CuCo2O4 flowers/Ni-foam architecture as a battery type positive electrode for high performance hybrid supercapacitor applications

The battery type CuCo2O4 electrode was evaluated as a positive electrode material for its hybrid supercapacitor applications. CuCo2O4 flowers were prepared on Ni-foam through a simple hydrothermal process and post calcination treatment. The structure and morphology of the CuCo2O4 flowers/Ni-foam was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. FESEM clearly revealed the flower-like morphology, which was composed of large number of petals. The length and width of the petals ranged from approximately 5-8 mu m and approximately 50-150 nm, respectively. The CuCo2O4 flowers/Ni-foam electrode was employed for electrochemical characterization for hybrid supercapacitor applications. The specific capacity of the CuCo2O4 flower-like electrode was 692.4C g (1) (192.3 mA h g (1)) at a scan rate of 5 mV s (1). The flower-like CuCo2O4 electrode exhibited a maximum specific capacity of 645.1C g (1) (179.2 mA h g (1)) at a specific current of 1 A g (1) and good long term cyclic stability. The high specific capacity, good cyclic stability, and low internal and charge transfer resistance of the CuCo2O4 flowers/ Nifoam electrode confirmed the suitability of the prepared material as a positive electrode for hybrid supercapacitor applications. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.