The low working voltage limits the energy density and
feasibility
of practical applications of aqueous supercapacitors (SCs) to some
extent. Herein, new CuPW12@PPy (n, n = 1, 2, 3) nanocomposites were designed and fabricated
by involving the hydrothermal synthesis of crystalline H4[Cu2(bix)4][PW12O40]2·8H2O (CuPW12) and subsequently
pyrrole in situ oxidation polymerization on the CuPW12 surface.
These were then used as electrode materials to widen the working voltage
of SC. As expected, CuPW12@PPy (n, n = 1, 2, 3) can operate stably within −0.6 to 1.0
V while inhibiting the hydrogen evolution reaction, which exhibits
higher specific capacitance in 2 M H3PO4. Specifically,
CuPW12@PPy (2) shows a 711.2 F g–1 specific
capacitance at 1.5 A g–1, attributed to the high
ion/electron transportation and their synergy from the conductive
PPy covering the CuPW12 surfaces. Finally, the assembled
symmetric SC cell can operate at 1.6 V and deliver a 43.67 Wh kg–1 energy density and 1280 W kg–1 power
density at 1.0 A g–1 and a 91.3% capacitance retention
at 5 A g–1 after 10,000 cycles.