Vertical-aligned Ni/NiO core–shell nanotube arrays with high performance for pseudocapacitance and lithium ion storage

• Published in: Journal of materials science. Materials in electronics 2021-11, Vol.32 (22), p.26812-26820
• Main Authors: Xiao, Shanshan, Zhou, Xianggang, Chen, Yue, Hou, Wanjun, Li, Yingqi, Wang, Liyan, Gai, Guangqing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arrays; Capacitance; Carbonaceous materials; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Energy storage; Ion currents; Ion storage; Lithium; Lithium-ion batteries; Materials Science; Metal foils; Nanotubes; Nickel oxides; Optical and Electronic Materials; Rechargeable batteries; Substrates; Supercapacitors; Transition metal oxides
• ISSN: 0957-4522; 1573-482X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10854-021-07058-z

Transition metal oxides show attractive application prospects as pseudo-active materials in electrochemical energy storage areas in virtue of the higher theoretical capacity/capacitance than that of carbonaceous materials. However, their widespread application is dramatically plagued by the intrinsic poor electronic/ionic conductivity and the complicated fabrication process of common heterogeneous electrodes. Herein, 3D Ni/NiO core–shell nanotube arrays are seamlessly and vertically aligned on Ni foil substrate as a binder-free electrode for supercapacitor and lithium ion battery applications. Benefiting from the structural merits and enhanced electronic/ionic conductivity, the assembled supercapacitor reveals high specific capacitance of ~ 1426 F g − 1 and retains ~ 97.6% of the initial capacitance after 20,000 cycles at a current density of 71.4 A g − 1 as well as excellent rate capability. Similarly, the hybrid electrode, as anode of lithium ion battery, displays excellent rate capability (reaching ~ 1106 mAh g − 1 at 0.1 C and maintaining 412 mAh g − 1 at 4 C) and outstanding cycling performance (~ 93.3% retention of the initial capacity after a long-term 1000 cycle). The facile and cost-efficient strategy can be applied to large-scale manufacturing and extended to other metallic materials.