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Outstanding performances of Ni2CoS4/expanded graphite with ultrafine Ni2CoS4 particles for supercapacitor applications

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Abstract

Nickel sulfides are desirable electrode materials for supercapacitors, while low electronic conductivity and poor cyclic stability restrict their wide applications. Herein, Ni2CoS4/expanded graphite (Ni2CoS4/EG) composite was prepared in mixed solvents of ethylene glycol and H2O via a rapid and energy-saving microwave heating method. Scanning transmission electron microscopy image shows that Ni2CoS4 particles are ultrafine with an average diameter of 2 nm and uniformly distributed on expanded graphite. The specific capacitance of the Ni2CoS4/EG composite can reach up to 2056.8 F g−1 at 5 A g−1 as compared to 1574.4 F g−1 of Ni3S4, 229.1 F g−1 of CoS and 1516.6 F g−1 of Ni2CoS4; and even at higher current density of 30 A g−1, the specific capacitance can still demonstrates 1923.3 F g−1, thus 92.5% of rate capability can be achieved as the current density increases from 5 to 30 A g−1. Moreover, it exhibits an excellent stability of 94.4% after cycling at current density of 30 A g−1 for 2000 cycles. The composite delivers high initial capacitance, excellent rate capability, and fantastic stability. Furthermore, the fabricated AC//Ni2CoS4/EG asymmetric supercapacitor also exhibits a high specific capacitance of 120.3 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1, an superior cycle life (91% at 5 A g−1 for 5000 cycles), and an extremely high energy density of 52 Wh kg−1 at 477 W kg−1. This work offers a new insight to synthesize ultrafine bimetallic sulfides, and the superior high performances of the Ni2CoS4/EG composite can provide practical applications in supercapacitors.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Open Project of Fuel Cells & Hybrid Electric Power Key Lab, Chinese Academy of Sciences (KLFC201702), the Open Project from State Key Lab of Catalysis (N-14-1), and the Innovative Research Team of Southwest Petroleum University (2015CXTD04).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Lab of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology & Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, People’s Republic of China

    Renjie Qu, Shuihua Tang, Zewei Wei, Qiang Li & Wei Jiang

  2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, People’s Republic of China

    Renjie Qu, Shuihua Tang, Zewei Wei, Qiang Li & Wei Jiang

  3. Sichuan New Li-Idea Energy Science and Technology Co., Ltd, Suining, 629000, People’s Republic of China

    Yang Li

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  1. Renjie Qu
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Correspondence to Shuihua Tang.

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Qu, R., Tang, S., Li, Y. et al. Outstanding performances of Ni2CoS4/expanded graphite with ultrafine Ni2CoS4 particles for supercapacitor applications. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 30, 5052–5064 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-019-00803-5

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