Carbon quantum dot-induced self-assembly of ultrathin Ni(OH)2 nanosheets: A facile method for fabricating three-dimensional porous hierarchical composite micro-nanostructures with excellent supercapacitor performance

Significant efforts have been directed towards the preparation and application of porous hierarchically structured materials owing to their large surface area, rich active sites, and enhanced mass transport and diffusion. In this study, a simple and cost-effective method for the carbon quantum dot (CQD)-induced assembly of two-dimensional ultrathin Ni(OH)2 nanosheets into a three-dimensional (3D) porous hierarchical structure was developed. The electrostatic forces between the CQDs and cations drove the self-assembly of the 3D CQDs/Ni(OH)2 hierarchical structures. As a new type of structure-directing agent, the CQDs played dual roles in tuning the morphology of the products and improving the supercapacitor performance. The multilevel CQDs/Ni(OH)2 micro-nanostructures had a large specific surface area and rich porosity. Owing to their unique structures and the conductivity of the CQDs, an optimized asymmetric supercapacitor using the CQDs/Ni(OH)2 exhibited a maximum specific capacity of 161.3 F·g–1 and a high energy density of 57.4 Wh·kg–1. This study introduces a potential method for the fabrication of many other 3D hierarchical structures with great potential for applications in various fields.