Cobalt Oxide Aerogels of Ideal Supercapacitive Properties Prepared with an Epoxide Synthetic Route

Abstract

Mesoporous structures of high specific surface areas and high porosities, such as aerogels, are ideal for supercapacitor applications. This idea was successfully demonstrated for the first time by taking cobalt oxide aerogels as an example. Cobalt oxide aerogels of excellent supercapacitive properties, including high specific capacitances (the highest ever reported for cobalt oxides, >600 F/g at a high mass loading of 1 mg/cm2) and onset frequencies, and excellent reversibility and cycle stability, were successfully synthesized with an epoxide addition procedure by using cobalt nitrate as the precursor. The present development makes possible the low cost production of high performance supercapacitors of the asymmetric type.