Building 3D structures of vanadium pentoxide nanosheets and application as electrodes in supercapacitors

Nano Lett. 2013;13(11):5408-13. doi: 10.1021/nl402969r. Epub 2013 Oct 22.

Abstract

Various two-dimensional (2D) materials have recently attracted great attention owing to their unique properties and wide application potential in electronics, catalysis, energy storage, and conversion. However, large-scale production of ultrathin sheets and functional nanosheets remains a scientific and engineering challenge. Here we demonstrate an efficient approach for large-scale production of V2O5 nanosheets having a thickness of 4 nm and utilization as building blocks for constructing 3D architectures via a freeze-drying process. The resulting highly flexible V2O5 structures possess a surface area of 133 m(2) g(-1), ultrathin walls, and multilevel pores. Such unique features are favorable for providing easy access of the electrolyte to the structure when they are used as a supercapacitor electrode, and they also provide a large electroactive surface that advantageous in energy storage applications. As a consequence, a high specific capacitance of 451 F g(-1) is achieved in a neutral aqueous Na2SO4 electrolyte as the 3D architectures are utilized for energy storage. Remarkably, the capacitance retention after 4000 cycles is more than 90%, and the energy density is up to 107 W·h·kg(-1) at a high power density of 9.4 kW kg(-1).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Electric Capacitance*
  • Electrodes
  • Electrolytes
  • Equipment Design
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Vanadium Compounds / chemistry*
  • Water / chemistry

Substances

  • Electrolytes
  • Vanadium Compounds
  • Water
  • vanadium pentoxide