Nickel cobaltite nanostructures with enhanced supercapacitance activity

Abstract

Herein, we report a strategy for controlled synthesis of functional nanomaterials desired for energy conversion and power storage applications. NiCo₂O₄ nanostructures with square sheets, hexagonal sheets, and spherical form have been synthesized using a solvothermal route by tuning of reaction conditions as well as selection of hydrolyzing agents. The synthesized nanostructures exhibited significant shape dependent electrochemical behavior with improved supercapacitance as well as good electrocatalytic properties toward oxygen evolution reaction. Among all the three morphologies, the square sheets, assembled from nanoparticles ∼5 nm diameter, exhibited higher specific capacitance with good stability. Due to high surface area (∼100 m²/g) and the mesoporous nature of the square sheets, NiCo₂O₄ reveals better pseudocapacitance.