A Novel Phase-Transformation Activation Process toward Ni–Mn–O Nanoprism Arrays for 2.4 V Ultrahigh-Voltage Aqueous Supercapacitors

5 years ago

A Novel Phase-Transformation Activation Process toward Ni–Mn–O Nanoprism Arrays for 2.4 V Ultrahigh-Voltage Aqueous Supercapacitors

Yuanyuan Li, Pan Xu, Chaoyue Xie, Wenhua Zuo, Jinping Liu

One of the key challenges of aqueous supercapacitors is the relatively low voltage (0.8–2.0 V), which significantly limits the energy density and feasibility of practical applications of the device. Herein, this study reports a novel Ni–Mn–O solid-solution cathode to widen the supercapacitor device voltage, which can potentially suppress the oxygen evolution reaction and thus be operated stably within a quite wide potential window of 0–1.4 V (vs saturated calomel electrode) after a simple but unique phase-transformation electrochemical activation. The solid-solution structure is designed with an ordered array architecture and in situ nanocarbon modification to promote the charge/mass transfer kinetics. By paring with commercial activated carbon anode, an ultrahigh voltage asymmetric supercapacitor in neutral aqueous LiCl electrolyte is assembled (2.4 V; among the highest for single-cell supercapacitors). Moreover, by using a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)–LiCl electrolyte, a 2.4 V hydrogel supercapacitor is further developed with an excellent Coulombic efficiency, good rate capability, and remarkable cycle life (>5000 cycles; 95.5% capacity retention). Only one cell can power the light-emitting diode indicator brightly. The resulting maximum volumetric energy density is 4.72 mWh cm−3, which is much superior to previous thin-film manganese-oxide-based supercapacitors and even battery–supercapacitor hybrid devices. A very simple but unique phase-transformation electrochemical activation strategy is developed to enable a solid-solution Ni–Mn–O nanoprism array to suppress the oxygen evolution and exhibit ultrawide stable electrochemical window (0–1.4 V vs saturated calomel electrode). With such as an array as the cathode, a 2.4 V ultrahigh voltage aqueous supercapacitor is constructed, demonstrating high volumetric energy/power densities.

Publisher URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/resolve/doi

DOI: 10.1002/adma.201703463