Enhanced electrochemical performance of nickel hydroxide electrode with monolayer hollow spheres composed of nanoflakes

Nickel hydroxide electrodes with hollow spheres were fabricated using a PS (polystyrene) sphere template and electrochemical deposition. The nickel hydroxide grew perpendicular to the electrode substrate during anodic deposition and around the PS spheres during cathodic deposition. After the removal of the PS template, hollow spheres or open hollow spheres were formed via cathodic deposition. The nickel hydroxide electrode with hollow spheres and nanoflakes showed greatly enhanced electrochemical performance in alkaline solution compared with the bare nickel hydroxide electrode. The opening of the hollow spheres facilitated easy electrolyte transport to the reaction sites and led to a further increase in the specific capacitance of the nickel hydroxide electrode. The specific capacitance of the electrode with the open hollow spheres reached 800 F g−1, which was much higher than that of the bare electrode (224 F g−1) and the hollow-sphere electrode (342 F g−1) at a discharge current density of 10 A g−1.

► The nickel hydroxide electrode with open hollow spheres was fabricated.
► Polarity of deposition potential dominates the morphological evolution of Ni(OH)2.
► The Ni(OH)2 electrode with hollow spheres exhibits enhanced capacitive behavior.
► Opening of hollow spheres facilitates easy electrolyte transport through electrode.