Facile hydrothermal synthesis of NiTe and its application as positive electrode material for asymmetric supercapacitor

•NiTe rods grow on Ni foam substrate by a hydrothermal route.•NiTe electrode shows a specific capacitance of 804 F g−1 at 1 A g−1.•AC//NiTe asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits energy density of 33.6 Wh kg−1.

Nickel telluride (NiTe) rods are grown on Ni foam substrate by a simple hydrothermal route. The electrochemical properties of NiTe electrode are evaluated by cyclic voltammograms (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD) tests. The prepared NiTe electrode shows a specific capacitance of 804 F g−1 at the current density of 1 A g−1 and remarkable cycling stability. In order to improve the energy density and broaden the potential window, an asymmetric supercapacitor containing NiTe as positive electrode and activated carbon (AC) as negative electrode in 3 M KOH electrolyte is assembled. The fabricated asymmetric supercapacitor can work in the voltage range of 0–1.6 V and displays high energy density of 33.6 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 807.1 W kg−1. Additionally, the AC//NiTe asymmetric supercapacitor shows good rate capability and cyclic durability.