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NiCo2O4 (NCO) nanosheet decorated MnCo2O4 (MCO) nanoflakes are successfully prepared on a nickel foam surface using a one-step chemical bath deposition route for supercapacitor applications. The unique nanoflakes with nanosheet structures provide efficient pathways for rapid electron and ion transportation. As a result, the MCO–NCO composite electrode exhibits a higher specific capacitance of 1152 F g−1 at 1 A g−1, excellent rate capability and superior cycling stability (95.38% retention after 3000 cycles) compared to individual MCO nanoflakes and NCO nanosheets. These results show that the as-fabricated MCO–NCO composites are promising candidates for electrochemical supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MnNi2O4–PbS composites have been successfully deposited on a nickel (Ni) foam substrate using a simple and cost-effective two-step hydrothermal route for application as supercapacitor electrode materials in energy storage devices. The morphological, structural and physical behaviors of the as-prepared composite were evaluated, and the results indicate that the PbS nanoparticles were successfully anchored onto the surface of MnNi2O4 nanoflakes. The electrochemical studies reveal that the MnNi2O4–PbS composite exhibits a higher supercapacitor performance with a high specific capacitance of 1176.76 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 and improved cycling stability with 98.86% retention after 4000 cycles, which are much higher than that of the MnNi2O4 electrode. The improved electrochemical performance of the composite electrode is mainly due to its unique hierarchical structure, which provides a better contact of the electrolyte and electrode surface, and a large number of active sites. These results suggest that the unique MnNi2O4–PbS electrode would be a promising electrode for high-performance supercapacitor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoparticle-featured MoS2 and WS2 have been synthesized using a facile one-step hydrothermal approach and their application as electroactive materials for high-performance supercapacitors has been investigated. The electrochemical results of the MoS2 electrode exhibit a higher specific capacitance (Cs) of 1531.2 F g−1 at 5 mA cm−2 with good cycling stability (up to 81.6% retention over 3000 cycles). The WS2 electrode delivers a high Cs of 1439.5 F g−1 at 5 mA cm−2 and excellent cycling stability with 77.4% retention after 3000 cycles. The outstanding performance of the MoS2 and WS2 electrodes indicates their potential in next-generation high-performance supercapacitor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum dot sensitized solar cell (QDSSC) performance is primarily limited by the recombination of charges at the interfaces of TiO 2 /quantum dot (QD) sensitizer/electrolyte. Hence, blocking or suppressing the charge recombination is an essential requirement to elevate the QDSSC performance to the next level. To retard the charge recombination, herein, we propose the introduction of a SnO 2 nanograss (NG) interlayer on the surface of TiO 2 using the facile chemical bath deposition method. The SnO 2 NG interlayer not only inhibits the interfacial recombination processes in QDSSCs but also enhances the light-harvesting capability in generating more excitons. Hence, the TiO 2 /SnO 2 NG/CdS QDSSCs can achieve the power conversion efficiency of 3.15%, which is superior to that of a TiO 2 /CdS device (2.16%). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, open-circuit voltage decay and dark current analyses confirm that the recombination of charges at the photoanode/electrolyte interface is suppressed and the life time is improved by introducing the SnO 2 NG interlayer between the TiO 2 and CdS QD sensitizer., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)