One-step facile synthesis of dense cloud-like tiny bundled nanoparticles of CuS nanostructures as an efficient electrode material for high-performance supercapacitors

Abstract

The dense cloud like tiny bundles consisting of CuS nanoparticles were prepared successfully by a simple facile one-step chemical bath deposition method. The CuS electrodes at three different time periods such as 5, 10 and 20 h were prepared and their crystallographic phase, structural, morphological and the composition of the as-prepared electrodes are studied in detail. The CuS-10 h electrode possessed the dense cloud like structured nanoparticles on the surface of the Ni foam created pathways in a more efficient manner that allows the swift mobility of electrons/ions. Moreover, the electrochemical behavior and performance of the electrodes are carried out in a 3 M KOH electrolyte in the three-electrode system. The cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge results confirm that all the fabricated CuS electrodes exhibit the battery-type behavior. As a battery-type material, the binder-free CuS-10 h electrode exhibits the enhanced specific capacity of 164.053 m Ah g−1 at 1 A g−1, higher rate capability of 82.54% and good cycling stability of 97.12% after 4000 cycles, respectively, that is very high when compared to the CuS-5 h and CuS-20 h electrodes. As a result, from the detailed analysis, it is found that CuS as an excellent electrode material for high energy storage supercapacitor applications.