Nickel Sulfide Research Articles

Comparative study on prussian blue analogue derived iron nickel oxide, sulfide and phosphide as electrode materials for supercapacitors

Over the past decades, although metal oxides, sulfides and phosphides have developed as materials for supercapacitors (SCs), their SCs` performance should be deeply studied. In this work, FeNi-Prussian blue analogue (FeNi-PBA) was prepared via a simple co-precipitation method and served as a sacrificial template to prepare iron nickel oxide (NiFe2O4), sulfides (FeS/NiS2) and phosphides (Fe2P/Ni2P), whose capabilities for SCs were compared, respectively. The electrochemical results confirmed that the specific capacitance of FeS/NiS2 was 490.6 F g−1 much higher than those of NiFe2O4 (86 F g−1) and Fe2P/Ni2P (174.6 F g−1) at the current density of 1 A g−1. Therefore, the FeNiSx delivered the best electrochemical properties among them, because FeS/NiS2 composed by FeS/NiS2 heterostructure with sulfur vacancies provided an intimate/compact interfacial arrangement which better synergized the polyatomic conductivity and a large number of redox-active sites to bring about excellent electrochemical performance. Furthermore, FeS/NiS2 and activated carbon (AC) were employed to fabricate an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC), which achieved the energy density of 54.34 Wh·kg−1 and the power density of 1349.13 W·kg−1, and could power a commercial light-emitting diode light. Among FeNiOx, FeS/NiS2 and Fe2P/Ni2P, FeS/NiS2 can be a potential electrode material for SCs attributing to its heterostructure and sulfur vacancies favourable for multi-atom conductivity and numerous redox-active sites. This work evidences that metal sulfides deliver the superior SCs` performance than the corresponding metal oxides and phosphides.

Ag-doped NiS nanocubes: Tailoring properties for optimal antibacterial performance

This study explores the synthesis of silver-doped nickel sulfide nano-cubes (Ni1-xAgxS: x= 0.00, 0.04, and 0.08) through a cost-effective hydrothermal process. X-ray diffraction analysis assured the presence of hexagonal NiS nanoparticles with fine crystallinity, with an estimated crystallite size of Ag-doped NiS ranges from 21.19 to 15.69 nm. A reduction in crystallite size was observed while including Ag ions along with enhancement in lattice constants for ‘a’ and ‘b’ from 3.416 Å to 3.424 Å and ‘c’ from 5.280 to 5.286 Å. The scanning electron microscopic images displayed cubic shaped agglomerated particles, that seemed quite suitable for antibacterial activity. The materials exhibit semiconducting behavior, as evidenced by increased direct current electrical conductivity with the rise in temperature. With increased silver content, the direct current electrical conductivity rises, and activation energy decreases from 0.246 to 0.213 eV. Dielectric characteristics, including dielectric constant, dielectric loss, and AC electrical conductivity, show a positive correlation with temperature, and all the aforementioned values elevates with systematic variation in Ag doping. The Agar well-diffusion method evaluates the antibacterial activity of un-doped and Ag-doped NiS nano-cubes against various pathogens, such as Gram-positive bacteria (M. luteus and S. aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli and S. enterica), and significant inhibitory zones against all tested microbes, confirming the potential antibacterial efficacy. The Ag-doped NiS exhibited enhanced antibacterial efficiency. This research highlights Ag-doped NiS nano-cubes attributed with multifaceted functionalities, making them promising candidates for particular usage such as targeted drug delivery systems, antibacterial powder, wastewater treatment and pharmaceutical applications.

Growth of binder-free highly efficient supercapacitors electrode materials based on nickel sulfide nanostructures anchored on hierarchical nickel foam

