Fabrication of hierarchical NiCo2S4@CoS2 nanostructures on highly conductive flexible carbon cloth substrate as a hybrid electrode material for supercapacitors with enhanced electrochemical performance

Abstract In this study, we fabricated the hierarchical NiCo2S4@CoS2 nanostructures on highly conductive flexible carbon cloth (CC) via two-steps hydrothermal method for high-performance supercapacitor hybrid electrode material. The surface morphology of the fabricated hybrid electrode material NiCo2S4@CoS2@CC exposed the formation of hierarchical NiCo2S4 ultrathin nanosheets on CoS2 nanowires over the carbon cloth substrate and thus forming a three-dimensional interconnected porous network. During the electrochemical analysis, the hybrid NiCo2S4@CoS2 nanostructures on CC exhibited an enhanced specific capacitance of ∼1565 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1. A capacitance retention of ∼91% was achieved after 8000 galvanostatic charge/discharge cycles at a current density of 1 A g−1 and a maximum energy density of ∼17 Wh Kg−1 at a power density of 242.8 W Kg−1. Thus, the electrode had a significantly improved supercapacitor performance in terms of a high specific capacitance, excellent cycle stability, and good rate capability.