A facile method to improve the high rate capability of Co3O4 nanowire array electrodes

The capability of fast charge and fast discharge is highly desirable for the electrode materials used in supercapacitors and lithium ion batteries. In this article, we report a simple strategy to considerably improve the high rate capability of Co₃O₄ nanowire array electrodes by uniformly loading Ag nanoparticles onto the surfaces of the Co₃O₄ nanowires via the silver-mirror reaction. The highly electrically conductive silver nanoparticles function as a network for the facile transport of electrons between the current collectors (Ti substrates) and the Co₃O₄ active materials. High capacity as well as remarkable rate capability has been achieved through this simple approach. Such novel Co₃O₄-Ag composite nanowire array electrodes have great potential for practical applications in pseudo-type supercapacitors as well as in lithium ion batteries.[Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2010 Tsinghua University Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.