One-dimensional ZnO/Mn3O4 core/shell nanorod and nanotube arrays with high supercapacitive performance for electrochemical energy storage

One-dimensional (1D) ZnO/Mn3O4 core/shell nanorod arrays (NRAs) and nanotube arrays (NTAs) have been controllably synthesized via a facile electrochemical deposition process and characterized by X-ray diffraction, SEM, TEM, EDS, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrochemical experiments. To assess the properties of 1D ZnO/ Mn3O4 core/shell nanostructures for use in supercapacitors, cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charging-discharging measurements were performed. Remarkably, the ZnO/Mn3O4 core/shell NTAs electrode is found to exhibit 2.5 times higher capacitance, better rate performance and smaller inner resistance than the ZnO/ Mn3O4 NRAs. These findings indicate that the novel 1D architectures offer a very promising design for supercapacitors.