Fabrication of dual-1D/2D shaped ZnCo₂O₄ -ZnO electrode material for highly efficient electrochemical supercapacitors

Global technological progress has spurred a demand for energy storage devices capable of providing high energy and power densities. Achieving this objective involves integrating efficient electroactive materials, such as metal oxides, in the fabrication of electrodes. The deliberate modification of metal oxide phase and morphology through precise engineering is recognized as a significant approach to enhancing electrochemical properties, owing predominantly to the growth in the amount of surface area that arises. Herein, fabrication for the metal oxide like, ZnCo₂O₄ through a single-step hydrothermal approach for energy storage supercapacitor devices and found to be dual ie. ZnO and ZnCo₂O₄ phases were identified in X-ray diffraction and Raman analysis. Typically, dual-1D/2D shaped ZnCo₂O₄–ZnO microstructures were identified from the scanning and high-resolution transmission electron microscopic pictures. Such modified ZnCo₂O₄–ZnO electrode material demonstrated a specific capacitance of 878 F/g at a scan rate of 5 mV/s, as calculated. Additionally, galvanostatic charge-discharge investigations indicated 810 F/g specific capacitance at 0.5 A g⁻¹. The impedance Nyquist plot showed a resistance value of 1.6 Ω for the fabricated electrode. An asymmetric device incorporating the ZnCo₂O₄–ZnO electrode exhibited a small solution resistance and a specific capacitance of 161 F/g. This research presents an innovative approach to developing highly efficient energy storage supercapacitors.