Nickel Oxide Composites Research Articles

Nanosizing strategy to fabricate uniformly dispersed NiO/Ni/lignin porous carbon composites for high lithium storage

Nickel oxide is considered a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries. Nevertheless, its performance is hindered by significant volume expansion and low electrical conductivity, particularly at larger particle sizes, which lead to a notable decrease in lithium storage capacity and rate performance. To address these challenges, we introduce a nanocomposite strategy to synthesise nickel oxide and lignin-derived porous carbon composites (LPC/Ni/NiO). Through in situ polymerization, lignin macromolecules form a uniform 3D network with nickel carbonate, which, during the subsequent carbonisation process, results in the formation of nickel oxide within a conductive carbon network. This approach reduces the nickel oxide to nanosize and enhances the composite's electrical conductivity, effectively integrating the buffering framework of porous carbon with the high storage capacity of nickel oxide. As a result, the LPC/Ni/NiO composite exhibited significantly improved lithium storage capacity. Notably, when employed as an anode material in lithium-ion half-cells, the optimized composite maintained an excellent specific capacity of 1065 mAh/g after 100 cycles at a current density of 0.2 A/g. It also shown exceptional rate performance, delivering a specific discharge capacity of 505 mAh/g at a current density of 2 A/g, with stable cycling performance. The electrochemical reaction process was further validated using in ex-situ EIS. This study offers valuable insights into scalable synthesis methods for oxide nanocomposites, highlighting their potential as promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

Facile synthesis of cobalt-nickel oxide nanocomposites for trifunctional application towards antioxidant, anticancer and electrochemical performance

Transition metallic mixed oxides have received a lot of curiosity due to their exceptional electrochemical performance and incredibly low cost for hybrid supercapacitors. Herein, we report a facile synthetic approach of cobalt nickel oxide (CNC) composites from Carica papaya leaf extract. The synthesized mixed oxide composite was analyzed by various spectroscopic techniques (IR, UV–Vis, Powder XRD, SEM-EDAX, TEM and XPS). The electrochemical behavior of CNC was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD) method in 2 M KOH solution. The composites exhibit specific capacitance of 289.28 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 demonstrating improved charge storage. The electrode retains 81 % of its specific capacitance from the initial value after repeated charge–discharge processes for 2000 cycles. In addition to the electrochemical studies, biological activities such as anti-oxidant and anti-cancer activities of the CNC were examined. The radical scavenging activity of CNC was assessed with different radicals such as DPPH•, ABTS+., NO–, OH•, O2– and the acquired results showed that the composites possessed substantial activity. Anticancer activity of CNC was studied against HepG2 and MM2 cancer cells and the CNC possessed significant activity with the IC50 value of 45.8 and 38.3 µg/ml respectively compared with the standard drug cisplatin. Further apoptogenic nature of the CNC was confirmed with DAPI staining assay.

Synthesis of Kaolin-Supported Nickel Oxide Composites for the Catalytic Oxidative Degradation of Methylene Blue Dye.

Organic dye contamination of water is a contributing factor to environmental pollution and has a negative impact on aquatic ecology. In this study, unsupported NiO and kaolin-supported NiO composites were synthesized by a one-step wet impregnation-precipitation method through the precipitation of nickel hydroxide onto locally accessible, inexpensive, and easily treated kaolin surfaces by using sodium hydroxide as a precipitating agent. The product was calcined at 500 °C and used for the catalytic oxidative degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye in an aqueous solution. The morphology, structure, and interactions of the synthesized materials were explored by SEM, XRD, and FT-IR spectroscopy. The characterization results revealed the fabrication and the growth of NiO on the kaolin surface. To determine the catalytic oxidative degradation performance of the catalyst, many experiments have been performed using the MB dye as a model dye. The catalytic degradation tests confirmed the importance of NiO and the high catalytic activity of the synthesized NiO/kaolin composite toward MB dye degradation. The oxidative degradation results showed that the optimized precursor amount on the kaolin surface could efficiently enhance the removal of MB dye. The kinetic investigation of the catalytic degradation of MB dye fitted the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. High removal efficiency was observed after eight reuse cycles, proving the exceptional stability and reusability of the composite. The catalytic process also proceeded with a low activation energy of 30.5 kJ/mol. In conclusion, the kaolin-supported NiO composite was established to be a favorable catalyst to degrade a model dye (MB) from an aqueous solution in the presence of inexpensive and easily available NaOCl with a catalytic efficiency of the material higher than 99% of the 20.3 mg catalyst within 6 min with an apparent rate constant, kapp, higher than 0.44625 min-1, which is far better than that of the unsupported catalyst with a kapp of 0.0926 min-1 at 10 mg dose in 20 min.

