Construction of Co9S8@NiCo2S4 core–shell hetero-nanostructure with synergistic effect of abundant mesopores and multi-metallic elements for novel high-performance flexible hybrid supercapacitors

Flexible portable supercapacitor devices have gained increasing attention in the field of energy storage in recent years. However, challenges remain in the selection of applicable flexible materials and/or the preparation of materials. Through our research, we have effectively constructed a flexible CS@NCS/CC core–shell hetero-nanostructured cathode material by anchoring Co9S8 (CS) nanopins on a flexible carbon cloth (CC) substrate firstly, and then wrapping NiCo2S4 (NCS) nanosheets on the outer surface of CS nanopins. In this process, we have improved the traditional two-step method of preparing NCS nanosheets into a one-step method, which has greatly improved the efficiency of the material preparation. The prepared CS@NCS/CC material has abundant mesopores, stable core–shell heterostructures and multiple valence states of metal ions, which enable the CS@NCS/CC electrode material to have strong electrochemical reaction kinetics and excellent cycling stability. Additionally, the CC as the flexible substrate improves the charge transfer capability of the transition metal composite. Benefiting from the synergistic effect of these favorable factors, the electrode material exhibits a high Cs value of 2020.6F g−1, which maintains 89.8% after 10,000 constant current charges and discharges. It is worth noting that the CS@NCS/CC can be folded and twisted at multiple angles, which proves that it can be used in wearable applications. The flexible hybrid supercapacitor CS@NCS/CC//AC/CC displays terrific energy density (58 Wh kg−1, at 800 W kg−1) with the synergistic effect of pseudocapacitance and electrical double-layer capacitance, and a capacitance retention rate of 92.9% after 10,000 cycles of constant current charging and discharging. Therefore, using CC as the flexible substrate and transition metal sulphides as the active material is an effective strategy for constructing high-performance flexible supercapacitors.