Synthesis of heterostructure CeO2 - Co3O4 nanocomposite by hydrothermal approach for high performance supercapacitor application

Developing high-energy and power-density electrode materials is becoming increasingly important as the demand for sustainable clean energy storage systems increases. Among the numerous materials, cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) has gained significant interest due to its excellent reversibility and stability, making it an attractive contender for various applications such as biosensors, photocatalysts , photovoltaics , and optoelectronics. Apart from these notable properties, CeO 2 has certain limitations like reduced electrical conductivity and wide bandgap (3.5 eV) which affects the performance of the metal oxide in various energy storage applications. To overcome these limitations, metal oxides are combined with CeO 2 to enhance its electrical conductivity and surface activity. In this study, the characteristics of Ceria are enhanced by combining it with Co 3 O 4 , resulting in a unique CeO 2 - Co 3 O 4 nanocomposite synthesized by a facile hydrothermal route. Advanced techniques were used to comprehend the crystal structure, morphology, and electrochemical characterization of the newly synthesized CeO 2 -Co 3 O 4 nanocomposite. The synthesized CeO 2 -Co 3 O 4 nanocomposite revealed a unique nano-sheet-like surface morphology . This morphology plays a pivotal role in improving its specific capacitance, redox activity, charge transfer resistance, and cyclic stability to withstand many charge/ discharge cycles without significant degradation. The CeO 2 -Co 3 O 4 heterostructure nanocomposite achieved a specific capacitance value of 370 F/g which is three times higher than the bare CeO 2 nanoparticles (100 F/g). The modified nanocomposite electrode material with its high specific capacitance and stability shows significant promise for use in the production of high power and energy storage devices.