Development of heterostructured ZnCo2O4@Ni-MOF electrode for the asymmetric supercapacitor and electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction applications

The stable structure and material combination design significantly improve the performance of electrochemical energy storage and water splitting. In the present study, we developed a ZCO@Ni-MOF core-shell structure over a nickel foam electrode, which is synthesized through a two-step hydrothermal treatment. The developed material is comprehensively analyzed to confirm structural, chemical, electronic, surface, and morphological characteristics using X-ray diffractometer (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Electrochemical investigations using a three-electrode system revealed that ZCO@Ni-MOF demonstrated an impressive specific capacitance of 1800 F g⁻¹ at a current density of 2 A g⁻¹ in a 1 M KOH electrolyte. The electrochemical findings are consistent across various electrochemical techniques. Furthermore, in-depth studies regarding p-n junction formation, interlayer spacing, and reaction kinetics studies are briefly analyzed with Mott-Schottky, Ex-situ XRD, and operando impedance studies. Moreover, an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) is assembled with ZCO@Ni-MOF as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode in a Swagelok cell. This configuration demonstrated an energy density of 13.6 Wh kg⁻¹ at a power density of 225 W kg⁻¹. The ASC exhibited performance by retaining 91% of its initial capacity even after 1500 cycles. For practical demonstration, two ASCs are fabricated and assembled in series to light up an LED, and the light-up duration is analyzed. For the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) study, the ZCO@Ni-MOF-based electrode exhibited activity with a lower overpotential of 340 mV (50 mA cm⁻²) in an alkaline environment and was responsible for stability for about 10 h. This combination reiterates the promising material aspects in energy storage and conversion devices, instilling hope for its potential applications.