In situ fabrication of nickel aluminum-layered double hydroxide nanosheets/hollow carbon nanofibers composite as a novel electrode material for supercapacitors

• Nickel aluminum-LDH grown on hollow carbon nanofibers by an in situ growth method.
• NiAl-LDH/CNFs composite presents as three-dimensional network structure.
• The composite exhibited a high specific capacitance of 1613 F g−1 at 1 A g−1.
• Remarkable cycle performance at a current density of 2 A g−1.

This paper introduces a new design route to fabricate nickel aluminum-layered double hydroxide (NiAl-LDH) nanosheets/hollow carbon nanofibers (CNFs) composite through an in situ growth method. The NiAl-LDH thin layers which grow on hollow carbon nanofibers have an average thickness of 13.6 nm. The galvanostatic charge–discharge test of the NiAl-LDH/CNFs composite yields an impressive specific capacitance of 1613 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 in 6 M KOH solution, the composite shows a remarkable specific capacitance of 1110 F g−1 even at a high current density of 10 A g−1. Furthermore, the composite remains a specific capacitance of 1406 F g−1 after 1000 cycles at 2 A g−1, indicating the composite has excellent high-current capacitive behavior and good cycle stability in compared to pristine NiAl-LDH.

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