title: Hierarchical, porous CuS microspheres integrated with carbon nanotubes for high-performance supercapacitors.
abstract: Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) incorporated porous 3-dimensional (3D) CuS microspheres have been successfully synthesized via a simple refluxing method assisted by PVP. The composites are composed of flower-shaped CuS secondary microspheres, which in turn are assembled with primary nanosheets of 15-30 nm in thickness and fully integrated with CNT. The composites possess a large specific surface area of 189.6 m(2) g(-1) and a high conductivity of 0.471 S cm(-1). As electrode materials for supercapacitors, the nanocomposites show excellent cyclability and rate capability and deliver an average reversible capacitance as high as 1960 F g(-1) at a current density of 10 mA cm(-2) over 10000 cycles. The high electrochemical performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect of CNTs and the unique microstructure of CuS. The CNTs serve as not only a conductive agent to accelerate the transfer of electrons in the composites, but also as a buffer matrix to restrain the volume change and stabilize the electrode structure during the charge/discharge process. The porous structure of CuS also helps to stabilize the electrode structure and facilitates the transport for electrons.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro/Nano Functional Materials, School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, P. R. China.|School of Material Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Luoyang Normal University, Luoyang, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xianming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro/Nano Functional Materials, School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Weixiao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro/Nano Functional Materials, School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jinbing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro/Nano Functional Materials, School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hailong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: School of Material Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Chengchun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jang-Kyo
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro/Nano Functional Materials, School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yongsong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo