Operando Studies of Bismuth Nanoparticles Embedded in N, O-Doped Porous Carbon for High-Performance Potassium-Ion Hybrid Capacitor

Abstract

A highly viable alternative to lithium-ion batteries for stationary electrochemical energy-storage systems is the potassium dual-ion hybrid capacitor (PIHC), especially toward fast-charging capability. However, the sluggish reaction kinetics of negative electrode materials seriously impedes their practical implementation. In this paper, a new negative electrode Bi@RPC (Nano-bismuth confined in nitrogen- and oxygen-doped carbon with rationally designed pores, evidenced by advanced characterization) is developed, leading to a remarkable electrochemical performance. PIHCs building with the active carbon YP50F positive electrode result in a high operation voltage (0.1–4 V), and remarkably well-retained energy density at a high-power density (11107 W kg−1 at 98 Wh kg−1). After 5000 cycles the proposed PHICs still show a superior capacity retention of 92.6%. Moreover, a reversible mechanism of “absorption-alloying” of the Bi@RPC nanocomposite is revealed by operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. With the synergistic potassium ions storage mechanism arising from the presence of well-structured pores and nano-sized bismuth, the Bi@RPC electrode exhibits an astonishingly rapid kinetics and high energy density. The results demonstrate that PIHCs with Bi@RPC-based negative electrode is the promising option for simultaneously high-capacity and fast-charging energy storage devices.