The synthesis of highly efficient supercapacitor electrode materials (E-Ms) based on innovative nanostructured nickel sulfide is necessarily to reduce the energy crises. Herein, the highly efficient E-Ms based on nickel sulfide nanostructures are synthesized by a simple, home-made and cost-effective chemical vapor deposition technique. The values of structural parameters like peak intensity (292.63–359.58) and crystallite size (36.78–39.06 nm) of nickel sulfide E-Ms are increased while the values of dislocation density (7.46–6.55 nm−2) are decreased with increasing weight of sulfur powder. The microstructural features of nickel sulfide E-Ms is changed from irregular nano-sheets to nanoclusters with increasing weight of sulfur powder. The values of electrochemical parameters like specific capacitance (calculated from cyclic voltammetry and galvanometric charge–discharge profiles) of nanostructured nickel sulfide E-Ms are ranged from 5139 to 2804 F/g at 1 mVs−1 and 3079–1246 at 12 A/g respectively. The values of energy density are found to 52–28 Wh/kg (at power density = 2100 W/kg) are decreased to 21–7 Wh/kg (at power density = 6144 W/kg) with increasing weight of sulfur power (50–100 mg) respectively. The excellent cyclic stability and capacity retention (99–93 %) of nanostructured nickel sulfide E-Ms are observed. The appearance of negligibly small semicircle in electrochemical impedance analysis (in high frequency region) and the small equivalent series resistance (0.33–0.38 Ω) confirm the nanostructured nickel sulfide E-Ms can be used as highly efficient pseudocapacitor with 74 % capacitive nature. The Dunn’s Model simulation also predicts that the capacitive contribution of nanostructured nickel sulfide E-Ms is increased up to 74 % with increasing scan rates and thus can be used as highly efficient pseudocapacitor in portable energy storage devices. Results demonstrate that the highly electrochemical efficient pseudocapacitor based on nanostructures nickel sulfide can be synthesized by the said simple technique.

Ferrocene-Boosted Nickel Sulfide Nanoarchitecture for Enhanced Alkaline Water Splitting.

Enhanced electrocatalysts that are cost-effective, durable, and derived from abundant resources are imperative for developing efficient and sustainable electrochemical water-splitting systems to produce hydrogen. Therefore, the design and development of non-noble-based catalysts with more environmentally sustainable alternatives in efficient alkaline electrolyzers are important. This work reports ferrocene (Fc)-incorporated nickel sulfide nanostructured electrocatalysts (Fc-NiS) using a one-step facile solvothermal method for water-splitting reactions. Fc-NiS exhibited exceptional electrocatalytic activity under highly alkaline conditions, evident from its peak current density of 345 mA cm-2, surpassing the 153 mA cm-2 achieved by the pristine nickel sulfide (NiS) catalysts. Introducing ferrocene enhances electrical conductivity and facilitates charge transfer during water-splitting reactions, owing to the inclusion of iron metal. Fc-NiS exhibits a very small overpotential of 290 mV at 10 mA cm-2 and a Tafel slope of 50.46 mV dec-1, indicating its superior charge transfer characteristics for the three-electron transfer process involved in water splitting. This outstanding electrocatalytic performance is due to the synergistic effects embedded within the nanoscale architecture of Fc-NiS. Furthermore, the Fc-NiS catalyst also shows a stable response for the water-splitting reactions. It maintains a steady current density with an 87% retention rate for 25 hours of continuous operation, indicating its robustness and potential for prolonged electrolysis processes.

Nickel-organo compounds as potential enzyme precursors under simulated early Earth conditions

The transition from inorganic catalysis through minerals to organic catalysis by enzymes is a necessary step in the emergence of life. Our work is elucidating likely reactions at the earliest moments of Life, prior to the existence of enzymatic catalysis, by exploring essential intersections between nickel bioinorganic chemistry and pterin biochemistry. We used a prebiotically-inspired acetylene-containing volcanic hydrothermal experimental environment to shed light on the efficient formation of nickel-organo complexes. The simplest bis(dithiolene)nickel complex (C2H2S2)2Ni was identified by UV/Vis spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance. Its temporal progression and possible function in this simulated early Earth atmosphere were investigated by isolating the main bis(dithiolene)nickel species from the primordial experimental setup. Using this approach, we uncovered a significant diversity of nickel-organo compositions by identifying 156 elemental annotations. The formation of acetaldehyde through the subsequent degradation of these organo-metal complexes is intriguing, as it is reminiscent of the ability of Pelobacter acetylenicus to hydrate acetylene to acetaldehyde via its bis(dithiolene)-containing enzyme acetylene hydratase. As our findings mechanistically characterize the role of nickel sulfide in catalyzing the formation of acetaldehyde, this fundamental pre-metabolic reaction could play the role of a primitive enzyme precursor of the enzymatic acetylene metabolism and further strengthen the role of acetylene in the molecular origin of life.

High-performance aqueous zinc batteries enabled by amorphous nickel sulfide materials

Aqueous zinc battery has the advantages of high-safety, environmental-friendly and high capacity, and enables them as a promising candidate of energy storage. However, the specific capacity, rate performance and the cycling stability of cathodes are of still great challenges for the commercialized application compared to the zinc anode. Here, an amorphous nickel sulfide (ANS) is synthesized via facile electrodeposition with the assistance of thioacetamide (TAA), which is directly treated as the high performance cathode for aqueous zinc battery. As a result, the ANS electrode exhibits a high reversible specific capacity of 350 mAh/g at 1 A/g. The full cell of ANS//Zn delivers a high capacity of 140 mAh/g at 1 A/g. It provides a new candidate material for alkaline aqueous zinc battery.

