Highly‐Dispersed Ni‐QDs/Mesoporous Carbon Nanoplates: A Universal and Commercially Applicable Approach Based on Corn Straw Piths and High Capacitive Performances

Abstract

Metal and metal oxides are extremely competitive in various applications such as catalysis and energy storage, while the intrinsically unsatisfactory ion/electron conductivity and/or large volume swing severely inhibit their inherent potentials. Quantum dots (QDs) can significantly promote the conductivity, buffer volume variation, and introduce novel physical/chemical properties, especially in cooperation with mesoporous carbon (MC), and hence are attracting ever‐increasing attention. However, it is still a worldwide challenge to exploit a facile, efficient, environmentally benign, commercially applicable, and, in particular, universal method for varied QDs/MC hybrids. In this work, a powerful approach is proposed on basis of corn straw piths, and a synthetic mechanism is proposed and investigated systematically. According to this route, Ni, Co, Cu, and MnO QDs/MC nanoplates are successfully fabricated. As a typical example, ultrasmall Ni QDs (5–7 nm) are homogeneously distributed on the large surface of MC nanoplates and exhibit a reversible capacitance of 2420 F g−1 at 500 mA g−1 and rate performance. This work discloses a new and paramount path to exploit versatile QDs/MC hybrids for promising applications such as lithium ion batteries, solar cells, Li–air batteries, and other promising fields with electrochemical catalysts.

Nickel/Porous Carbon Composite Derived from Bimetallic MOFs for Electrical Double-Layer Supercapacitor Application

“…15.1 % (5000) [33] electrodes to be73.3 %, 76.7 % and 82.7%，respectively，which is consistent with Table 1. As the working life is a highly significant factor of the electrodes used in electrochemical supercapacitors, the cyclic behavior of the electrode materials has been further studied to evaluate their stability by performing galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) at a current density of 5 A g -1 for 5000 cycles (Fig.…”

A Review of Carbon-Composited Materials as Air-Electrode Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for Metal–Air Batteries

“…The researchers concluded that the use of Ta not only favored the fabrication of VACNT but also produced beneficial interactions between Ta and VACNT, benefiting co-transportation/ reaction and thus the reduction of discharge product (e.g., Li 2 O 2 ) aggregation. To further develop high-performance non-noble metal-functionalized carbon cathode materials, Su et al [106] studied the composites of carbon with Ni, Co, and Cu quantum dots (QDs) and compared them with a MnO/carbon composite. Based on capacitance and rate performance results, the researchers demonstrated that Ni, Co, and Cu QDs composited with carbon is an important path in developing advanced carbon-based cathode materials in LABs.…”

Simple and scalable synthesis of hierarchical porous carbon derived from cornstalk without pith for high capacitance and energy density

“…The existence of light pith tissues easily induces a micropore dominating structure and increases the micro-/mesopore ratio during the activation process, which inevitably limits the supercapacitance and rate capacity of porous carbons. 32,36,37 Therefore, cornstalk pith was removed from the whole plant and cornstalk rind powder was ground with potassium oxalate monohydrate (K 2 C 2 O 4 ) and calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) until they were evenly mixed. For comparison, cornstalk pith and whole cornstalk were treated with the same procedure.…”

“…The overnumbered micropores eventually limit the supercapacitance, rate capacity and energy density of porous carbons. 32,36,37 In this regard, a simple and scalable synthesis approach that makes good use of cornstalk for high performance electrode materials is desirable.…”