Zinc cobaltite nanobelts on carbon cloth in flexible supercapacitors for clean and efficient energy storage

Bimetallic oxides that include cobalt and zinc have become more and more popular as ideal electrode materials for pseudocapacitive applications because of their high specific capacitance (Cs) and remarkable electrochemical characteristics. In this study, a hydrothermal approach was employed to successfully prepare hierarchical zinc cobaltite (ZnCo2O4) nanobelts coated on activated carbon cloth (ZnCoNB@CC) to enhance the performance of supercapacitors (SCs). The exciting ZnCoNB@CC electrode material has a high Cs of 1758 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1 and an outstanding rate capability of about 78% at 5 A g−1. After 6000 GCD cycles, it exhibits notable cycling stability by holding 95.4% of its specific capacitance. Importantly, the assembled hybrid SCs achieve a high power density of 1032.45 W kg−1 at an energy density of 82.36 Wh kg−1. It also displays remarkable flexibility at various degrees of bend, in addition to a slight change in capacitance after 3000 CV cycles are repeatedly performed at each bent position. Hence, the utilization of the ZnCoNB@CC as an electrode is a highly advantageous choice for the development of hybrid flexible SCs with exceptional performance capabilities. The ZnCoNB@CC is a favorable option for high-performance flexible SCs due to its remarkable pseudocapacitive charge storage properties. The synthesis process, outstanding electrochemical performance, and special adaptability of the ZnCoNB@CC electrode make our research distinctive.