Synthesis, characterization and performance comparison of MoCo and MoCu organic amine complexes in energy storage devices
摘要
Two bimetallic organic complexes were prepared through a hydrothermal synthesis route, employing 2-(2-pyridyl)benzimidazole as the ligand along with soluble salts of molybdenum, cobalt, and copper as metal precursors. The obtained compounds were determined to have the molecular formulas C72Co2Mo8N18O29H60 and C12H11CuMo2N3O7. Their structural, morphological, and elemental oxidation state characteristics were systematically analyzed using single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Electrochemical assessments revealed that both complexes exhibit promising performance as electrode materials for supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries. Notably, the MoCo-based complex outperformed the other in both aqueous and organic electrolytes. To gain further insight into the origin of this enhanced performance, first-principles calculations were carried out. The results indicated that although the band gaps of the two materials are similar, MoCo possesses a higher density of energy states near the Fermi level, implying a greater number of available ion transport channels. These results provide valuable guidance for the design of high-performance electrode materials for energy storage applications.