• Energy Research

Enriching the interface: metal–organic framework-derived copper oxide nanowires with abundant crystalline interfaces contribute to the efficient electrochemical CO2 reduction towards fast hydrocarbon generation.

AbstractLayered metal oxides are promising cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to their high theoretical specific capacity and wide Na+ diffusion channels. However, the irreversible phase transitions and cationic/anionic redoxes cause fast capacity decay. Herein, P2-type Na0.67Mg0.1Mn0.8Fe0.1O2 (NMMF-1) cathode material with moderate active Fe3+ doping has been designed for sodium storage. Uneven Mn3+/Mn4+distribution is observed in NMMF-1 and the introduction of Fe3+ is beneficial for reducing the Mn3+ contents both at the surface and in the bulk to alleviate the Jahn–Teller effect. The moderate Fe3+/Fe4+ redox can realize the best tradeoff between capacity and cyclability. Therefore, the NMMF-1 demonstrates a high capacity (174.7 mAh g−1 at 20 mA g−1) and improved cyclability (78.5% over 100 cycles) in a wide-voltage range of 1.5–4.5 V (vs. Na+/Na). In-situ X-ray diffraction reveals a complete solid-solution reaction with a small volume change of 1.7% during charge/discharge processes and the charge compensation is disclosed in detail. This study will provide new insights into designing high-capacity and stable layered oxide cathode materials for SIBs.

Cobalt-doped Ni3S2 nanorod arrays have been prepared via a hydrothermal method. As a free-standing electrode, the Co-Ni3S2 demonstrates ultrahigh areal capacitance, affording the Co-Ni3S2//FeOOH hybrid supercapacitor a high energy density.

FeNxand γ-Fe2O3nanoparticle co-functionalized hollow graphitic carbon nanofibers exhibit desirable ORR electrocatalytic activity.

Pomegranate-like SiOx/C microspheres demonstrate high specific capacity and outstanding cyclability (1024 mA h g−1 after 200 cycles) for lithium storage.

Yolk@shell structured TiO2−x with rich oxygen vacancies manifests high specific capacity and excellent cyclability in sodium storage.

Porous yolk–shell structured Nb2O5 enables a Nb2O5//activated carbon lithium-ion capacitor to exhibit superior energy density and cycling stability.

The quasi-solid-state NF@NiO//Zn batteries can successfully power a neon sign consisting of 42 light emission diodes (LEDs).

Transition metal molybdates represent a promising family of electrode materials for supercapacitors and lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, Co0.5Ni0.5MoO4 double‐shelled hollow spheres (DSHSs) are synthesized using a simple and scalable spray‐drying method followed by calcination in air. Benefited from the unique hollow structure as well as the coexistence of Co and Ni, the as‐synthesized Co0.5Ni0.5MoO4 DSHSs exhibit an improved pseudocapacitive property with a specific capacitance of 731 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 and a high capacitance retention of 91% (10 A g−1) after 5000 cycles. In addition, the obtained Co0.5Ni0.5MoO4 DSHSs also manifest a high specific capacity (900 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1 after 50 cycles) and an excellent cyclability (756 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 after 1000 cycles) for lithium storage. This rational design on both component and structure provides an effective strategy to achieve high‐performance supercapacitors and LIBs.