Rational design of flower-like Co-Zn LDH@Co(H2PO4)2 heterojunctions as advanced electrode materials for supercapacitors

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with high theoretical specific capacity have been considered as one of the most promising candidates for high-performance supercapacitors. However, the low electronic conductivity and insufficient active sites hinder the further large-scale application of bulk LDHs. Here, we successfully synthesized heterostructured Co-Zn LDH@Co(H2PO4)(2) nanoflowers by a simple hydrothermal method. As the amount of Co(H2PO4)(2) in the whole heterostructure increases, the nanosheets steadily evolve into nanoflowers with a high surface area, providing more electrochemically active sites. Moreover, the built-in electric field formed between Co-Zn LDH and Co(H2PO4)(2) improves the conductivity of the composite electrode. As a result, the as-prepared Co-Zn LDH@Co(H2PO4)(2) shows a high specific capacity of 919 C g(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1). A hybrid supercapacitor (HSC) with activated carbon (AC) as the negative electrode and Co-Zn LDH@Co(H2PO4)(2) as the positive electrode delivers an energy density of 30.4 W h kg(-1) at a power density of 400 W kg(-1), and 95.3% of the initial capacity is retained after 5000 cycles. This study provides a novel synthesis strategy for constructing heterojunctions to enhance the energy storage properties of LDH-based materials.

Automated summary

In this study, Co-Zn LDH@Co(H2PO4)(2) nanoflowers were successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal method, providing high surface area and electrochemically active sites, as well as improved conductivity for the composite electrode. The Co-Zn LDH@Co(H2PO4)(2) as the positive electrode exhibited high specific capacity at high current density. A hybrid supercapacitor with good energy density and cycling stability was achieved at high power density.