Cu-Zn-Co oxide nanoflakes on Ni-foam as a binder free electrode for energy storage applications

[Display omitted] •The Cu-Zn-Co oxide grown on Ni-foam shows thin nanoflake like morphology.•Cu-Zn-Co oxide nanoflakes exhibits a maximum specific capacity of 215 C g−1.•Cu-Zn-Co oxide nanoflakes exhibits a specific discharge capacity of 1603 mA h g−1. Cu-Zn-Co oxide nanoflakes were grown on Ni-foam using a hydrothermal method. FESEM revealed a thin nanoflake-like morphology. The Cu-Zn-Co oxide nanoflakes exhibited a maximum specific capacity of 215 C g−1 at a scan rate of 5 mV s−1 and 178 C g−1 at a specific current of 1 A g−1. When used as a Li-ion battery electrode, the Cu-Zn-Co oxide nanoflakes exhibited a specific discharge capacity of 1117 mA h g−1 in the second cycle with excellent cycling stability. This superior cycling stability of the Cu-Zn-Co oxide nanoflakes was attributed to the direct attachment of Cu-Zn-Co oxide nanoflakes on Ni-foam.