Co/Cu/C multi-doped VOx composite nanobelts for aqueous asymmetric supercapacitors

Abstract

VOx, possessing multiple stable oxidation states, demonstrates high theoretical capacity, rendering it a promising candidate for supercapacitor electrodes. However, its practical capacity and cyclic performance are hindered by low electrical conductivity and sluggish diffusion kinetics. Incorporating heteroatoms into transition metal oxides has emerged as an effective approach to mitigate these challenges. Nonetheless, the reported capacities and cyclic stabilities of single-element-doped-VOx as supercapacitor electrodes remain unsatisfactory. Herein, we propose a Co/Cu/C multi-doped VOx composite (VCoCuC) nanobelts, which significantly boosts the specific capacity (5.96 C cm−2/398.6 C g−1 @ 10 mA cm−2) and cycling performance (97.1% of the initial capacity after 2,000 cycles @ 60 mA cm−2) compared to samples with only Co/Cu, Co/C, or Cu/C doping. The possible functions of each doping element are discussed. Additionally, an aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor with VCoCuC as the cathode and conductive carbon cloth (CC) as the anode is assembled to demonstrate the potential application of VCoCuC, which delivers high energy density and excellent cyclic performance. These findings highlight the potential for improving the practical capacity and cyclic performance of VOx electrodes via a multi-doping strategy.