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Frontiers of Materials Science

ISSN 2095-025X

ISSN 2095-0268(Online)

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Front. Mater. Sci.    2020, Vol. 14 Issue (2) : 120-132    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11706-020-0499-3
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Facile solvothermal synthesis of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles for high-performance supercapacitor applications
Meenaketan SETHI1, U. Sandhya SHENOY2, Selvakumar MUTHU3, D. Krishna BHAT1()
1. Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, Mangalore-575025, India
2. Department of Chemistry, College of Engineering and Technology, Srinivas University, Mukka-574146, Karnataka, India
3. Department of Chemistry, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal-576104, Karnataka, India
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Abstract

We report a green and facile approach for the synthesis of NiFe2O4 (NF) nanoparticles with good crystallinity. The prepared materials are studied by various techniques in order to know their phase structure, crystallinity, morphology and elemental state. The BET analysis revealed a high surface area of 80.0 m2·g−1 for NF possessing a high pore volume of 0.54 cm3·g−1, also contributing to the amelioration of the electrochemical performance. The NF sample is studied for its application in supercapacitors in an aqueous 2 mol·L−1 KOH electrolyte. Electrochemical properties are studied both in the three-electrode method and in a symmetrical supercapacitor cell. Results show a high specific capacitance of 478.0 F·g−1 from the CV curve at an applied scan rate of 5 mV·s−1 and 368.0 F·g−1 from the GCD analysis at a current density of 1 A·g−1 for the NF electrode. Further, the material exhibited an 88% retention of its specific capacitance after continuous 10000 cycles at a higher applied current density of 8 A·g−1. These encouraging properties of NF nanoparticles suggest the practical applicability in high-performance supercapacitors.
Keywords NiFe2O4      nanoparticle      solvothermal method      BET surface area      specific capacitance      supercapacitor     
Corresponding Author(s): D. Krishna BHAT   
Online First Date: 06 May 2020    Issue Date: 27 May 2020
 Cite this article:   
Meenaketan SETHI,U. Sandhya SHENOY,Selvakumar MUTHU, et al. Facile solvothermal synthesis of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles for high-performance supercapacitor applications[J]. Front. Mater. Sci., 2020, 14(2): 120-132.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/foms/EN/10.1007/s11706-020-0499-3
https://academic.hep.com.cn/foms/EN/Y2020/V14/I2/120
Fig.1  (a) XRD pattern of NF with the standard data. (b) Raman spectrum of NF nanoparticles.
Fig.2  (a) FESEM image, (b) EDX data (inset shows the elemental composition), (c) low magnification TEM image, (d) high magnification TEM image, (e) HRTEM image with the measured interplanar distance matching with (4 2 2) and (3 1 1) crystal planes and (f) SAED pattern of NF nanoparticles.
Fig.3  The BET surface area plot of NF (inset showing the BJH plot).
Fig.4  The crystal structure of NF (Ni, Fe and O are represented by green, red and blue spheres, respectively).
Fig.5  (a) Electronic structure and (b) pDOS of NF. (c) DOS and (d) electrical conductivity (σ/τ) as a function of chemical potential (μ) and temperature.
Fig.6  Electrochemical analysis of NF in a three-electrode system: (a) CV curves; (b) GCD curves; (c) Nyquist plot (inset showing high-frequency region and fitted equivalent circuit) and (d) cyclic stability data of NF for 10000 discharge cycles at a constant current density of 8 A·g−1 in 2 mol·L−1 KOH electrolyte (inset showing the first 10 cycles).
Electrode material Specific capacitance @scan rate Specific capacitance (@current density) Electrolyte Cyclic stability Refs.
NF nanoparticles 478 F·g−1@5 mV·s−1 368 F·g−1@1 A·g−1 2 mol·L−1 KOH 88% after 10000 cycles@8 A·g−1 this work
NF nanoassemblies 109.2 F·g−1@2 mV·s−1 – 3 mol·L−1 KOH >90% after 1000 cycles@10 mV·s−1 [8]
NF nanoparticles – 174 F·g−1@1 A·g-1 1 mol·L−1 KOH 130% after 2000 cycles@1 A·g−1 [10]
NF nanoflowers – 435 F·g−1@5 mA·cm−2 6 mol·L−1 KOH 80% after 7000 cycles [11]
NF nanocrystals – 562 F·g−1 2 mol·L−1 KOH 84% after 1000 cycles@4 A·g−1 [12]
NF nanoparticles 97.5 F·g−1@2 mV·s−1 – 0.1 mol·L−1 NaCl 100% after 100 cycles@5 mV·s−1 [14]
NF nanocubes – 325 F·g−1@3 A·g−1 1 mol·L−1 KNO3 78.9% after 10000 cycles@3 A·g−1 [34]
Tab.1  Comparison of electrochemical properties of NF nanoparticles from this work with other reported NF nanostructures and graphene/NiFe2O4 composites in the three-electrode set-up [8,10–12,14,34]
Fig.7  TEM image of NF nanoparticles after 10000 cycles.
Fig.8  Electrochemical analysis of the fabricated supercapacitor device: (a) CV curves; (b) GCD curves; (c) Nyquist plot; (d) cyclic stability study for 10000 discharge cycles at a constant current density of 8 A·g−1 in 2 mol·L−1 KOH electrolyte (inset showing first 20 cycles with good charge–discharge behaviour).
Fig.9  Comparison of calculated values: (a) specific capacitance, (b) energy density and (c) power density values of the three-electrode system; (d) specific capacitance, (e) energy density and (f) power density values of the symmetrical supercapacitor from GCD curves.
Electrode material Specific capacitance @scan rate Specific capacitance @current density Electrolyte Cyclic stability Refs.
NF nanoparticles symmetric device 89 F·g−1@2 mV·s−1 64 F·g−1@0.5 A·g−1 2 mol·L−1 KOH 81% after 10000 cycles@8 A·g−1 this work
NF nanosheet – 236 F·g−1@2 mA·cm−2 PVA-KOH 98% after 7000 cycles [11]
NiFe2O4@rGO – 139 F·g−1@0.5 A·g−1 1 mol·L−1 KNO3 92.5% after 6000 cycles@3 A·g−1 [34]
NiFe2O4@rGO hybrid 210.9 F·g−1@0.5 A·g−1 1 mol·L−1 Na2SO4 94.2% after 5000 cycles@10 A·g−1 [35]
NiFe2O4@NiFe2O4//AC asymmetric device – – 2 mol·L−1 KOH 95.3% after 3000 cycles@10 mA·cm−2 [36]
1D NiFe2O4/graphene composite symmetric device – 138 F·g−1@0.1 A·g−1 6 mol·L−1 KOH 40% after 10000 cycles@1 A·g−1 [37]
Tab.2  Comparison of electrochemical properties of NF supercapacitor device of the present work with that reported in the literature [11,34–37]
Fig.10  Admittance plots for NF (a) single electrode and (b) supercapacitor device.
Fig.11  Graphical determination of capacitance contribution of NF in (a) the three-electrode system and (b) the fabricated supercapacitor device.
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