Hierarchical NiCoO@CuS composite electrode with enhanced surface area for high-performance hybrid supercapacitors

Hierarchical binder-free NiCo 2 O 4 @CuS composite electrodes have been successfully fabricated on a nickel foam surface using a facile hydrothermal method and directly used as a battery-type electrode material for supercapacitor applications. The surface morphological studies reveal that the composite electrode exhibited porous NiCo 2 O 4 nanograss-like structures with CuS nanostructures. The surface area of the composite is significantly enhanced (91.38 m 2 g 1 ) compared to NiCo 2 O 4 (52.16 m 2 g −1 ), with a predominant pore size of 3-6 nm. This synergistic combination enhanced the electrode's electrochemical properties. The NiCo 2 O 4 @CuS electrode delivered an impressive specific capacitance of 141.13 mA h g −1 at 1 A g 1 , surpassing the performance of the bare NiCo 2 O 4 electrode. The composite electrode also exhibited excellent rate capability and cycling stability, retaining 87.49% of its initial capacity at high current densities and 88.62% after 3000 cycles. A hybrid supercapacitor (HSC) device assembled using NiCo 2 O 4 @CuS and G-ink electrodes attained a peak energy density of 28.85 W h kg −1 at a power density of 238.2 W kg −1 , outperforming many reported HSCs. Additionally, the HSC device demonstrated exceptional cycling stability, retaining 87.59% of its initial capacitance after 4000 cycles. The superior performance of the NiCo 2 O 4 @CuS composite electrode is attributed to the synergistic combination of NiCo 2 O 4 and CuS, which promotes interfacial electron separation and facilitates rapid electron transfer. Hierarchical NiCo 2 O 4 @CuS composite electrodes, synthesized via a hydrothermal method, exhibit superior electrochemical performance as battery-type electrode materials for supercapacitors, outperforming bare NiCo 2 O 4 .