Electrochemical performance of hydrothermally synthesized flower-like α-nickel hydroxide

Abstract

Hydrothermally prepared α-nickel hydroxide had strong hydroxide bond vibrations and carbonate ion is intercalated in the basal spacing between the hydroxide layers. The morphological analysis reveals the flower-like morphology of the material. The electrochemical performance of the material was studied using 2 M KOH as the electrolyte. Cyclic voltammetry curves demonstrate the pseudocapacitive nature of the electrode material. Using galvanostatic charge-discharge studies, the specific capacitance of prepared α-nickel hydroxide was measured to be 516 F g−1 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1. The material exhibited efficient rate stability with 84% capacitance retention even after 1000 redox cycles. A detailed study was performed to correlate the structure and surface morphology of the synthesized α-nickel hydroxide with its redox behavior, specific capacitance, and rate stability. The note-worthy specific capacitance, rate stability, and remarkable morphology supporting efficient ion movement validate that the prepared α-nickel hydroxide could be a significant candidate for supercapacitor electrodes.