Synergetic effect of polyaniline/sodium doped nickel oxide composites on structural, thermal, electrical, and magnetic properties

Polyaniline/Sodium-doped nickel oxide composites (PANI/NNO) were synthesized successfully with varying amounts of sodium-doped nickel oxide (5–20%) (NNO) via the in-situ chemical oxidation polymerization method. The X-ray diffraction and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy analysis reveals the systematic arrangement and presence of NNO nanoparticles in the PANI matrix of nanofiberous structured PANI/NNO composites. Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy showed broadening and shifting of peaks in composites, which implies chemical interaction between PANI and NNO for better conjugation. PANI/NNO composites have been found to have better thermal stability due to the reduction of grain boundaries, compactness, and conformation that with the loading of NNO particles also enhanced its conductivity. The weight loss of the composites decreased by 14.35% with incorporation of NNO in PANI. The kinetic parameters like half-life and activation energy are assessed using the Coats-Redfern method. Thermal stability, half-life, and activation energy of the PANI/NNO composite upgraded with the inclusion of relatively thermally stable NNO. The AC conductivity and impedance spectroscopy showed conductivity enhancement in composites. The conductivity of composites increased by 3.55 times than PANI found to be 2.42 S/m. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss of composites were higher than PANI due to increased magnitude with the incorporation of NNO nanoparticles. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analyzer has been used to evaluate equivalent electric circuit parameters of composites and it confirms the presence of non-Debye type relaxation process. The vibrating sample magnetometer measurement indicates weak ferromagnetisms in composites and having a multi-domain state. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study confirms constituent elements presence. PANI/NNO composite with highest concentration found to have total shielding effectiveness of 31.48 dB at 2.11 nm thickness.

NiO as a promising photocatalyst for wastewater purification: A review

Water scarcity and contamination represent critical challenges in the twenty-first century, with only a fraction of the Earth’s water being suitable for human use. Various pollutants, including heavy metals, dyes, and pharmaceuticals, compromise water quality, leading to serious environmental and health issues. Traditional wastewater treatment methods often fall short in effectively removing these contaminants. Photocatalysis has emerged as a promising solution, particularly with the use of nickel oxide (NiO) as a photocatalyst. This review explores the fundamentals of photocatalysis, the unique properties of NiO, and its applications in wastewater treatment. NiO is a great option for degrading the organic contaminants because it has a suitable band gap for light absorption and effective charge carrier separation. The synergistic effects of NiO composites with other semiconductors, such as TiO2 and ZnO, further enhance photocatalytic efficiency. Recent advancements in NiO photocatalysis indicate its potential for large-scale applications, addressing the urgent need for sustainable water purification technologies.

Electro-optical study of thermally stable PANI/lithium doped nickel oxide composites with enhanced photoluminescence properties

PANI/Lithium doped nickel oxide nanocomposites were synthesized via in-situ chemical oxidation polymerization method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) used to study the strucurtal confirmation of synthesized composites. FESEM images showed the fabrication of nanocomposites in porous and nanofibers form. EDS is confirming the presence of constituent elements. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of fabricated materials had the excellent thermal stability extended to higher temperature after doping in host matrix. Impedance analyzer has used to examine the electrical behaviors of synthesized composites. AC conductivity of synthesized composites were enhanced as compare to pure pani. Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy has used to study the optical characteristics of samples. Vibrating Samples Magnetometry results of composites depicts their superparamagnetic nature. In PL investigation, photoluminescence properties of affordable electro-optical fabricated materials were found to be improved at room temperature.

