Structure, optical, colorimetric, and supercapacitor properties of anode α-CuWO4 crystals

•α-CuWO4 crystals were synthesized by the polymeric precursor method.•Rietveld refinement and FTIR spectrum confirm triclinic structure to α-CuWO4 phase.•α-CuWO4 crystals can be used as inorganic pigments with brown color.•α-CuWO4 crystals are excellent candidates as anodic electrodes to supercapacitors. In this work, alpha-copper tungstate (α-CuWO4) crystals were prepared by polymeric precursor method. The structural and optical data were performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rietveld refinement, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) diffuse reflectance spectroscopies. Moreover, their colorimetric and supercapacitor properties were investigated. Pristine α-CuWO4 crystals present a triclinic structure, symmetric and antisymmetric stretch vibrations in the O–Cu–O and O–W–O bonds corresponding to IR-active modes and an optical bandgap value of 2.24 eV. Colorimetric results showed that the α-CuWO4 crystals exhibit a brown color to be employed in pigments coating floors. The α-CuWO4 crystals present a specific capacitance of 275.68F/g at 5 mV/s to be applied as a stable anodic electrode. These results suggest that α-CuWO4 is an excellent candidate as an electrode for energy storage devices in the next generation of batteries.