Niobium
pentoxide (Nb2O5) represents an exquisite
class of negative electrode materials with unique pseudocapacitive
kinetics that engender superior power and energy densities for advanced
electrical energy storage devices. Practical energy devices are expected
to maintain stable performance under real-world conditions such as
temperature fluctuations. However, the intercalation pseudocapacitive
behavior of Nb2O5 at elevated temperatures remains
unexplored because of the scarcity of suitable electrolytes. Thus,
in this study, we investigate the effect of temperature on the pseudocapacitive
behavior of submicron-sized Nb2O5 in a wide
potential window of 0.01–2.3 V. Furthermore, ex situ X-ray
diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveal the amorphization
of Nb2O5 accompanied by the formation of NbO
via a conversion reaction during the initial cycle. Subsequent cycles
yield enhanced performance attributed to a series of reversible NbV, IV/NbIII redox reactions in the amorphous
Li
x
Nb2O5 phase.
Through cyclic voltammetry and symmetric cell electrochemical impedance
spectroscopy, temperature elevation is noted to increase the pseudocapacitive
contribution of the Nb2O5 electrode, resulting
in a high rate capability of 131 mAh g–1 at 20,000
mA g–1 at 90 °C. The electrode further exhibits
long-term cycling over 2000 cycles and high Coulombic efficiency ascribed
to the formation of a robust, [FSA]−-originated
solid-electrolyte interphase during cycling.