Tuning capacitance of bimetallic ZnCo2O4 using anionic, cationic and non-ionic surfactants by hydrothermal synthesis for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitor

• Published in: Inorganic chemistry communications 2024-11, Vol.169, p.113035, Article 113035
• Main Authors: Bojarajan, Arjun Kumar, Gunasekaran, Sivagaami Sundari, Kalluri, Sujith, Al Omari, Salah Addin Burhan, Bakenov, Zhumabay, Sangaraju, Sambasivam
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Asymmetric; Bi-metallic; Pseudo-capacitance; Specific capacitance; Surface area; Zinc-cobalt oxide
• ISSN: 1387-7003
• DOI: 10.1016/j.inoche.2024.113035

[Display omitted] •Investigated the effects of neutral, cationic, and anionic surfactants on ZnCo2O4 nanomaterial.•The ZnCo2O4 nanomaterials were synthesized via a straightforward hydrothermal-annealing method.•The ionic nature of the surfactants influenced the charge-storage of ZnCo2O4 nanomaterials.•ZnCo2O4 − SDS exhibited high specific capacitance with 93% stability over 50,000 cycles. Surface properties of nanomaterials are directly related to their electrochemical performance, with surfactants playing an essential role in their cost-effective synthesis as structure-directing agents and templates. This research article discusses the effects of neutral, cationic, and anionic surfactants on the capacitance of bimetallic ZnCo2O4 nanomaterial, synthesized via a straightforward hydrothermal-annealing method. We investigated how cationic (cetyl-trimethyl ammonium bromide), anionic (sodium dodecyl sulphate), and non-ionic (urea) surfactants influence the electrochemical characteristics of ZnCo2O4 nano-powders. All three surfactant-based ZnCo2O4 electrodes exhibited Faradaic behaviour during electrochemical tests. The ionic nature of the surfactants significantly impacted the charge-storage mechanism, with specific capacitance values rising in the order of Urea (550 Fg−1)