High electrochemical performance of nickel cobaltite@biomass carbon composite (NiCoO@BC) derived from the bark of Anacardium occidentale for supercapacitor application

Abstract

Biomass carbon-based materials are highly promising for supercapacitor (SC) electrodes due to their availability, environment-friendliness, and low cost. Herein, an easy energy-saving hydrothermal process was used to produce NiCo₂O₄/NiOOH (NiCoO) composites with biomass carbon (BC) derived from the bark of Anacardium occidentale (AO) at different synthesis time durations (2 h, 4 h, 8 h, 16 h). The structural and morphological properties of the samples were analysed using XRD, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, SEM, TEM and BET, and the results exhibit the presence of carbon inserted into the nickel–cobalt hydroxide matrix. The NiCoO@BC composite synthesized in 4 h (NiCoO@BC(4 h)) displays a good specific capacitance of 475 F g⁻¹ at 0.5 A g⁻¹ and a low equivalent series resistance (ESR) value of 0.36 Ω. It shows a good coulombic efficiency of 98% and retains 86% of the capacitance after 4000 cycles. The asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device (NiCoO@BC(4 h)//AC) assembled using activated carbon (AC) as a negative electrode displays 20 W h kg⁻¹ energy density and 900 W kg⁻¹ power density at 1 A g⁻¹. The stability test shows a good coulombic efficiency of 99% and 78% capacitance retention after 15 000 cycles. These findings imply that NiCoO@BC composites have outstanding electrochemical properties, making them suitable as SC electrode materials.