MOF-derived flower-like ZnCo2O4/ZnO nanoarchitecture as a high-performance battery-type redox-active electrode material for hybrid supercapacitor applications

Implementing a facile and efficient strategy to fabricate the multi-component metal oxide nanocomposites as the high-efficient electroactive electrode materials have gathered the limelight for effective energy storage applications. However, the reasonable design and development of such materials is still a significant challenge to meet the energy storage capability. Herein, we report a bottom-up strategy to fabricate a flower-like ZnCo2O4/ZnO (ZCO/ZnO) nanoarchitecture via thermal decomposition of a metal-organic framework (MOF). The unique flower-like ZCO/ZnO nanoarchitecture provides a fruitful channel for rapid electron and ion transportation and offers abundant electroactive sites for the battery-type Faradaic charge storage process. Interestingly, the multi-component ZCO/ZnO electrode reveals a specific capacitance of (Csp) of 803 F g−1 at a specific current of 1 A g−1 as compared to its counterparts (ZCO and ZnO). Even at a high specific current of 20 A g−1, a superior Csp of 538 F g−1 can be achieved, signifying the high-rate performance of the ZCO/ZnO electrode. In addition, the hybrid supercapacitor of ZCO/ZnO//AC depicts the Csp of 161 F g−1 at a specific current of 1 A g−1. It delivers a high specific energy of 50.41 Wh kg−1 at a specific power of 710.49 W kg−1, with excellent cyclic retention of around 91.04% over 10,000 cycles. Hence, this strategy could enlighten a pathway to fabricate promising electrode materials for high-performance electrochemical energy devices.