Electrochemical performance of binder-free and flexible spinel NiCo2O4 electrode

Abstract

This research aims to study the one-step hydrothermal synthesis of a binder-free and flexible spinel nickel cobaltite (NiCo2O4) electrode for supercapacitor application. The hydrothermal synthesis method is well known to generate highly crystalline products, with high purity, narrow size distribution, and low aggregation of particles. The spinel NiCo2O4 nanoparticles were grown on a flexible carbon cloth substrate under hydrothermal conditions at 130°C for various reaction times (1, 3 and 6 h). The morphology of NiCo2O4 nanoparticles was tuned from nanosheet to nanowire by varying the hydrothermal reaction time from 1 h to 6 h. The electrochemical properties of NiCo2O4 electrodes were investigated. The NiCo2O4 electrode prepared for 6 h exhibited the highest anodic and cathodic current density and the lowest charge transfer resistance compared with the other electrodes.