Mesoporous NiCo₂O₄ for asymmetric supercapacitors, enhancing kinetics and stability via a multi-component redox-active electrolyte
摘要
Electrolyte engineering is one of the most effective approaches to overcome kinetic limitations and enhance the electrochemical performance of pseudocapacitive electrodes. In this work, NiCo₂O₄ with a mesoporous interconnected network-like morphology is synthesized, and its electrochemical performance is studied in various aqueous electrolytes to elucidate the role of electrolyte composition on charge storage behavior. Incorporating both oxidized and reduced forms of hexacyanoferrate redox couple, a unique hybrid electrolyte is developed. While most of the reported work has focused on the single redox mediator, the present work showcased the presence of both Fe(CN)63−/Fe(CN)64− species analyzing a bidirectional electron-shuttle mechanism, facilitating electron transfer during both charging and discharging processes. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, galvanostatic charge-discharge, and cyclic voltammetry verify improved charge-transfer kinetics and decreased interfacial resistance. Consequently, at 1 A/g, the NiCo2O4 electrode produced a high specific capacity of 1039 C/g with outstanding cycle stability. Furthermore, the developed NiCo₂O₄//AC asymmetric hybrid supercapacitor maintained 84.2% of its capacity after 5000 cycles and achieved an energy density of 82.4 Wh/kg at a power density of 1580 W/kg at a stable voltage window of 1.58 V. The present work emphasizes electrolyte engineering as a potent strategy for improving high-performance electrochemical energy storage.