Series asymmetric supercapacitors based on free-standing inner-connection electrodes for high energy density and high output voltage

Abstract

Asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) based on free-standing membranes with high energy density and high output voltage are reported. MnO₂ nanowire/carbon nanotube (CNT) composites and MoO₃ nanobelt/CNT composites are selected as the anode and the cathode materials of the devices, respectively. The ASC has a high volumetric capacitance of 50.2 F cm⁻³ at a scan rate of 2 mV s⁻¹ and a high operation voltage window of 2.0 V. Especially, after a middle layer with an inner-connection structure was inserted between the anode and the cathode, the output voltage of the whole device can achieve 4.0 V. The full cell of series ASCs (SASC) with an inner-connection middle layer has a high energy density of 28.6 mW h cm⁻³ at a power density of 261.4 mW cm⁻³, and exhibits excellent cycling performance of 99.6% capacitance retention over 10 000 cycles. This strategy of designing the hybridized structure for SASCs provides a promising route for next-generation SCs with high energy density and high output voltage.