Accelerating the generation of NiOOH by in-situ surface phosphating nickel sulfide for promoting the proton-coupled electron transfer kinetics of urea electrolysis

Nickel sulfide (Ni3S2) is a highly promising electrocatalyst for urea oxidation reaction (UOR), and NiOOH formed by the surface phase transition of Ni3S2 during UOR is the ideal catalytic active species. However, the strong covalent bonds of Ni3S2 hinders the generation of NiOOH, limiting the further improvement of UOR activity. Herein, the Ni3S2@Ni3P core–shell nanorods have been constructed by an in-situ surface phosphating method to boost UOR performance, realizing high catalytic activity (100/1000 mA cm−2 at 1.36/1.49 V vs. RHE, respectively) and a rapid kinetics (19.13 mV dec-1). The Ni3P on the surface of Ni3S2 can rapidly form highly active γ-NiOOH with low energy consumption, and the formed Ni3S2@γ-NiOOH accelerates proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) kinetics through reducing the energy barrier of urea dehydrogenation process, thereby enhancing UOR intrinsic activity. In addition, we also demonstrate a Ni3S2@Ni3P//Ni3S2@Ni3P urea electrolysis device with low voltages of 1.54 and 1.69 V at current densities of 100 and 500 mA cm−2, respectively. This work proposes an efficient strategy to accelerate the generation of NiOOH on the surface of Ni3S2 during UOR electrocatalysis, revealing the enhanced UOR mechanism of Ni3S2@Ni3P, which can promote the development of urea-assisted hydrogen production.

Ultra-efficient Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Dots-Supported Nickel Sulfide as a Platinum-Free Electrocatalyst for Overall Water Splitting in Basic Medium

Ultra-efficient Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Dots-Supported Nickel Sulfide as a Platinum-Free Electrocatalyst for Overall Water Splitting in Basic Medium

The influence of nanostructure and electrolyte concentration on the performance of nickel sulfide (Ni3S2) catalyst for electrochemical overall water splitting

Developing non-precious nanostructured electrocatalysts, exhibiting high catalytic activity in combination with excellent stability, has an enormous potential to replace noble-metal-based catalysts for Hydrogen production through electrochemical water splitting. In this study, a facile method is used for the synthesis of three different hierarchical nanostructures of nickel sulfide (Ni3S2) including nanosheets, nanorods, and multiconnected nanorods that are directly grown on 3D nickel foam (NF). These nanostructured electrocatalysts are evaluated for electrochemical water splitting in alkaline media using four different concentrations to understand the effect of nanostructure and ion concentration on the efficiency. Among different combinations of structure and electrolyte concentration, the Ni3S2 in the form of nanosheets exhibited the best electrocatalytic performance for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) as well as oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in 3.0 M alkaline solution. The hierarchical Ni3S2 nanosheets exhibited a high electrochemically active surface area, which facilitated the charge transport phenomenon along the electrode–electrolyte interface in a higher electrolyte concentration that improved the reaction kinetics so as overall water splitting. The developed Ni3S2 nanosheets required an overpotential of 110 mV (@10 mA cm−2) and 211 mV (@100 mA cm−2) for HER and OER, respectively in 3.0 M electrolyte concentration. This work provides insight into how the materials’ nanostructures and electrolyte concentration could be utilized to improve the electrocatalytic performance for an overall water-splitting process, and the concept could be applied for material designing and conditions optimization for other catalytic applications.

NixSy/N, S-codoped carbon (NSC) hollow microspheres derived from a novel metal organic porous polymer for high performance lithium ion batteries

Addressing the challenges of volume expansion and polysulfide dissolution in transition metal sulfide (MxSy) anodes during the cycling process of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is crucial for their practical application. This work utilizes a novel organic ligand containing a thiol group, 5-mercapto-1-phenyl-1H-tetrazole (PTA), to design a series of metal-organic porous polymers, which are then derivatized into N, S co-doped MxSy@carbon encapsing materials. The PTA organic ligand not only serves as a dopants source of N and S but also undergoes in-situ sulfurization with metal to form MxSy nanoparticles coated with carbon. Particularly, the derived NixSy@carbon hollow microspheres feature a unique hollow spherical carbon structure that not only mitigates the volume expansion of nickel sulfide but also shortens the ion diffusion distance while providing a significant number of active sites in LIBs. The research also revealed that variations in crystal structures caused by temperature have a profound influence on the Li+ storage capabilities of the LIBs. When evaluated as anode materials for LIBs, the NiS1.03@NSC600 demonstrates excellent reversible specific capacity and good long-life cycling stability. After 700 charge/discharge cycles, the NiS1.03@NSC600 anode maintains a reversible specific capacity of 480.4 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1. In addition, we also evaluated CuxSy@NSC and CoxSy@NSC as anode materials, both of which demonstrated excellent electrochemical performance.

