A sustainable and highly efficient photocatalytic and supercapacitor electrode for biogenic nickel oxide nanoparticle infused graphene oxide

Abstract

Energy-storage device manufacturing focuses on cost-effective, efficient, and stable solutions. Electrodes based on graphene oxide (GO) and nickel oxide (NiO) have enhanced electrochemical characteristics, such as high specific capacitance and prolonged cycle stability, which are desirable in supercapacitors. Moreover, a green synthesis pathway was developed for the production of NiO/graphene oxide composites (GO-NiO). FESEM, HRTEM, FTIR, XRD, XPS, UV–Vis, and Raman spectroscopy were among the many methods used to characterize the as-prepared nanocomposites. Since both NiO and the GO-NiO nanocomposite displayed estimated optical band gaps of about 3.45 eV, they were regarded to be semiconductors with potential applications as photocatalysts. GO-NiO nanocomposite was used to adsorb and photodegrade Acridine orange (AO) and Rhodamine-B (Rh-B) from an aqueous solution. In the presence of visible light, the GO-NiO nanocomposite undergoes photodegradation and adsorption at a much quicker rate and with a greater removal efficiency than when exposed to darkness. In under 90 min, GO-NiO composite removed 86.81% of Acridine orange and 86.12% of Rhodamine-B. Photodegradation and adsorption in visible light remove Acridine orange and Rhodamine-B more effectively than adsorption alone. Electrochemical studies of GO-NiO nanocomposites showed that the samples are very stable over numerous cycles and have a specific capacitance of about 228.78 Fg−1 at a scan rate of 10 mV s−1. The NiO-infused GO nanocomposites for photocatalytic and supercapacitor applications are new because of their synergistic features, which efficiently degrade pollutants and store energy, with extensive environmental and energy applications.