Electrochemically active hybrid materials are an emerging class of materials for both small and large-scale electrochemical energy storage applications. The possibility of nanoscale engineering inorganic and organic components in a unique hybrid material provides new and sometimes exceptional sets of properties, which makes them attractive for a variety of applications.¹ While organic/inorganic hybrid nanomaterials exhibit tremendous potential for the pseudocapacitive energy storage, the choice of an optimal organic material and nanostructured inorganic support impedes their energy storage applications.²

We will present the exciting development of pseudocapacitive hybrid materials for both static and flowable energy storage systems.^3–7 Our approach includes a combination of suitable redox active organic molecules with various types of carbon nanostructures and/or highly conductive metal carbides (MXenes).⁸ These combinations improve conductivity, resulting in high energy and power density pseudocapacitive electrodes with improved cycling performance. Using experimental techniques and molecular simulations, we will discuss the interfacial organic-inorganic interactions, charge storage mechanisms, and preferred molecular orientations of organic molecules at the interface. Remaining challenges and future opportunities for improvement in nanostructured hybrid materials for the electrochemical energy storage will be highlighted.

1. H. Wang and H. Dai, Chem. Soc. Rev., 42, 3088–3113 (2013)

2. D. Vonlanthen, P. Lazarev, K. a. See, F. Wudl, and A. J. Heeger, Adv. Mater., 26, 5095–5100 (2014).

3. M. Boota et al., Adv. Mater., 28, 1517–22 (2015)

4. M. Boota, K. B. Hatzell, E. C. Kumbur, and Y. Gogotsi, ChemSusChem, 8, 835–843 (2015).

5. M. Boota, C. Chen, M. Bécuwe, L. Miao, and Y. Gogotsi, Energy Environ. Sci., 9, 2586–2594 (2016).

6. M. Boota et al., ChemSusChem, 8, 3576–3581 (2015)

7. K. B. Hatzell, M. Boota, and Y. Gogotsi, Chem. Soc. Rev., 44, 8664–8687 (2015)

8. M. Naguib, V. N. Mochalin, M. W. Barsoum, and Y. Gogotsi, Adv. Mater., 26, 992–1005 (2014)