NiCoCr-LDH/NiCo2O4 hierarchical composites as high-performance electrodes for aqueous Ni-Zn batteries

Nickel-zinc (Ni-Zn) batteries have attracted significant research interest due to their high safety, low cost, and high theoretical specific capacity. This investigation introduces a simple synthesis route for fabricating a nickel-cobalt-chromium layered double hydroxide/nickel-cobalt oxide (NiCoCr-LDH/NiCo 2 O 4 ) hierarchical composite on nickel foam (NF), aimed at advancing Ni-Zn battery performance. The synergistic integration of uniformly distributed NiCo 2 O 4 nanoneedles with NiCoCr-LDH nanosheets facilitates expedited ion diffusion and proliferates active reaction sites. Under optimized conditions, the NiCoCr-LDH/NiCo 2 O 4 @NF electrode exhibits a superior specific capacity of 234 mAh g⁻ 1 at 1 A g⁻ 1 , coupled with enhanced cycling endurance. When configured into a full cell alongside zinc plate, it attains an energy density of 395.7 Wh kg⁻ 1 and a peak power density of 15.6 kW kg⁻ 1 . Remarkably, the device sustains 90.7% of its initial capacity after an extensive 5,000-cycle operation, underscoring its exceptional prolonged cyclability. This study contributes crucial understandings for guiding the evolution of high-performance supercapacitors and Ni-Zn batteries.