Tailoring the morphology followed by the electrochemical performance of NiMn-LDH nanosheet arrays through controlled Co-doping for high-energy and power asymmetric supercapacitors

Abstract

Herein, we tailor the surface morphology of nickel–manganese-layered double hydroxide (NiMn-LDH) nanostructures on 3D nickel-foam via a step-wise cobalt (Co)-doping hydrothermal chemical process. At the 10% optimum level of Co-doping, we noticed a thriving tuned morphological pattern of NiMn-LDH nanostructures (NiCoMn-LDH (10%)) in terms of the porosity of the nanosheet (NS) arrays which not only improves the rate capability as well as cycling stability, but also demonstrates nearly two-fold specific capacitance enhancement compared to Co-free and other NiCoMn-LDH electrodes with a half-cell configuration in 3 M KOH, suggesting that Co-doping is indispensable for improving the electrochemical performance of NiMn-LDH electrodes. Moreover, when this high performing NiCoMn-LDH (10%) electrode is employed as a cathode material to fabricate an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as an anode material, excellent energy storage performance (57.4 Wh kg⁻¹ at 749.9 W kg⁻¹) and cycling stability (89.4% capacitive retention even after 2500 cycles) are corroborated. Additionally, we present a demonstration of illuminating a light emitting diode for 600 s with the NiCoMn-LDH (10%)//rGO ASC device, evidencing the potential of the NiCoMn-LDH (10%) electrode in fabricating energy storage devices.