Diethylenetriamine-assisted one-step hydrothermal synthesis of cotton-like CoS cluster for high-performance supercapacitor

Cotton-like CoS cluster has been successfully synthesized via a simple one-step hydrothermal route assisted by diethylenetriamine (DETA) as a ligand and structure-directing agent. The structure and morphology of the product were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm. The CoS sample which has a hexagonal phase without any impurities possesses a microscopic morphology made by cotton-like clusters. The as-fabricated CoS as a supercapacitor electrode presents desirable supercapacitive performance with a high specific capacitance (664 F∙g^-1 at 0.5 A∙g^-1), remarkable rate capability and excellent cycling stability (85.7 % specific capacitance retention after 1000 cycles), making it applicable as an electrode for high-performance supercapacitors.