy/PANI DNTAs also exhibited good rate capability and high long-term cycle stability (less 8% loss of the maximum specific capacitance after 1000 cycles). The synergistic effects between PPy and PANI, the shape effects of nanotube arrays and double-walled nanostructures, and high utilization rate of electrode are crucial for the outstanding performance of PPy/PANI DNTAs. The large Csp, good rate capability, and high long-term cycle stability offered by the PPy/PANI DNTAs, make them promising candidate electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors.

Multi-layered Pt/Ni nanotube arrays with enhanced catalytic performance for methanol electrooxidation

Novel Pt/Ni multi-layered nanotube arrays (MLNTAs) are synthesized by template-assisted layer-by-layer electrodeposition. The unique multi-layered structures in nanotube walls provide a new method to study the effects of heterointerfaces and structures on methanol electrooxidation. For the fabricated Pt/Ni MLNTAs, especially Ni@Pt@Ni@Pt NTAs, we observed obvious enhancements in the catalytic activity and durability compared with the monometallic Pt nanotube arrays (NTAs) and many Pt-based catalysts reported in the literature studies. Our synthesis approach presents a strategy to broaden the heterointerfacial and structural effects for harnessing the true catalytic potential of Pt-based electrocatalysts and may lead to wide applications for energy conversion and storage.

Activating CoOOH Porous Nanosheet Arrays by Partial Iron Substitution for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Iron-substituted CoOOH porous nanosheet arrays grown on carbon fiber cloth (denoted as Fex Co1-x OOH PNSAs/CFC, 0≤x≤0.33) with 3D hierarchical structures are synthesized by in situ anodic oxidation of α-Co(OH)2 NSAs/CFC in solution of 0.01 m (NH4 )2 Fe(SO4 )2 . X-ray absorption fine spectra (XAFS) demonstrate that CoO6 octahedral structure in CoOOH can be partially substituted by FeO6 octahedrons during the transformation from α-Co(OH)2 to Fex Co1-x OOH, and this is confirmed for the first time in this study. The content of Fe in Fex Co1-x OOH, no more than 1/3 of Co, can be controlled by adjusting the in situ anodic oxidation time. Fe0.33 Co0.67 OOH PNSAs/CFC shows superior OER electrocatalytic performance, with a low overpotential of 266 mV at 10 mA cm-2 , small Tafel slope of 30 mV dec-1 , and high durability.