Facile solvothermal synthesis of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles for high-performance supercapacitor applications

Abstract

We report a green and facile approach for the synthesis of NiFe2O4 (NF) nanoparticles with good crystallinity. The prepared materials are studied by various techniques in order to know their phase structure, crystallinity, morphology and elemental state. The BET analysis revealed a high surface area of 80.0 m2·g−1 for NF possessing a high pore volume of 0.54 cm3·g−1, also contributing to the amelioration of the electrochemical performance. The NF sample is studied for its application in supercapacitors in an aqueous 2 mol·L−1 KOH electrolyte. Electrochemical properties are studied both in the three-electrode method and in a symmetrical supercapacitor cell. Results show a high specific capacitance of 478.0 F·g−1 from the CV curve at an applied scan rate of 5 mV·s−1 and 368.0 F·g−1 from the GCD analysis at a current density of 1 A·g−1 for the NF electrode. Further, the material exhibited an 88% retention of its specific capacitance after continuous 10000 cycles at a higher applied current density of 8 A·g−1. These encouraging properties of NF nanoparticles suggest the practical applicability in high-performance supercapacitors.