Flower-like mesoporous Fe3O4@SiO2@F/NiO composites for magnetic solid-phase extraction of imidazole fungicides in tap water, milk and green tea

In this work, magnetic flower-like and fluorine-doped nickel oxide composites Fe3O4@SiO2@F/NiO were prepared and applied for the magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) of five imidazole fungicides. The obtained materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis to verify the successful synthesis. The effect of some experimental parameters on the extraction efficiency were explored to optimize the MSPE conditions, including the adsorbent dosage, ultrasonic time, salt concentration, sample solution pH, elution solvent type and volume. Then, method validation was performed under the optimal conditions in combination with high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection. The determination coefficients ranged from 0.9956 to 0.9991, and the limits of detection and limits of quantification for the imidazole fungicides were 0.1–3 μg·L−1 and 0.3–10 μg·L−1, respectively. Moreover, the intra-day and inter-day precisions were evaluated in three different concentrations with relative standard deviations in the range of 1.34 %-13.31 % and 4.96 %-13.92 %. At last, the proposed MSPE method was used to enrich and determine imidazole fungicides in tap water, milk and green tea samples, and the spiked recoveries were in the range of 77.93 %-119.38 %, demonstrating the potential of the method in the determination of imidazole fungicides from real samples.

Supercapacitors for storing energy from coffee bean waste

Activated carbon (AC) was made from coffee bean waste, which was prepared by chemical activation, using potassium hydroxide (KOH) at 2 M as activating agent, with impregnation times of 24 and 48 h, temperatures carbonization of 600 and 700 ° C, once the activated carbon samples were obtained, they were doped with nickel oxide (NiO), in order to modify the electrical properties of CA, later they were characterized (physical adsorption of N2, FT-IR, XRD). The CA / NiO composites were prepared by the chemical method and electrodes were compacted into forms of self-consistent tablets, which were placed in a two-electrode cell using sulfuric acid (H2SO4) as electrolyte at 2 M. The electrochemical part was evaluated by means of Cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic chronopotentiometry, obtaining the electrical behavior of the electrodes for their application in supercapacitors (SCS). Finally, the specific capacitance of the SCS was determined from CA / NiO, as a result it was obtained that the CA / NiO-48-700 ° C-KOH samples showed a maximum capacitance of: 405.405 F / g respectively. This proves that nickel oxide improved the properties of AC for use as electrodes in supercapacitors.

Impact of NiO nano-particles on colossal magneto-resistance of La0.70Ca0.30MnO3 composite

Mixed-valent perovskite manganite has gained considerable research interest due to the increasing demand for energy storage materials. Herein, we show that colossal magneto-resistance properties of La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 (LCMO) can be changed via nickel oxide (NiO) doping. A two-step conventional solid-state reaction method is used to synthesize LCMO-10% NiO composite. The phase purity, structural, electrical (resistivity), and magneto-transport properties of as-synthesized LCMO-10% NiO composite are detailed. NiO doping shifts metal–insulator transition temperature (TMI) from 263 K to 195 K and increases resistivity. The magneto-resistance (MR) measurements showed 10% NiO doping resulted in a maximum MR of ∼ -70.32% at 200 K (near TMI) and 10 T applied magnetic field. However, -0.0849% MR is seen at 290 K (RT) and 0.3 T. The increased ∼ -63.85% MR is found at 100 K and at 10 T, which is comparatively much higher than the pristine LCMO sample. This is due to the addition of NiO in LCMO that improves physical properties (i.e., grain size).

Surfactant-Assisted Synthesis of NiO-ZnO and NiO-CuO Nanocomposites for Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Under UV Light Irradiation

The photocatalytic process over semiconducting oxide surfaces has attracted worldwide attention as a potentially efficient, environmentally friendly, and low-cost method for wastewater treatment. This study presents a straightforward, inexpensive, and rapid route for the synthesis of nickel oxide (NiO) and its composites with zinc oxide (NiO/ZnO) and copper oxide (NiO/CuO) nanoparticles through the chemical precipitation method using capping agent-hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) for photocatalytic degradation of the methylene blue dye. The structure, morphology, and elemental constituents were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The energy band gap of pure NiO, NiO-ZnO, and NiO-CuO composites was evaluated using the Tauc plot from absorption spectra and resulted as 3.00, 2.90, and 3.25 eV, respectively. The optimum parameters for all photocatalysts were the following: pH 8, irradiation time 175 min, catalyst amount 75 mg, and dye concentration 7 mg/L. At these optimum parameters, the degradation efficiency of the prepared photocatalysts toward the MB dye achieved was 89.8% for NiO, 97% for NiO/ZnO, and 94.2% for NiO/CuO. The highest activity of the p-type/n-type (NiO/ZnO) nanocomposite for MB degradation is possibly due to electron–hole pair recombination inhibition by charge transfer processes. Therefore, semiconducting composite-based nanocatalysts such as NiO/ZnO with high photocatalytic activity are promising for future industrial applications to remove undesirable organic pollutants from the environment.

