Etching-induced ion exchange engineering of two-dimensional layered NiFeCo-based hydroxides for high energy charge storage

Abstract

Efficient and rapid synthesis of transition metal-based hydroxides with tailored microstructures has emerged as a promising approach to fabricate high-performance electrode materials for energy storage devices. However, many conventional synthesis methods are cumbersome, expensive and time-consuming, and the microstructures of electrode materials are usually uncontrollable. Herein, we propose a fast and cost-effective approach to electrochemically in situ grow NiFeCo-based ternary hydroxides (NiFeCo-THs) with layered nanosheet structures on pretreated nickel foam (NF). The in situ grown NiFeCo-THs were in direct contact with the NF to form a monolithic electrode as NiFeCo/NF. By engineering the ion exchange process for controlling the ionic ratio, the monolithic Ni₁(Fe/Co = 1/1)_0.5/NF electrode was fabricated and found to show the optimum electrochemical behavior with a specific capacitance of 2.32 C cm⁻² at 2 mA cm⁻² as a result of its characteristic microstructures. Furthermore, a hybrid supercapacitor was constructed utilizing the monolithic Ni₁(Fe/Co = 1/1)_0.5/NF electrode and activated carbon as the cathode and anode, respectively, and it was found to have an energy density of 81.1 μW h cm⁻² at a power density of 808.8 μW cm⁻². After 5000 cycles, 84.0% of the initial capacitance of the hybrid supercapacitor was maintained, and the monolithic Ni₁(Fe/Co = 1/1)_0.5/NF electrode still retained the arrayed nanosheet structure.