In situ synthesis of oriented Zn-Mn-Co-telluride on precursor free CuO: An experimental and theoretical study of hybrid electrode paradigm for advanced supercapacitors

The evolution of energy storage technology has seen remarkable progress, with a shift from pure metals to sophisticated, tailor-made active materials. The synthesis of nanostructures with exceptional properties is crucial in the advancement of electrode materials. In this regard, our study highlights the fabrication of a novel, oriented heterostructure comprised of Zn-Mn-Co-telluride grown on a pre-oxidized copper mesh using a hydrothermal method followed by a solvothermal process. This innovative approach leads to the formation of the Zn-Mn-Co-telluride@CuO@Cu heterostructure, which demonstrates the unique oriented morphology. It outperforms both Zn-Mn-Co-telluride@Cu and CuO@Cu by exhibiting lower electrical resistivity, increased redox activity, higher specific capacity, and improved ion diffusion characteristics. The conductivity enhancements of the heterostructure are corroborated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. When utilized in a hybrid supercapacitor (HSC) alongside activated carbon (AC) electrodes, the Zn-Mn-Co-telluride@CuO@Cu heterostructure-based HSC achieves an energy density of 75.7 ​Wh kg⁻¹. Such findings underscore the potential of these novel electrode materials to significantly impact the design of next-generation supercapacitor devices.