Conductive nitrogen-doped carbon armored MOF-derived Fe doped nickel sulfide for efficient oxygen evolution reaction

Developing clean energy sources is vital amid the global energy crisis. Hydrogen, emerging as a sustainable energy vector via water electrolysis, mandates adept catalysts owing to the sluggish electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics. This work provides a three-step synthesis of Fe-doped NiS2 catalyst from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). By encapsulating with nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) armor derived from polypyrrole (PPy) through thermal annealing, a novel Fe–NiS2@NC catalyst is achieved for improving the OER performance. The Fe–NiS2@NC demonstrates outstanding prowess, achieves a current density of 10 mA cm−2 with an overpotential as modest as 255 mV, accompanied with a Tafel slope of only 77 mV dec−1. Furthermore, it maintains operational stability for over 40 h under demanding conditions of 50 mA cm−2, displaying an impressive durability compared to the pure NiS2 catalyst. This work combines Fe-doping in NiS2 and PPy-derived NC encapsulation, achieving a dual enhancement of activity and stability of the catalyst. And this strategy also offers a feasible pathway to simultaneously boost the activity and stability in OER electrocatalysts, significantly contributing to clean energy solutions and providing ideas for future research.

NiS/Ni3S4 decorated double-layered hollow carbon spheres for efficient electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction and supercapacitor

NiS/Ni3S4 anchored on the double-layer hollow carbon spheres (DLHCs@NixSy) were rationally conceived and synthesized via calcination and hydrothermal process. A series of characterization results confirmed nickel sulfide consisted of NiS and Ni2S3 phases formed. Double-layer hollow carbon spheres as substrates with good electrical conductivity, high specific surface area and hollow structure, not only serve as the active sites for nickel sulfide targeting and electron conduction, but also adapt to the volume change on cycling. Sample DLHCs@NixSy-1:2 prepared using optimized conditions exhibited enhanced electrochemical performance and energy storage in electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution and supercapacitor, respectively. The hybrid nanostructure just needed to afford the potential of 263 mV to reach the current density of 10 mA cm−2 without IR correction and delivered a high specific capacitance of 1160 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1. Encouragingly, the asymmetric supercapacitor device created using DLHCs@NixSy-1:2 and active carbon exhibited a high energy density of 40 Wh/kg at 375 W/kg within the voltage window of 0–1.5 V. Furthermore, the device revealed preeminent cycling performance with a retention rate of 70 % after 2000 cycles at 4 A g−1. This result provided a reference for the synthesis of dual-functional materials with low cost and high efficiency.

A Self-Supporting Electrode Material (NiS/NF) as a Stable and Efficient Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Evolution: In Situ Surface Activation of Nickel Sulfide to Nickel Oxide/(Oxy)hydroxide

A Self-Supporting Electrode Material (NiS/NF) as a Stable and Efficient Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Evolution: <i>In Situ</i> Surface Activation of Nickel Sulfide to Nickel Oxide/(Oxy)hydroxide

Nanocosmos of catalysis: a voyage through synthesis, properties, and enhanced photocatalytic degradation in nickel sulfide nanocomposites.

Nanomaterials play a decisive role in environmental applications such as water purification, pollutant monitoring, and advanced oxidation-based remediation processes, particularly in semiconductor and metal sulfide-based photocatalysis. Metal sulfides are ideal for photocatalysis because of their unique optical, structural, and electronic characteristics. These properties enable the effective use of solar energy to drive various catalytic reactions with potential uses in environmental remediation with sustainable energy production. Among them, nickel sulfides (NiS) stand out for their narrow band gaps, high stability, and cost-effectiveness. This review thoroughly analyzes recent advancements in employing nickel-sulfide-based nanostructures for water decontamination. It begins by addressing environmental material needs and emphasizing the properties of nickel sulfide. To improve photocatalytic performance, controlled processes that affect the active structure, shape, composition, and size of nickel sulfide photocatalysts are examined, along with their synthesis methods. The heart of the review article is a detailed analysis of the modification of NiS through metal and non-metal doping, heterojunction, and nanocomposite formation for enhanced photocatalytic performance. The discussion also includes metal-modified nanostructures, metal oxides, and carbon-hybridized nanocomposites. This study underscores notable advancements in the degradation efficiency of NiS photocatalysts, rivaling their costly noble-metal counterparts. The analysis concludes with potential future directions for nickel sulfide-based photocatalysts in sustainable environmental remediation.

