We report a new and general strategy for improving the capacitive properties of TiO(2) materials for supercapacitors, involving the synthesis of hydrogenated TiO(2) nanotube arrays (NTAs). The hydrogenated TiO(2) (denoted as H-TiO(2)) were obtained by calcination of anodized TiO(2) NTAs in hydrogen atmosphere in a range of temperatures between 300 to 600 °C. The H-TiO(2) NTAs prepared at 400 °C yields the largest specific capacitance of 3.24 mF cm(-2) at a scan rate of 100 mV s(-1), which is 40 times higher than the capacitance obtained from air-annealed TiO(2) NTAs at the same conditions. Importantly, H-TiO(2) NTAs also show remarkable rate capability with 68% areal capacitance retained when the scan rate increase from 10 to 1000 mV s(-1), as well as outstanding long-term cycling stability with only 3.1% reduction of initial specific capacitance after 10,000 cycles. The prominent electrochemical capacitive properties of H-TiO(2) are attributed to the enhanced carrier density and increased density of hydroxyl group on TiO(2) surface, as a result of hydrogenation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that H-TiO(2) NTAs is a good scaffold to support MnO(2) nanoparticles. The capacitor electrodes made by electrochemical deposition of MnO(2) nanoparticles on H-TiO(2) NTAs achieve a remarkable specific capacitance of 912 F g(-1) at a scan rate of 10 mV s(-1) (based on the mass of MnO(2)). The ability to improve the capacitive properties of TiO(2) electrode materials should open up new opportunities for high-performance supercapacitors.

Flexible energy-storage devices are attracting increasing attention as they show unique promising advantages, such as flexibility, shape diversity, light weight, and so on; these properties enable applications in portable, flexible, and even wearable electronic devices, including soft electronic products, roll-up displays, and wearable devices. Consequently, considerable effort has been made in recent years to fulfill the requirements of future flexible energy-storage devices, and much progress has been witnessed. This review describes the most recent advances in flexible energy-storage devices, including flexible lithium-ion batteries and flexible supercapacitors. The latest successful examples in flexible lithium-ion batteries and their technological innovations and challenges are reviewed first. This is followed by a detailed overview of the recent progress in flexible supercapacitors based on carbon materials and a number of composites and flexible micro-supercapacitors. Some of the latest achievements regarding interesting integrated energy-storage systems are also reviewed. Further research direction is also proposed to surpass existing technological bottle-necks and realize idealized flexible energy-storage devices.

The current boom of safe and renewable energy storage systems is driving the recent renaissance of Zn‐ion batteries. However, the notorious tip‐induced dendrite growth on the Zn anode restricts their further application. Herein, the first demonstration of constructing a flexible 3D carbon nanotube (CNT) framework as a Zn plating/stripping scaffold is constituted to achieve a dendrite‐free robust Zn anode. Compared with the pristine deposited Zn electrode, the as‐fabricated Zn/CNT anode affords lower Zn nucleation overpotential and more homogeneously distributed electric field, thus being more favorable for highly reversible Zn plating/stripping with satisfactory Coulombic efficiency rather than the formation of Zn dendrites or other byproducts. As a consequence, a highly flexible symmetric cell based on the Zn/CNT anode presents appreciably low voltage hysteresis (27 mV) and superior cycling stability (200 h) with dendrite‐free morphology at 2 mA cm−2, accompanied by a high depth of discharge (DOD) of 28%. Such distinct performance overmatches most of recently reported Zn‐based anodes. Additionally, this efficient rechargeability of the Zn/CNT anode also enables a substantially stable Zn//MnO2 battery with 88.7% capacity retention after 1000 cycles and remarkable mechanical flexibility.

