3D Nanostructured Binder Free Electrodes for Novel Energy Storage Devices

Energy-storage technologies, including supercapacitors with high power density and rechargeable batteries with high energy density, have attracted significant attention for applications in electric vehicles, power line conditioners, and load leveling of solar energy and wind power. However, for such applications, the demand for both high power density and energy density devices is becoming increasingly important. Thus, novel hybrid energy storage devices combining the advantages of supercapacitors and batteries is becoming a hotstopic in the energy storage research field. In previous work, the 3D nanostructured binder free electrodes have been shown to deliver high discharge capacity and excellent rate capability, which were assessed using Li-ion half cells [1-4], indicating that energy storage devices with high energy and power density may be achieved using such kinds of 3D electrodes. In this work, novel Li-ion full cells and supercapacitors were designed and fabricated using MnOx-based 3D electrodes, a manganese oxides based Li-ion full cell is shown in Figure 1a-c. The electrochemical performances of the different energy storage devices were assessed using a 3-electrode cell, as shown in Figure 1 d-f. The maximum energy density of the manganese oxides based Li-ion full cell is 223 Wh/kg at 146 W/kg. The Sn and Si based 3D anodes were also prepared and assessed using both Li-ion half cells and Li-ion full cells. Figure 1 (a) Figure 1 (b) Figure 1 (c) Figure 1 (d) Figure 1 (e) Figure 1: (a) Scheme of the manganese oxides based Li-ion full cell. S(T)EM images of the nanostructured LiMn2O4 cathode material (b) and the 3D C/MnOy/ACNTs anode materials (c). Two- and three-electrode charge (d) and discharge (e) voltage profiles of the manganese oxides based Li-ion full cell utilizing Li metal reference. References [1] Lou, F. et al. (2013) Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 1 (11), 3757-3767. [2] Lou, F. et al. (2013) Journal of Energy Chemistry, 22 (1), 78-86. [3] Lou, F. et al. Chemsuschem, accepted [4] Zhou, H. et al. (2013) Nanotechnology, 24 (43), art. no. 435703.