Facile synthesis of Nb2O5@Carbon core-shell nanocrystals with controlled crystalline structure for high-power anodes in hybrid supercapacitors

Abstract

Hybrid supercapacitors (battery-supercapacitor hybrid devices, HSCs) deliver high energy within seconds (excellent rate capability) with stable cyclability. One of the key limitations in developing high-performance HSCs is imbalance in power capability between the sluggish Faradaic lithium-intercalation anode and rapid non-Faradaic capacitive cathode. To solve this problem, we synthesize Nb2O5@carbon core-shell nanocyrstals (Nb2O5@C NCs) as high-power anode materials with controlled crystalline phases (orthorhombic (7) and pseudohexagonal (TT)) via a facile one-pot synthesis method based on a water-in-oil microemulsion system. The synthesis of ideal T-Nb2O5 for fast Li+ diffusion is simply achieved by controlling the microemulsion parameter (e.g., pH control). The T-Nb2O5@C NCs shows a reversible specific capacity of similar to 180 mA h g(-1) at 0.05 A g(-1) (1.1-3.0 V vs Li/Li+) with rapid rate capability compared to that of TT-Nb2O5@C and carbon shell-free Nb2O5 NCs, mainly due to synergistic effects of (i) the structural merit of T-Nb2O5 and (ii) the conductive carbon shell for high electron mobility. The highest energy (similar to 63 W h kg(-1)) and power (16 528 W kg(-1) achieved at similar to 5 W h kg(-1)) densities within the voltage range of 1.0-35 V of the HSC using T-Nb2O5@C anode and MSP-20 cathode are remarkable.