Increasing power and energy demands for next-generation portable and flexible electronics such as roll-up displays, photovoltaic cells, and wearable devices have stimulated intensive efforts to explore flexible, lightweight and environmentally friendly energy storage devices. Flexible solid-state supercapacitors (SCs) have attracted increasing interest because they can provide substantially higher specific/volumetric energy density compared to conventional capacitors. Additionally, flexible solid-state SCs are typically small in size, highly reliable, light-weight, easy to handle, and have a wide range of operation temperatures. In this regard, solid-state SCs hold great promise as new energy storage devices for flexible and wearable electronics. In this article, we review recent achievements in the design, fabrication and characterization of flexible solid-state SCs. Moreover, we also discuss the current challenges and future opportunities for the development of high-performance flexible solid-state SCs. Broader contextIncreasing power and energy demands for next-generation portable and exible electronics such as roll-up displays, photovoltaic cells, and wearable devices have stimulated intensive efforts to explore exible, lightweight and environmentally friendly energy storage devices. Flexible solid-state supercapacitors (SCs) have attracted increasing interest because they can provide substantially higher specic/volumetric energy density compared to conventional capacitors. Signicant progress has been made in the fabrication of exible solid-state SCs. This review highlights the latest results of studies directed at the design, fabrication and characterization of exible solid-state supercapacitors, with particular emphasis on the recent advances in exible electrodes, gel polymer electrolytes and exible solid-state (symmetric and asymmetric) supercapacitor devices. The current challenges and future opportunities in the development of high-performance exible solid-state SCs have also been discussed.

A flexible solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor device with H-TiO(2) @MnO(2) core-shell NWs as the positive electrode and H-TiO(2) @C core-shell NWs as the negative electrode is developed. This device operates in a 1.8 V voltage window and is able to deliver a high specific capacitance of 139.6 F g(-1) and maximum volumetric energy density of 0.30 mWh cm(-3) with excellent cycling performance and good flexibility.

A highly flexible solid-state supercapacitor was fabricated through a simple flame synthesis method and electrochemical deposition process based on a carbon nanoparticles/MnO(2) nanorods hybrid structure using polyvinyl alcohol/H(3)PO(4) electrolyte. Carbon fabric is used as a current collector and electrode (mechanical support), leading to a simplified, highly flexible, and lightweight architecture. The device exhibited good electrochemical performance with an energy density of 4.8 Wh/kg at a power density of 14 kW/kg, and a demonstration of a practical device is also presented, highlighting the path for its enormous potential in energy management.

Here we demonstrate that the photoactivity of Au-decorated TiO2 electrodes for photoelectrochemical water oxidation can be effectively enhanced in the entire UV-visible region from 300 to 800 nm by manipulating the shape of the decorated Au nanostructures. The samples were prepared by carefully depositing Au nanoparticles (NPs), Au nanorods (NRs), and a mixture of Au NPs and NRs on the surface of TiO2 nanowire arrays. As compared with bare TiO2, Au NP-decorated TiO2 nanowire electrodes exhibited significantly enhanced photoactivity in both the UV and visible regions. For Au NR-decorated TiO2 electrodes, the photoactivity enhancement was, however, observed in the visible region only, with the largest photocurrent generation achieved at 710 nm. Significantly, TiO2 nanowires deposited with a mixture of Au NPs and NRs showed enhanced photoactivity in the entire UV-visible region. Monochromatic incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency measurements indicated that excitation of surface plasmon resonance of Au is responsible for the enhanced photoactivity of Au nanostructure-decorated TiO2 nanowires. Photovoltage experiment showed that the enhanced photoactivity of Au NP-decorated TiO2 in the UV region was attributable to the effective surface passivation of Au NPs. Furthermore, 3D finite-difference time domain simulation was performed to investigate the electrical field amplification at the interface between Au nanostructures and TiO2 upon SPR excitation. The results suggested that the enhanced photoactivity of Au NP-decorated TiO2 in the UV region was partially due to the increased optical absorption of TiO2 associated with SPR electrical field amplification. The current study could provide a new paradigm for designing plasmonic metal/semiconductor composite systems to effectively harvest the entire UV-visible light for solar fuel production.

Oxygen-deficient α-Fe2 O3 nanorods with outstanding capacitive performance are developed and demonstrated as novel negative electrodes for flexible asymmetric supercapacitors. The asymmetric-supercapacitor device based on the oxygen-deficient α-Fe2 O3 nanorod negative electrode and a MnO2 positive electrode achieves a maximum energy density of 0.41 mW·h/cm(3) ; it is also capable of charging a mobile phone and powering a light-emitting diode indicator.