Nickel aluminum selenide wrapped by NiCoAl-layered double hydroxide enables a robust structure for supercapacitors

Abstract

To explore a simple and convenient strategy for the construction of hybrid composites as advanced electrode materials for supercapacitors (SCs), this research realized the construction of nickel − aluminium selenide (NiAlSe)@NiCoAl-layered double hydroxide (NiCoAl-LDH) heterostructure. In-situ hybridization of NiCoAl-LDH nanosheets onto NiAlSe nanoparticles anchored on carbon cloth generates a special core–shell heterostructure, which enhances the exposure of active centers and increases the surface area. The formation of heterogeneous interfaces between NiAlSe and NiCoAl-LDH alters the electronic architecture and accelerates the electron/ion migration. By making full use of the structural benefits and the cooperative effect, the NiAlSe@NiCoAl-LDH composite electrode delivered a large capacitance (Cs) of 1789.2F/g at 1 A/g along with a high retention rate of 94.7 % over 5,000 cycles, which outperforms the bare NiAlSe and NiCoAl-LDH. Meanwhile, the assembled NiAlSe@NiCoAl-LDH hybrid supercapacitor (HSC) attained maximum specific energy (Es) of 71.5 Wh kg−1. This HSC device exhibits superior cyclic durability of 92.1 % after 30,000 cycles. Thereby, this research offers valuable insights into the construction of robust electrode materials for advanced HSC devices.