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Rare Earth Doping Engineering Tailoring Advanced Oxygen-Vacancy Co3 O4 with Tunable Structures for High-Efficiency
Yao He1, Weiqiang Zhou1, Danqin Li1
1Flexible Electronics Innovation Institute (FEII), Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang, 330013, PR China.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|December 12, 2022
Summary
Rare earth-doped cobalt oxide (Co3 O4) nanostructures enhance electrochemical activity for supercapacitors. Europium-doped Co3 O4 nanoparticles achieved a high specific capacitance, boosting energy storage capabilities.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Cobalt oxide (Co3 O4) exhibits high theoretical capacitance, making it a promising material for energy storage applications.
- However, its practical application is limited by poor conductivity, low electrochemical activity, and sluggish kinetics.
- Enhancing charge storage capacity requires strategies to overcome these inherent limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop rare earth (RE)-doped Co3 O4 nanostructures with abundant oxygen vacancies.
- To investigate the impact of various RE dopants on the structural and electrochemical properties of Co3 O4.
- To optimize Co3 O4-based electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors.
Main Methods:
- Simple, economical, and universal chemical precipitation was employed to synthesize RE-doped Co3 O4 nanostructures.
- A range of RE elements (La, Yb, Y, Ce, Er, Ho, Nd, Eu) were used as dopants.
- Structural characterization and electrochemical performance testing (specific capacitance, energy density, power density, cycle stability) were conducted.
Main Results:
- Doping with different RE elements systematically altered nanostructure morphology (nanosheets to nanoparticles), specific surface area, and pore distribution.
- RE doping significantly influenced the Co2+/Co3+ ratio, oxygen vacancy concentration, and crystalline phase, impacting electrochemical performance.
- Eu-doped Co3 O4 nanoparticles demonstrated a maximum specific capacitance of 1021.3 F g-1 at 2 A g-1, a substantial improvement over pristine Co3 O4.
- An asymmetric supercapacitor assembled with these materials achieved a high energy density of 48.23 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 1.2 kW kg-1.
Conclusions:
- Rare earth doping is an effective strategy to enhance the electrochemical performance of Co3 O4 for energy storage.
- The structural and electronic modifications induced by RE doping are crucial for improved charge storage.
- RE-doped Co3 O4 nanostructures hold significant potential for developing high-efficiency supercapacitors and other energy storage devices.
