Zn-doped Mn₃O₄ with lattice distortion as flexible cathode for zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitor

Abstract

One of the major challenges in developing aqueous zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors (ZHSCs) is maintaining high performance with a high loading of cathode materials. In the present work, Zn-doped Mn₃O₄ (Zn-Mn₃O₄) nanoparticles with lattice distortion were successfully synthesized on flexible carbon cloth with a high loading up to 11 mg cm⁻² through electrodeposition. The as-prepared aqueous ZHSC with the cathode of Zn-Mn₃O₄ presented a superior areal capacitance of 3135.3 mF cm⁻² at 2 mA cm⁻² and good stability with 75.35% capacity retention after 1000 cycles. Furthermore, the engineered quasi-solid-state ZHSC using Zn-Mn₃O₄-0.5 demonstrated high mechanical flexibility and excellent capacity retention across different bending angles, thereby making them attractive candidates for the next generation of flexible wearable devices.