The science and technology of ultracapacitors are reviewed for a number of electrode materials, including carbon, mixed metal oxides, and conducting polymers. More work has been done using microporous carbons than with the other materials and most of the commercially available devices use carbon electrodes and an organic electrolytes. The energy density of these devices is 3¯5 Wh/kg with a power density of 300¯500 W/kg for high efficiency (90¯95%) charge/discharges. Projections of future developments using carbon indicate that energy densities of 10 Wh/kg or higher are likely with power densities of 1¯2 kW/kg. A key problem in the fabrication of these advanced devices is the bonding of the thin electrodes to a current collector such the contact resistance is less than 0.1 cm2. Special attention is given in the paper to comparing the power density characteristics of ultracapacitors and batteries. The comparisons should be made at the same charge/discharge efficiency.

Ultracapacitors: Why, How, and Where is the Technology

Supercapacitors have gained a lot of attention due to their unique features like high power, long cycle life and environment-friendly nature. They act as a link for energy-power difference between a traditional capacitor (having high power) and fuel cells/batteries (having high energy storage). In this perspective, a worldwide research has been reported to address this and rapid progress has been achieved in the advancement of fundamental as well as the applied aspects of supercapacitors. Here, a concise description of technologies and working principles of different materials utilized for supercapacitors has been provided. The main focus has been on materials like carbon-based nanomaterials, metal oxides, conducting polymers and their nanocomposites along with some novel materials like metal-organic frameworks, MXenes, metal nitrides, covalent organic frameworks and black phosphorus. The performance of nanocomposites has been analysed by parameters like energy, capacitance, power, cyclic performance and rate capability. Some of the latest supercapacitors such as electrochromic supercapacitor, battery-supercapacitor hybrid device, electrochemical flow capacitor, alternating current line filtering capacitor, micro-supercapacitor, photo-supercapacitor, thermally chargeable supercapacitor, self-healing supercapacitor, piezoelectric and shape memory supercapacitor have also been discussed. This review covers the up-to-date progress achieved in novel materials for supercapacitor electrodes. The latest fabricated symmetric/asymmetric supercapacitors have also been reported.

Review of supercapacitors: Materials and devices

Based on the concept of band bending at metal/semiconductor interfaces as an energy filter for electrons, we present a theory for the enhancement of the thermoelectric properties of semiconductor materials with metallic nanoinclusions. We show that the Seebeck coefficient can be significantly increased due to a strongly energy-dependent electronic scattering time. By including phonon scattering, we find that the enhancement of $ZT$ due to electron scattering is important for high doping, while at low doping it is primarily due to a decrease in the phonon thermal conductivity.

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Theory of enhancement of thermoelectric properties of materials with nanoinclusions.

Aqueous Zn batteries that provide a synergistic integration of absolute safety and high energy density have been considered as highly promising energy-storage systems for powering electronics. Despite the rapid progress made in developing high-performance cathodes and electrolytes, the underestimated but non-negligible dendrites of Zn anode have been observed to shorten battery lifespan. Herein, this dendrite issue in Zn anodes, with regard to fundamentals, protection strategies, characterization techniques, and theoretical simulations, is systematically discussed. An overall comparison between the Zn dendrite and its Li and Al counterparts, to highlight their differences in both origin and topology, is given. Subsequently, in-depth clarifications of the specific influence factors of Zn dendrites, including the accumulation effect and the cathode loading mass (a distinct factor for laboratory studies and practical applications) are presented. Recent advances in Zn dendrite protection are then comprehensively summarized and categorized to generate an overview of respective superiorities and limitations of various strategies. Accordingly, theoretical computations and advanced characterization approaches are introduced as mechanism guidelines and measurement criteria for dendrite suppression, respectively. The concluding section emphasizes future challenges in addressing the Zn dendrite issue and potential approaches to further promoting the lifespan of Zn batteries.

Dendrites in Zn-Based Batteries.

Boron nitride-based materials for the removal of pollutants from aqueous solutions: a review.

Synthesis of large-size bulk hierarchically graphene-structured porous carbon and its versatile applications as hosts of sulfur and lithium for Li-S full cells and electrocatalyst for water splitting

Snorkeling equipments have played a vitally important role in various underwater operations, such as military, rescue activities, underwater research, archeology, and so on. However, existing snorkeling styles, represented by mechanical lifting system, artificial diving, and submarine mode (water storage and drainage), still face numerous challenges in the issues of large energy loss, complex structure, or environmental unfriendliness. Especially for small flexible equipments, an efficient and convenient way of snorkeling is of prime importance to various underwater explorations for a long time. Here, for the first time, an automatic snorkeling electronic equipment driven by a self‐breathing flexible aqueous aluminum‐air battery (Self‐BAAAB) which integrates functions of the snorkeling and the electric energy supply is designed. The self‐BAAAB battery consists of naturally inspired spongy sodium polyacrylate (PANa) hydrogel that acts as a flexible electrolyte and vertical N–O doped graphene fiber (NOGF) as an ORR/OER/HER trifunctional electrocatalyst. Benefited from the trifunctional catalytic properties and the aluminum metal stripping, the Self‐BAAAB consumes oxygen gas in the routine discharge process while the gas in turn is released during the charging process due to electrolysis of water in the super‐absorbing hydrogel, which triggers the sharp density variation of Self‐BAAAB, driving the “automatic snorkeling” feature of electronic equipment underwater. This work provides new insights into the design of the snorkeling electronic equipments and would promote the high efficiency of underwater operations, especially in a complex environment.

Xixi Ji

Papers

Synthesis of large-size bulk hierarchically graphene-structured porous carbon and its versatile applications as hosts of sulfur and lithium for Li-S full cells and electrocatalyst for water splitting

Automatic Snorkeling Electronic Equipment Enabled by Self‐Breathing Flexible Aqueous Aluminum‐Air Battery

Microstructure and properties of CoCrNiFeMnAl0.5 high-entropy alloys prepared by gas atomization combined with oscillatory pressure sintering

Coyote optimisation algorithm for separable nonlinear models using chaotic maps technique

1.8 GPa Ultra-Strong CoCrNiMo 0.2 Medium Entropy Alloy with Strength and Ductility Trade Off Via Double Precipitations and High Density Twins