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In this study, a novel composite of Cu–Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets and g-C3N4-covered Ni-foam was fabricated via a simple and facile two-step process. First, g-C3N4 sheets were deposited on Ni-foam by via electrodeposition method on a three-electrode system (Ni-foam@g-C3N4) and then, Cu–Al LDH nanosheets were grown on the Ni-foam via in situ redox reaction using a hydrothermal process (Ni-foam@Cu–Al LDH/g-C3N4). The FE-SEM image confirmed that the Cu–Al LDH nanosheets arose vertically and were anchored on the surface of electrodeposited g-C3N4 sheets, thus generating unique 3D porous interconnected networks. The electrochemical capacitive performances of the as-prepared samples were evaluated by cyclic volatammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge tests, and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) Nyquist plots. The specific capacitances of the Ni-foam@Cu–Al LDH/g-C3N4 nanocomposite measured from the CV curve (770.98 F g−1 at 50 mV s−1) and the galvanostatic charge/discharge curve (831.871 at 0.4 A g−1) were significantly higher than the others. Moreover, the Ni-foam@Cu–Al LDH/g-C3N4 nanocomposite revealed a remarkable high-current capacitive behavior and the capacitance retention could be maintained at 92.71% even after 5000 cycles of CV. Thus, the obtained results demonstrated that the as-prepared nanocomposite has great potential to be used as a novel supercapacitor electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a direct approach to the fabrication of a composite made of porous TiO2 nanofibers (NFs) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) sheets, by means of an angled two-nozzle electrospinning combined with calcination process. Different wt % amounts of g-C3N4 particles in a polymer solution from one nozzle and TiO2 precursors containing the same polymer solution from another nozzle were electrospun and deposited on the collector. Structural characterizations confirm a well-defined morphology of the TiO2/g-C3N4 composite in which the TiO2 NFs are uniformly attached on the g-C3N4 sheet. This proper attachment of TiO2 NFs on the g-C3N4 sheets occurred during calcination. The prepared composites showed the enhanced photocatalytic activity over the photodegradation of rhodamine B and reactive black 5 under natural sunlight. Here, the synergistic effect between the g-C3N4 sheets and the TiO2 NFs having anisotropic properties enhanced the photogenerated electron-hole pair separation and migration, which was confirmed by the measurement of photoluminescence spectra, cyclic voltammograms, and electrochemical impedance spectra. The direct synthesis approach that is established here for such kinds of sheetlike structure and porous NFs composites could provide new insights for the design of high-performance energy conversion catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel composite of Cu-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets and g-C3N4-covered Ni-foam was fabricated via a simple and facile two-step process. First, g-C3N4 sheets were deposited on Ni-foam by via electrodeposition method on a three-electrode system (Ni-foam@g-C3N4) and then, Cu-Al LDH nanosheets were grown on the Ni-foam via in situ redox reaction using a hydrothermal process (Ni-foam@Cu-Al LDH/g-C3N4). The FE-SEM image confirmed that the Cu-Al LDH nanosheets arose vertically and were anchored on the surface of electrodeposited g-C3N4 sheets, thus generating unique 3D porous interconnected networks. The electrochemical capacitive performances of the as-prepared samples were evaluated by cyclic volatammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge tests, and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) Nyquist plots. The specific capacitances of the Ni-foam@Cu-Al LDH/g-C3N4 nanocomposite measured from the CV curve (770.98 F g-1 at 50 mV s-1) and the galvanostatic charge/discharge curve (831.871 at 0.4 A g-1) were significantly higher than the others. Moreover, the Ni-foam@Cu-Al LDH/g-C3N4 nanocomposite revealed a remarkable high-current capacitive behavior and the capacitance retention could be maintained at 92.71% even after 5000 cycles of CV. Thus, the obtained results demonstrated that the as-prepared nanocomposite has great potential to be used as a novel supercapacitor electrode.