In a significant stride towards sustainable energy solutions, Indian scientists have developed a novel material that promises to supercharge green energy storage. Researchers from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, in collaboration with Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), have engineered a lanthanum-doped silver niobate (AgNbO₃) compound that dramatically improves the performance of supercapacitors.
Supercapacitors are energy storage devices known for their rapid charging and discharging capabilities, making them suitable for applications requiring quick bursts of power, including electric vehicles, mobile devices, and renewable energy systems. However, their energy density has been a limiting factor in broader adoption. To overcome this limitation, the Indian scientists focused on enhancing the energy storage capacity of supercapacitors without sacrificing their speed or lifespan.
Dr. Kavita Pandey from CeNS led the team that focused on silver niobate (AgNbO₃), an environmentally friendly perovskite material, for its excellent electrical properties. The researchers introduced lanthanum, a rare-earth element, into the silver niobate nanoparticles. The inclusion of lanthanum served two purposes: it reduced the size of the silver niobate nanoparticles, increasing the material's surface area (critical for energy storage), and it enhanced the material's electrical conductivity, enabling faster charge and discharge cycles.
The performance outcomes of the new material were remarkable. The lanthanum-doped silver niobate retained 118% of its original energy capacity after extensive use, indicating that the material not only resists degradation but also potentially improves with continued use. Furthermore, the system demonstrated 100% coulombic efficiency, meaning virtually no energy was lost during charging and discharging.
To demonstrate real-world applicability, the researchers built a prototype asymmetric supercapacitor using the new material, which successfully powered an LCD display. This achievement highlights the potential of lanthanum-doped AgNbO₃ in various applications, ranging from portable electronics to renewable energy systems.
The team's findings, published in the Journal of Alloys and Compounds, position lanthanum-doped AgNbO₃ as a promising candidate for high-performance, eco-friendly energy storage. The researchers plan to explore similar doping strategies with other materials and scale up production to enable commercial use. This innovation represents a significant contribution from India to the global pursuit of sustainable energy solutions.
Another team of Indian scientists from Nagaland University has also made strides in supercapacitor technology. They developed a cost-effective material for supercapacitors using a novel production method for aminated graphene derived from reduced graphene oxide. Their innovation utilizes a single-step conversion process, transforming graphite into high-performance aminated graphene at standard temperature and pressure. Supercapacitors made from this material showed an impressive 2.2V electrochemical window and maintained over 98% of their original capacity after 10,000 charge-discharge cycles. The Nagaland University team has secured an Indian patent for their innovation, with international patent applications underway.
