Tunable synthesis of hierarchical NiCo2O4 nanosheets-decorated Cu/CuOx nanowires architectures for asymmetric electrochemical capacitors

• Porous NiCo2O4 nanosheets-decorated Cu-based nanowires hybrids.
• Facile tunable strategy: one-pot hydrothermal method.
• High specific capacitance: 578 F g−1 at current density of 1.0 A g−1.
• Excellent long-term cycling stability: 1.8% loss after 10,000 cycles.

We demonstrate a facile and tunable preparative strategy of porous NiCo2O4 nanosheets-decorated Cu-based nanowires hybrids as high-performance supercapacitor electrodes. A fast faradic reaction has been realized by inducing elementary copper core in the composite, which assists in high electric conductivity of the cell and creates intimate channels for fast charge collection and electron transfer. As a result, this hybrid composite electrode displays high specific capacitance (578 F g−1 at current density of 1.0 A g−1) and rate capability (80.1% capacitance retention from 1 A g−1 to 10 A g−1). Additionally, asymmetric device is constructed from NiCo2O4/Cu-based NWs and activated graphene (AG) with an operation potential from 0 to 1.4 V. The asymmetric device exhibits an energy density of 12.6 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 344 W kg−1 and excellent long-term cycling stability (only 1.8% loss of its initial capacitance after 10,000 cycles). These attractive findings suggest that such unique NiCo2O4/Cu-based NWs hybrid architecture is promising for electrochemical applications as efficient electrode material.

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