Nano/Microstructures of Nickel Sulphide for Energy Storage and Conversion Devices

Abstract

AbstractThe continuous consumption of non-renewable sources of energy causes several environmental problems such as greenhouse effect, global warming, pollution, etc. For development of clean and sustainable environment, our society urges an alternative of non-renewable source of energy such as fuel cell, solar cell, electrochemical capacitors, splitting cells, photochemical cell, etc. It is well known that metal sulphides (MS), where M = Ni, Co, Cu, Ti, W, Sn, etc. are the analogous of metal oxides and they emerged as new materials for energy conversion and storage devices due to their high redox activity, longer cyclic stability, high power density, and high energy density. From these metal sulphides, Nickel sulphide (NiS) attracts much more attention due to its high electrochemical activity, low cost, binary phases, superior physical and chemical properties and eco-friendly, etc. Nickel sulphide nanostructures have high surface to volume ratio, thermal stability, controlled morphology, etc. In this chapter, we discuss the various parameters which affect the physical and chemical properties of nickel sulphide such as capping agent, temperature, molar concentration of nickel and sulphur source, solvents, synthesis method, etc. Also this chapter discusses the binary phases of nickel sulphide, and their importance in energy conversion and storage devices. Each phase of nickel sulphide has its own applications such as NiS2 is used as counter electrode, β-NiS as supercapacitors, Ni3S2 as electrode in Lithium ion batteries, etc.KeywordsNano/MicrostructuresNickel sulphideSolar cellSupercapacitor