Effects of particle size on the electrochemical performances of a layered double hydroxide, [Ni4Al(OH)10]NO3

Abstract

In this paper, the electrochemical performances of a layered double hydroxide, [Ni4Al(OH)10]NO3, of different particle sizes are studied. The results show that the particle size of the sample has evident effects on its discharge capacity at high current density, although a larger capacity may be observed for the bigger particles when they are discharged at lower current densities, e.g. 0.2 A g−1. However, the capacity decreases more quickly than that of the sample in smaller particle size when the current density increases. For example, the discharge capacity of the smallest particle remains as high as 180 mAh·g−1 even at very high current density, e.g. 4.0 A g−1. The results also show that long time soaked electrodes in 7 mol l−1 KOH have improved performance, especially for the hydrothermal samples. It also seems that there is an optimal size for materials, which can maintain their performance for longer time.