Hierarchical hollow cages of Mn-Co layered double hydroxide as supercapacitor electrode materials

Hierarchical hollow cages of Mn-Co layered double hydroxide (LDH) are fabricated for the application of supercapacitors. The hollow cages are sized in ∼300 nm with a unique porous structure assembled by nanosheets and a high specific surface area of 83 m2 g−1. As a pseudocapacitor, the as-obtained Mn-Co layered double hydroxide electrode exhibits enhanced specific capacitance, as compared to the commonly prepared Mn-Co layered double hydroxide. Moreover, the hierarchical hollow cages of Mn-Co layered double hydroxide show a good stability, with a specific capacity retention of 91.6% at the current density of 2 A g−1 for over 2000 charge-discharge cycles. Such performance enhancement is mainly attributed to the enlarged specific surface area, improved charge transportation and ion diffusion.