Electrospinning Technique: Continuous nanobelts of nickel oxide–cobalt oxide hybrid with improved capacitive charge storage properties

Midhun Harilal, Syam G. Krishnan, Bincy Lathakumary Vijayan, M. Venkatashamy Reddy, Stefan Adams, Andrew R. Barron, Rajan Jose

This study describes the electrospinning technique of continuous nanobelts with a thickness less than half of the pore width of a material hybrid composed of nickel oxide and cobalt oxide nanograins and their capacitive charge storage capabilities. At the same time, the basic binary metal oxides (NiO and Co3O4) created solid cylindrical nanofibers, and the hybrid and a stoichiometric compound in the Ni-Co-O system, spinel-type NiCo2O4, formed as thin nanobelts as a result of the magnetic interaction between nickel and cobalt ions. The nanobelts had a six-fold greater surface area, broader pores, and outstanding charge storage capacities than cylindrical fibres. Furthermore, the hybrid nanobelts showed high specific capacitance (CS ~ 1250 F g− 1 at 10 A g− 1 in 6 M KOH) with high capacity retention, which is appreciably larger than found for the stoichiometric compound (~ 970 F g− 1 at 10 A g− 1). Additionally, the hybrid nanobelts have lower internal resistance (1.3 Ω), higher diffusion coefficient (4.6 × 10− 13 cm2 s− 1) and smaller relaxation time (0.03 s) than the benchmark materials studied here. The electrospinning technique has enormous potential and future uses in biomedical and engineering domains.

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