Hierarchical NiO moss decorated diatomites via facile and templated method for high performance supercapacitors

• Facile synthetic approach: one-step hydrothermal synthesis.
• Novel hierarchical bunsenite–NiO-decorated diatomite.
• High capacitance: 218.7 F g−1.
• Excellent cycling stability: 90.61% retention after 1000 cycles.

The hierarchically porous NiO-modified diatomite structures are prepared for the first time by a one-pot hydrothermal method, which possess a moss-like structure assembled from NiO nanofibres arrays. Furthermore, the electrochemical properties of the NiO-modified diatomite electrodes are elucidated by cyclic voltammograms, galvanostatic charge/discharge tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in 1 M KOH electrolyte. The electrochemical results demonstrate that this unique NiO-modified diatomite structures exhibit a specific capacitance of 218.7 F g−1 and excellent cycling stability (90.61% retention after 1000 cycles). Such high-performance capacitive behavior indicates that the low-cost NiO-modified diatomite structures are promising electrode materials for the fabrication of supercapacitors.