Electrochemical behavior of carbon/nickel sulfide nanocomposite thin films for advanced energy applications

The present study focuses on the hydrothermal synthesis of nickel sulfide (NiS) stabilized on carbon nanospheres (CNSs) with varying concentrations of CNSs. The samples were annealed to study the effect on their structural, chemical, and optical properties. Various characterizations were performed to confirm the presence of NiS nanocomposites, to study the annealing effects, and to examine how the increased amount of carbon nanospheres affects the sample properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed the formation of multiple-phase C/NiS2/NiSO4·6(H2O) nanocomposites, which were observed to be forming CNSs/NiS nanocomposites after annealing, indicating the removal of sulfate impurity. Significant variations in the bandgap and absorption spectra were observed due to the varying concentration of CNSs from 0.3 g to 0.7 g. Morphological study through field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) showed the formation of nanosheets of NiS2/NiSO4·6(H2O) over carbon nanospheres, which was reduced to NiS after annealing. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images of annealed samples showed the formation of CNSs/NiS nanocomposites. Electrochemical studies conducted through cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed diffusion-controlled behavior in all samples, rendering samples ideal for solar cell applications with the value of Warburg impedance 116.4 Ohm(s)1/2 for CNS1. Overall, the characterization results provide valuable insights into the properties and behavior of the synthesized nanocomposites.

Ruthenium-infused nickel sulphide propelling hydrogen generation via synergistic water dissociation and Volmer step promotion.

The inclusion of ruthenium (Ru) to decorate nickel sulphide (Ru@NiS/Ni foam) resulted in a highly efficient electrocatalyst for the alkaline HER by enhancing water dissociation at the interface and reducing the energy barrier of the Volmer step. This strategic fusion significantly boosts the catalyst's performance in facilitating hydrogen production.

Crystalline/amorphous nickel sulfide interface for high current density in alkaline HER: surface and volume confinement matters!

In this work, we demonstrate an interface on porous nickel foam (NN) between crystalline nickel sulfide and amorphous nickel sulfide (NNS/NNSx) adapting simple hydrothermal and facile electrodeposition processes, respectively. The developed electrocatalyst required a low overpotential of 15 mV to deliver a current density of 10 mA cm-2 and the interface intrinsically activates the electrocatalyst with an onset overpotential comparable to that of Pt in an alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction.

Synergistic interfacial electronic modulation of topotactically developed bimetallic CoNiP on NiS nanorods for enhanced alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction.

Designing hybrid transition metal phosphosulfide electrocatalysts is critical for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). We propose a novel approach by designing a hierarchical structure of cobalt phosphide (CoP) and nickel phosphide (Ni8P3) nanoparticles topotactically developed on nickel sulfide (Ni3S2) nanorods (CoNiP/NiS) via a sulfuration-phosphorization strategy using conductive 3D nickel foam. Hierarchical heterostructured nanorods were achieved without the need for template removal steps or the assistance of surfactants. This not only simplifies the process but also improves the exposure of active sites for catalytic purposes. Furthermore, the theoretical calculation results revealed that the high H* adsorption-free energy for CoP and Ni8P3 phases significantly decreases upon coupling with Ni3S2, which indicates that the interfacial electronic interaction synergistically modulates both CoP and Ni8P3 (CoNiP) at the coupled interfaces and facilitates the adsorption and desorption of H* intermediates during the HER process. The resulting electrode exhibits excellent performance in the HER catalytic process and shows great performance for further exploration in the urea oxidation reaction (UOR). Our work provides a stepping stone toward rational topotactic transformation of active materials on porous substrates, using electronic structure regulation and heterointerfaces to produce promising electrocatalysts for sustainable, large-scale hydrogen production from water electrolysis.

Acid- and alkaline-induced phase and structure reconstruction of nickel sulfide toward enhanced electrochemical performance

Nickel sulfides prepared using conventional methods usually exhibit bulk structure and multiple phases, which pose great challenges for controllably synthesizing designer particles with high performance.

Iron-doped nickel sulfide nanospheres anchored on reduced graphene oxide for high performance supercapacitors

Fe doping in the NiS lattice leads to an increase in the density of states near the Fermi level and thus to improved charge storage.