Facile synthesis of free-binder (NiCo)x(CuZn)1-xMoO4 (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1)/nickel foam electrodes for supercapacitor application

Abstract

In this work, free-binder (NiCo)x(CuZn)1-xMoO4 (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1)/nickel foam electrodes were prepared by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-assisted hydrothermal synthesis method. The composition modulated the morphology of material deposited on the nickel foam due to the different interactions between various cations and MoO42− species. With the increase of the Ni and Co contents, the morphology of molybdates transformed from agglomerated spherical particles to the flower-like hierarchal 2D flakes. Therefore, the application of multicomponent can be improved the electrochemical performance via tuning the morphology and physicochemical properties. The (NiCo)0.5(CuZn)0.5MoO4/nickel foam electrode with flower-like morphology showed the highest specific capacitance of 1176 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1 and significant rate capability of 83 % (980 F g−1 up to 5 A g−1). The hierarchal flower-like (NiCo)0.5(CuZn)0.5MoO4//activated carbon asymmetric capacitor offered the rather high performance for electrochemical energy storage including energy density of 41.5 Wh kg−1 at power density of 1450 W kg−1.