Construction of hierarchical nanoporous CuCo2V2O8 hollow spheres as a novel electrode material for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors

Abstract

Design of novel and efficient materials is a crucial requirement to develop supercapacitor electrodes for the production of green and renewable energy storage systems. In this study, for the first time, highly porous quaternary CuCo2V2O8 hollow spheres are fabricated by a two-step self-templating method. Copper-cobalt-vanadate microspheres are first synthesized via a facile anion-exchange process between the glycerate (in Cu-Co-glycerate) and VO3− ions. Afterward, the copper-cobalt-vanadate microspheres are converted into hierarchical CuCo2V2O8 hollow spheres through an annealing treatment the air. In virtue of the structural advantages, the as-prepared material revealed outstanding electrochemical properties as a high-performance electrode for supercapacitor (SCs) with a specific capacity of 799.8 C g−1 at 2 A g−1 (222.1 mAh g−1 at 6 mA cm−2), remarkable cycle stability (96.5% capacitance retention over 7000 cycles), superior rate capability around 60.65% capacitance retention at 50 A g−1.