Design of additive free 3D floral shaped V₂O₅@ Ni foam for high performance supercapacitors

Abstract

The three-dimensional (3D) floral-shaped V₂O₅ was directly grown on Ni foam backbones by a straightforward and additive free hydrothermal approach. The as-synthesised material can be directly investigated as electrodes for supercapacitors without inclusion of other additives, such as polymer binder and carbon black. These elegant structural features endow this material with superior electrochemical features, such as high capacitance (601 Fg⁻¹), superior withstanding capacity at higher rates (373 Fg⁻¹ at 5 Ag⁻¹) and better cyclic stability. Most importantly, the symmetric supercapacitor using 3D-V₂O₅at Ni foam electrode exhibits specific capacitance of 142 Fg⁻¹ with energy density of 29 WhKg⁻¹. Thirty light-emitting diodes were illuminated using three (connected in series) 3D-VN symmetric supercapacitors. Such impressive morphology and electrochemical richness of this material encourages its usefulness as supercapacitor electrodes.

Keywords:

• Floral-shaped V₂O₅
• additive free synthesis
• aqueous electrolyte
• supercapacitors