Preparation and Characterization of ZnCo2O4 as a Binary Transitional Metal Oxide Towards Pseudocapacitor Electrode Materials

Binary transitional metal oxides have specific properties for use in energy applications. In this paper, an inexpensive 3D hierarchical ZnCo2O4 with flower-like morphology on nickel foam has been synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy confirm the successful synthesis of ZnCo2O4. Also, the porosity is evaluated with Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and morphology studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results of the electrochemical tests indicate the good capability of this electrode to be used in asymmetric supercapacitors. It is tempting to using this electrode by the specific capacitance of about 572 F/g at the scan rate of 10 mV/s and very good stability (94% after 5000 cycles). Also, the discharge time of this electrode at a current density of 0.5 A/g was about 380 s, which is a relatively acceptable time. This electrode with special architectures recommends for using high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors.

Automated summary

Binary transitional metal oxides, such as ZnCo2O4, show specific properties for energy applications. In this study, a 3D hierarchical flower-like ZnCo2O4 electrode on nickel foam was successfully synthesized and proved to have good performance in asymmetric supercapacitors through electrochemical tests. The electrode exhibited a specific capacitance of approximately 572 F/g and 94% stability after 5000 cycles, making it a promising candidate for high-performance energy storage devices.