Morphology induced symmetrical supercapacitive performance of the 3D interconnected Ni(OH)2 framework

The rational design of electrode materials for energy storage applications is a key element of resolving the energy crisis. Herein, nickel hydroxide (NHO) nanostructures with different morphologies, such as platelet (Platelets-NHO), three-dimensional flower (3DF-NHO), and flake-like (Flakes-NHO) morphologies, were synthesized using different solvents inside the hydrothermal reactor during the reaction process. The fabricated electrode materials of the NHO nanostructure were further characterized using different types of microscopic and spectroscopic techniques, and their electrochemical performance was further studied in a three-electrode assembly cell to explore the morphological effect on the supercapacitive performance. The 3DF-NHO displayed a significantly enhanced capacitance value (1112.5 F g−1) than Platelets-NHO (820.0 F g−1) and Flakes-NHO (850.0 F g−1) at the same current load (1 A g−1). The electrochemical supercapacitive performance of 3DF-NHO, Platelet-NHO, and Flakes-NHO revealed that the morphology played an important role in enhancing the electrode chemical performance of the electrode material. The symmetric assembly cell of 3DF-NHO was also assembled, and cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD), and cyclic stability tests were recorded, revealing excellent performance for potential applications in the field of energy storage devices. Among the materials, the excellent performance of 3DF-NHO is credited to the three-dimensional structures and interconnected petals, which provide a better surface and suitable space for the electrolytes during the electrochemical reaction. These results suggest that the rational design of the electrode material using an appropriate solvent could help to fabricate a large number of different morphologies of NHO, which may be a potential candidate for energy storage electrode materials.