Hierarchical, porous CuS microspheres integrated with carbon nanotubes for high-performance supercapacitors

• Published in: Scientific reports 2015-11, Vol.5 (1), p.16584-16584, Article 16584
• Main Authors: Lu, Yang, Liu, Xianming, Wang, Weixiao, Cheng, Jinbing, Yan, Hailong, Tang, Chengchun, Kim, Jang-Kyo, Luo, Yongsong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 704/172; 704/172/169; Capacitance; Electrochemistry; Electrodes; Humanities and Social Sciences; Microspheres; multidisciplinary; Nanocomposites; Nanotechnology; Nanotubes; Science; Synergistic effect
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/srep16584

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) incorporated porous 3-dimensional (3D) CuS microspheres have been successfully synthesized via a simple refluxing method assisted by PVP. The composites are composed of flower-shaped CuS secondary microspheres, which in turn are assembled with primary nanosheets of 15–30 nm in thickness and fully integrated with CNT. The composites possess a large specific surface area of 189.6 m 2 g −1 and a high conductivity of 0.471 S cm −1 . As electrode materials for supercapacitors, the nanocomposites show excellent cyclability and rate capability and deliver an average reversible capacitance as high as 1960 F g −1 at a current density of 10 mA cm −2 over 10000 cycles. The high electrochemical performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect of CNTs and the unique microstructure of CuS. The CNTs serve as not only a conductive agent to accelerate the transfer of electrons in the composites, but also as a buffer matrix to restrain the volume change and stabilize the electrode structure during the charge/discharge process. The porous structure of CuS also helps to stabilize the electrode structure and facilitates the transport for electrons.