Achieving High Aqueous Energy Storage via Hydrogen-Generation Passivation

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Polyimides are promising electrode materials for energy storage.
• Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) can limit the performance of aqueous energy storage devices.
• Developing strategies to suppress HER is crucial for enhancing energy storage capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel design strategy for polyimide/carbon nanotube networks.
• To passivate the hydrogen-evolution mechanism at the molecular level of electrodes.
• To substantially boost the aqueous energy-storage capabilities of the developed materials.

Main Methods:

• Designing polyimide/carbon nanotube networks with specific molecular structures.
• Investigating the passivation of the hydrogen-evolution mechanism.
• Analyzing the effect of Li(+) association during battery charging on electrode performance.
• Evaluating the voltage window and energy-storage capability of the modified electrodes.

Main Results:

• A new design strategy for polyimide/carbon nanotube networks was successfully developed.
• The hydrogen-evolution mechanism on the molecular structures of electrodes was effectively passivated.
• A significantly wider voltage window was achieved for the energy storage devices.
• Exceptional energy-storage capability was demonstrated, attributed to suppressed hydrogen evolution.

Conclusions:

• The developed polyimide/carbon nanotube network design offers a promising approach for advanced aqueous energy storage.
• Passivating hydrogen evolution through Li(+) association is an effective strategy to enhance electrode performance.
• This work paves the way for next-generation high-performance and stable aqueous batteries.