Durability-enhanced monolithic inorganic electrochromic devices with tantalum-doped nickel oxide as a counter electrode

Nickel oxide (NiO) is a well-known electrochromic (EC) material with anodic coloration. However, NiO degrades significantly upon cycling with Li + /H + -conducting electrolytes. Doping with various additives is the most effective method to enhance the cycling stability of NiO films. In this study, films of tantalum-doped nickel oxide, denoted as Ni 1- x Ta x oxide, were deposited onto indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass substrates by reactive DC magnetron co-sputtering from Ni and Ta metal targets for use as counter electrodes in monolithic inorganic EC devices (ECDs). The influence of the Ta content on the composition, structure, optical properties and EC properties of NiO was investigated. It was found that the microstructure of the Ni 1- x Ta x oxide films was closely related to the EC performance and cycling stability. With moderate optical modulation, the cycling stability and optical transmittance of the Ni 1- x Ta x oxide film with x = 0.274 were increased. All-solid-state inorganic ECDs were fabricated with the configuration ITO/WO 3 /Ta 2 O 5 /Ni 1- x Ta x oxide/ITO/glass. The full ECDs showed different EC behaviors compared to those of the Ni 1- x Ta x oxide single layers, which was attributed to the different counter electrode/ion conductor interfaces of the solid–solid and solid–liquid interfaces, respectively. The ECD fabricated with the Ni 1- x Ta x oxide film with x = 0.065 showed stable transmittance modulation up to 1000 cycles. We propose a degradation mechanism for monolithic all-solid-state inorganic ECDs based on the observed degradation in the EC performance, which can pave the way for highly durable ECDs for various optoelectronic devices. • Ta-doped Ni oxides were prepared by reactive DC magnetron co-sputtering with Ta content between 0.065 and 0.490. • A Ta content of 0.274 led to the most stable cycling stability with moderate optical modulation. • Ni 1- x Ta x oxide with x = 0.065 is an excellent electrochromic material for highly reliable electrochromic devices.

Production of NiO, NiO/Ag, NiO/Au, and NiO/Pt hollow spheres by using block copolymer stabilized microspheres as a template

AbstractHollow spheres of nickel oxide (NiO) and silver, gold, and platinum nanoparticle loaded NiO composites were successfully produced by using polystyrene (PS) latexes as hard template. Due to the presence of tertiary amine based diblock copolymer stabilizer on the surface of PS, the tertiary amine functional groups provided homogene deposition of nickel hydroxide, and then the precursor NiO salt production on the surface of PS latexes with a controlled precipitation technique. Then, NiO and NiO/metal NP hollow spheres were produced by calcination at 600 °C. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the amounts of NiO and NiO‐composite after calcination were in the range of 21.1–29.7 wt%. The diameters of metal oxide spheres were in the range of 2.0–2.7 μm and the shell thickness were in the range of 250–350 nm. These structures had very low densities due to their porous and hollow structures and had outer layers with highly rough surfaces due to formation of nanosheets, which may offer important advantages for catalysis studies.

Synthesis of heterogeneous NiO nanoparticles for high-performance electrochemical supercapacitor application

Heterostructure nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles have been synthesized by a facile hydrothermal route. Structural, optical, and microstructural information were investigated using XRD, UV–vis, FT-IR, FT-Raman, SEM, HR-TEM, and XPS. The X-ray diffraction and HR-TEM analysis shows that the average size of the synthesized NiO is to be 12 nm. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic results revealed oxidation state and elemental composition of NiO. Electrochemical examination of NiO showed attractive performance with high specific capacitance of 1358 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 in 3 M KOH aqueous electrolyte. Moreover, the results showed superior energy density of 138 W Kg−1 and power density of 1041 Wh Kg−1. The NiO-modified electrode showed high capacitive execution with high specific capacitance and excellent cycle life. The attractive electrochemical result is attributed to the heterostructure morphology and good adherence of the NiO nanoparticle on the substrates, which reduce the particle diffusion length and significantly encourage the charge movement both at the contact interfaces and inside the anode materials during the electrochemical cycle.

