Researchers from the Functional Nanomaterials group at the Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC) have achieved a significant breakthrough in the field of energy storage. IREC researchers Juguo Dai, Junshan Li, and group leader ICREA Prof. Andreu Cabot have developed a novel type of supercapacitor that utilises ammonium ions (NH4+), as detailed in their research article “MoS2@Polyaniline for Aqueous Ammonium-Ion Supercapacitors” published in the prestigious journal Advanced Materials.
Supercapacitors, devices that store and release energy, are vital components in a range of applications, from electric vehicles to renewable energy systems. The team’s work introduces an innovative approach to these devices, employing ammonium ions as an alternative to the more commonly used lithium ions.
This pioneering approach offers several advantages. Ammonium ions are abundant and environmentally friendly, making them a sustainable choice for energy storage. Furthermore, the team’s experiments demonstrated that their ammonium ion supercapacitors exhibited a higher energy density than traditional ones. This implies they can store more energy in the same amount of space, a critical factor in many applications.
The potential applications of this technology are extensive. It could be utilised in electric vehicles, where the increased energy density could lead to extended ranges. It could also be employed in renewable energy systems, where it could store energy generated by wind or solar power for use during periods without wind or sunlight.
The researchers at IREC are enthusiastic about the potential of this technology. “This is just the beginning,” says Prof. Andreu Cabot, “we believe that our work could pave the way for a new generation of high-performance, sustainable energy storage devices“.
This research was a collaborative endeavour, with valuable contributions from Juguo Dai, Chunying Yang, Yiting Xu, Xiaohong Wang, Siyu Yang, Dongxu Li, Lili Luo, Long Xia, Junshan Li, Xueqiang Qi, Andreu Cabot, and Lizong Dai. At IREC, we recognise and appreciate the collective efforts and significant contributions of all these researchers to this groundbreaking study.
For more details, refer to the original article “MoS2@Polyaniline for Aqueous Ammonium-Ion Supercapacitors” published in Advanced Materials on 26 June 2023.
