Advances in Inorganic Materials for Supercapacitors and Batteries

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About this Research Topic

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Background

The field of supercapacitors and batteries has advanced greatly over the last few decades. New storage mechanisms were introduced and novel nano/micro materials with tailored chemical and crystal structures were developed. As a result, nowadays batteries are powering many portable electronic devices, and supercapacitors have found particular but increasing applications. In this respect, inorganic nanomaterials based on metal ions and a mono/poly atomic anion with a rich electrochemistry are being extensively studied as electrodes both at the fundamental level (e.g., storage mechanism) and applied level (e.g., performance/cost optimization). Historic examples of inorganic materials for batteries is the layered LiCoO2 that followed the introduction of the ion-intercalation chemistry, and for supercapacitors, it is maybe the RuO2 that operates based on the concept of pseudocapacitance.

Although many inorganic nanomaterials with a rich electrochemistry have proven promising for batteries and supercapacitors at the lab level, their complex electrochemical behavior and structure-performance characterizations remain rather illusive. Furthermore, their performance-cost optimization poses the challenge of improving their performance by using sustainable materials and processes. For instance, while many of the inorganic materials based on the first-row transition metals meet the later, their performance (i.e., energy density, power density, and cycling stability) still need to be improved.

Therefore, this Research Topic focuses on the recent advances on the electrochemistry of inorganic materials for supercapacitors and batteries. It aims at enlightening current state-of-knowledge and triggering discussion around inorganic electrode materials from fundamentals to applications. This includes the nature of their energy storage (e.g., conversion, ion insertion, alloying, electrical double layer capacitance (EDLC), and pseudocapacitance), structure-performance correlation, novel methods of electrode preparation, characterizations of their various crystal structures and nano/micro morphologies, as well as their promises and pitfalls for energy storage.

Special interest to this Research Topic are studies on the various aspects of supercapacitors and batteries based on inorganic materials, in particular the synthesis, characterization, and electrochemical performance of the electrodes and devices. We welcome contributions in various forms (original research, review, mini review and perspective) that add valuable information to the energy storage performance of inorganic materials, including but not limited to:

• (Mono or Poly) metal oxides, chalcogenides, metal phosphates/sulfates, Prussian blue analogues, tungstates, MXenes, and metal-organic frameworks
• The composites of above materials that are well-characterized by different techniques and their electrochemistry is highlighted.
• Research addressing the issues of sustainability, recyclability, as well as those aiming at resolving a confusion within the concepts in the batteries and supercapacitors

The carbon materials such as graphite and polymers or any inorganic materials that show only an EDLC behavior are not considered here for publication.

Keywords: Supercapacitors, Batteries, Inorganic Materials, Transition Metals, Oxides

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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