Coral–like Ni2P@C derived from metal–organic frameworks with superior electrochemical performance for hybrid supercapacitors

Transition metal phosphides (TMPs), used in hybrid supercapacitors (HSCs) as battery–type electrodes, have gain tractions for balancing the requirements for both power and energy; however, their poor structural integrity, inferior conductivity and low porosity restrict the achievable performance. Developing an elaborate material architecture for electrodes that endows mechanical robustness, superior conductivity and large surface area is a pressing need for TMPs to achieve boosted performance in supercapacitors. Here, we report a coral–like interconnected Ni 2 P nanoparticles dispersed on porous amorphous carbon matrix (Ni 2 P@C) as the electrode material with superior electrochemical performance. The Ni 2 P@C electrode exhibits a superior specific capacity of 3,631mC cm −2 at 1 mA cm −2 (979 C g −1 at 1 A g −1 ). Impressively, the assembly of Ni 2 P@C and active carbon (AC) electrodes result in an advanced HSC with energy density of 44.0 Wh kg −1 at 800 W kg −1 and cycling stability of 90.5% retention after 10,000 cycles, demonstrating this unique Ni 2 P@C structure is promising for developing practical HSC technology.