Fabrication of nickel oxide composites with carbon nanotubes for enhanced charge transport in planar perovskite solar cells

As the conductivity of metal oxides is often insufficient for use in inverted planar perovskite solar cells (PSCs), a hybrid hole transporter consisting of carbon nanotube (CNT)-embedded nickel oxide (NiOx) is suggested to enhance the conductivity. Fully solution-processed NiOx/CNT composites are prepared by introducing CNTs (0–20 vol%) into a NiOx solution. Raman spectroscopy confirms successful incorporation of the CNTs in the NiOx-based hybrid material. Also, enhanced conductivity of NiOx by introducing CNTs is confirmed by conductance measurement and conductive atomic force microscopy. Furthermore, the enhanced charge extraction properties of the NiOx/CNTs hybrid are evidenced by transient photocurrent, steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy reveals a reduction in charge recombination when the hybrid material is used as the hole transport layer (HTL) in PSCs. Interestingly, the average power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the PSCs is increased from 13.1% to 15.1% by applying this hybrid HTL. The best-performing cell, using NiOx/CNTs (7.5 vol%), exhibits a PCE of up to 16.9%. This unprecedented HTL provides a fundamental method for enhancing the performance of inorganic charge transporters for solution-processed inverted planar PSCs.

Catalytic removal of gaseous styrene using DBD combined with NiO/Pyrite composite

Nickel oxide and pyrite (NiO/Pyr) composites were prepared by impregnation method and employed in the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) catalytic removal of gaseous styrene. The properties of the NiO/Pyr composites were characterized systematically. The removal efficiencies of styrene and energy yields had been examined as a function of initial concentration of styrene, gas flow rates and input powers. The results showed that the NiO/Pyr composite had excellent catalytic performance in DBD removal of gaseous styrene while mass ratio of NiO and Pyr was 0.2 and calcined temperature was 500 °C. When the initial concentration of styrene was 240 mg m−3, DBD combined with the NiO/Pyr composite could improve the removal and mineralization efficiency from 89.9% to 69%–98.6% and 78.5%, respectively, as compared with bare DBD system. The possible removal pathways were proposed based on the product identification by FTIR and GC-MS.

Design and tuning functionality of rod-like titanium dioxide–nickel oxide composites via a combinational methodology

TiO2–NiO composite nanorods were synthesized by combining hydrothermal growth of TiO2 nanorods and sputtering deposition of NiO film. Crystalline NiO coverage films with various thicknesses were sputter coated onto TiO2 nanorods by controlling NiO sputtering duration. The crystallographic analyses demonstrate that crystalline rutile TiO2-cubic NiO composite nanorods were formed herein. In comparison with pristine TiO2 and NiO, the coverage of NiO crystals on the TiO2 nanorods led to an enhanced photodegradation activity of the TiO2–NiO composites towards Rhodamine B dyes under irradiation. Moreover, the TiO2–NiO composite nanorods with the adequate content of NiO coverage layer show superior gas-sensing responses to 25–200 ppm ammonia gas in comparison with those of the constituent counterparts. The experimental results herein demonstrate that decoration of NiO film on the surfaces of TiO2 nanorods with tunable coverage sizes via sputtering deposition is a promising approach to design TiO2–NiO composite nanorods with desirable functionalities.

Synthesis of graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets decorated spherical‐like nickel oxide composites for carbon monoxide gas‐sensing application

In this work, graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets decorated like nickel oxide microspheres (NiO/g-C 3 N 4 , Ni/CN) were successfully synthesised by a simple hydrothermal method. The morphologies of the as-prepared samples were analysed by scanning electron microscopy and the diameter of the microspheres was found to be about 2.5 μm. At an optimum working temperature of 240°C, the response to 500 ppm CO is 2.729 for the Ni/CN-10 (10 wt% g-C 3 N 4 modified NiO) sensor, which is much higher than those of the NiO sensor (1.408). Besides the higher response, the Ni/CN sensors also showed good repeatability and stability for CO detection. Excellent gas sensitivity properties can be attributed to the p-n heterojunction formed at the interface, which can provide more potential active sites for surface reactions. In addition, the sensitisation of g-C 3 N 4 also plays an important role in the improvement of CO-sensing performance.

Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanosheets Decorated Flower-like NiO Composites for High-Performance Triethylamine Detection.

The graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets decorated three-dimensional hierarchical flower-like nickel oxide (NiO) composites (NiO/g-C3N4, Ni/CN) were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method combined with a subsequent annealing process. The structure and morphology of the as-prepared Ni/CN composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and nitrogen absorption. The gas-sensing experiments reveal that the composites with 10 wt % two-dimensional g-C3N4 (Ni/CN-10) not only exhibits the highest response of 20.03 that is almost 3 times higher than pristine NiO to 500 ppm triethylamine (TEA) at the optimal operating temperature of 280 °C but also shows a good selectivity toward TEA. The gas-sensitivity promotion mechanism is attributed to the internal charge transfer within the p–n heterojunction. Furthermore, the high specific surface area of the Ni/CN composites promotes adequate contact and reaction between the composites and triethylamine molecules. Therefore, the Ni/CN sensor has a great potential application in detecting TEA.

Electrochemical fabrication of nickel phosphide/reduced graphene oxide/nickel oxide composite on nickel foam as a high performance electrode for supercapacitors

Three-dimensional (3D) nickel phosphide/reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/nickel oxide composite on nickel foam (Ni2P/rGO/NiO/NF) is fabricated as a supercapacitor (SC) electrode material via the two-step electrochemical deposition of graphene oxide (GO) and nickel phosphide on the nickel foam. Typically, rGO/NiO/NF is fabricated at first by the electrochemical treatment of nickel foam at 10 V in 0.1 M sulfuric acid with GO for 10 min. The result reveals that NiO nanosheets are vertically grown on the surface of nickel foam and rGO is deposited on the surface of NiO/NF, leading to the enhancement of capacity. Secondly, nickel phosphide is electrochemically deposited on the surface of rGO/NiO/NF in the sodium hypophosphite-based aqueous solution at 10 mA cm−2 to yield the Ni2P/rGO/NiO/NF. The deposition of Ni2P leads to a much higher capacity. The optimal areal and mass specific capacities are obtained as 3.59 C cm−2 and 742 C g−1 at the electrochemical deposition time of 30 and 10 min, respectively. The high capacity reveals that the proposed two-step electrochemical fabrication process is facile and effective. In addition, the Ni2P/rGO/NiO/NF electrode-based all-solid-state asymmetric SC was fabricated and could successfully turn on a light-emitting diode light. This revealed its feasibility in practical application and confirmed that the resulting 3D Ni2P/rGO/NiO/NF has a great potential as the SC electrode material.

Effect of Various Solid Loadings in Producing Silica-Nickel Oxide (SiO<sub>2</sub>- NiO) Foams

Porous ceramic body is broadly utilized in the engineering discipline in this globalization era especially in the industrial applications. This is due to the advantages of one of the ceramic foams characteristics that can exhibit highly open pore and have a good interconnectivity. At the present study, the formation of Silica-Nickel oxide (SiO2-NiO) foams was developed by using the replication method with various solid loadings of 20wt. %, 25wt. %, 30wt. %, 35wt. % by adding a fixed amount of 5wt. % composition of Nickel Oxide (NiO) and sintered at a temperature of 1250°C. The Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) and Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) as the binders to bind the particles and as thickening agent for the slurries formation. The cylindrical shape polyurethane acts as a template of the SiO2-NiO foams. The properties of physical and mechanical of the SiO2-NiO foams are being characterized through the morphology analysis via the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Bulk density and apparent porosity tests are determined by adapting the Archimedes Principles. The compressive test has been carried out to identify the compressive strength of SiO2-NiO foams. The results obtained during the morphology analysis show the size of the pores appeared differently between the ranges of 268.81µm to 516.17µm. The result of the density and porosity of the porous SiO2-NiO foams recorded results between the ranges of 0.452g/cm3 to 0.775g/cm3 and 68.5% to 81.2%. This indicates that the variable of solid loading reveals the effect on the properties of the SiO2-NiO foams. Thus, the increasing of the solid loading will decrease the average size of the pores. However, with the decreasing of the average size of the pores will increase the density and the compressive strength of SiO2-NiO foams.