Network-like mesoporous NiCo2O4 grown on carbon cloth for high-performance pseudocapacitors

Network-like mesoporous NiCo2O4 arrays were grown on flexible carbon cloth via a hydrothermal method first assisted by polyethylene oxide - polypropylene oxide - polyethylene oxide and ethylene glycol followed by thermal treatment. These arrays were made up of nanoflakes (thickness varies from 5 to 15 nm) and multilevel pores, giving a vast specific surface area of 130.2 m(2) g(-1). The as-prepared products were fabricated into electrodes to conduct electrochemical experiments. The results showed a high capacitance of 1843.3 F g(-1) (volume capacitance of 33.8 F cm(-3)) at 1 A g(-1), satisfied constant rate performance of 80% shifting from 1 to 32 A g(-1) (1481 F g(-1)), and only a 10% loss of its capacitance even after 4000 recycles at a consistent current density of 10 A g(-1). A symmetric supercapacitor based on NWM NiCo2O4 was assembled and it exhibited a high specific capacitance of 269 F g(-1) at 1 A g(-1) and a preferable energy density of 38.3 W h kg(-1) at a power density of 396 W kg(-1). The optimum overall performance of both high rate capability and cycle stability make the network-like mesoporous NiCo2O4 the prime candidate for application in electrochemical supercapacitors.