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In this study, we report a facile two-step fabrication of honeycomb-like NiMoO4@NiWO4 nanocomposites on Ni foam as the electrode for high-performance supercapacitor applications. Structural characterization and compositional analysis of the as-prepared NiMoO4@NiWO4 nanocomposites was performed using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge–discharge cycling, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The electrochemical properties of the as-synthesized NiMoO4@NiWO4 nanocomposites were studied in a 3 M KOH electrolyte solution for application as electrode material of supercapacitors. A maximum specific capacitance of 1290 F g−1 was achieved for NiMoO4@NiWO4 at a current density of 2 A g−1. This electrode exhibits excellent long cycle-life stability with 93.1% specific capacitance retention after 3000 cycles at a current density of 6 A g−1. Our studies indicate that the as-synthesized NiMoO4@NiWO4 nanocomposites could be a promising candidate as the electrode material in high-performance electrochemical energy storage applications.

Herein, we tailor the surface morphology of nickel–manganese-layered double hydroxide (NiMn-LDH) nanostructures on 3D nickel-foam via a step-wise cobalt (Co)-doping hydrothermal chemical process. At the 10% optimum level of Co-doping, we noticed a thriving tuned morphological pattern of NiMn-LDH nanostructures (NiCoMn-LDH (10%)) in terms of the porosity of the nanosheet (NS) arrays which not only improves the rate capability as well as cycling stability, but also demonstrates nearly two-fold specific capacitance enhancement compared to Co-free and other NiCoMn-LDH electrodes with a half-cell configuration in 3 M KOH, suggesting that Co-doping is indispensable for improving the electrochemical performance of NiMn-LDH electrodes. Moreover, when this high performing NiCoMn-LDH (10%) electrode is employed as a cathode material to fabricate an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as an anode material, excellent energy storage performance (57.4 Wh kg−1 at 749.9 W kg−1) and cycling stability (89.4% capacitive retention even after 2500 cycles) are corroborated. Additionally, we present a demonstration of illuminating a light emitting diode for 600 s with the NiCoMn-LDH (10%)//rGO ASC device, evidencing the potential of the NiCoMn-LDH (10%) electrode in fabricating energy storage devices.

To make quantum-dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) competitive, photovoltaic parameters such as the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and fill factor (FF) must become comparable to those of other emerging solar cell technologies. In the present study, a novel strategy has been successfully developed for a highly efficient surface-modified platinum (Pt) counter electrode (CE) with high catalytic activity and long-term stability in a polysulfide redox electrolyte. The reinforcement of the Pt surface was performed using a thin passivating layer of CuS, NiS, or CoS by simple chemical bath deposition techniques. This method was a more efficient method for reducing the electron recombination in QDSSCs. The optimized Pt/CuS CE shows a very low charge transfer resistance of 37.01 Ω, which is an order of magnitude lower than those of bare Pt (86.32 Ω), Pt/NiS (53.83 Ω), and Pt/CoS (73.51 Ω) CEs. Therefore, the Pt/CuS CEs show much greater catalytic activity in the polysulfide redox electrolyte than Pt, Pt/NiS and Pt/CoS CEs. As a result, under one-sun illumination (AM 1.5G, 100 mW cm(-2)), the Pt/CuS CE exhibits a PCE of 4.32%, which is higher than the values of 1.77%, 2.95%, and 3.25% obtained with bare Pt, Pt/CoS, and Pt/NiS CEs, respectively. The performance of the Pt/CuS CE was enhanced by the improved current density, Cu vacancies with increased S composition, and surface morphology, which enable rapid electron transport and lower the electron recombination rate for the polysulfide electrolyte redox couple. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Tafel polarization revealed that the hybrid CEs reduce interfacial recombination and exhibit better electrochemical and photovoltaic performance compared with a bare Pt CE. The Pt/CuS CE also shows superior stability in the polysulfide electrolyte in a working state for over 10 h, resulting in a long-term electrode stability than Pt CE.

Charge recombination occurring at the TiO2/QDs/electrolyte interface is a crucial factor that limits the power conversion efficiency (η) of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). This paper presents a new approach by inserting a ZnS layer between the TiO2 and CdS/ZnS to prepare a TiO2/ZnS/CdS/ZnS sensitized photoelectrode for QDSSC applications. The CdS QDs and ZnS passivation layers were deposited using a reproducible and controlled successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method. The TiO2/ZnS/CdS/ZnS based QDSSCs exhibited a power conversion efficiency (η) value of 3.69%, which is significantly higher than the 3.02% and 2.09% observed for solar cells with a TiO2/CdS/ZnS device and without a passivation layer (TiO2/CdS), respectively. The elevated performance of the TiO2/ZnS/CdS/ZnS-based QDSSCs was attributed to the pre-assembled ZnS layer enhancing the light harvesting and acting as a blocking layer to shield the TiO2 core from the outer QDs and the electrolyte, thereby retarding the interfacial recombination of electrons from the TiO2 with the electrolyte or with the QDs. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and open circuit voltage decay measurements showed that the TiO2/ZnS/CdS/ZnS-based QDSSCs inhibit charge recombination remarkably at the photoanode/electrolyte interface and prolong the electron lifetime.