Synthesis of NiSe2 Materials Directly on Ni Foam using Microwave-Assisted Technique and Employing as Electrode Material in Supercapacitors

Abstract

As the world’s population grows, the energy crisis is becoming an increasingly severe problem, driving the need for energy storage. This demand is a significant driver for innovation and development in the energy sector. Clean and sustainable energy research focuses on two areas: renewable resources and high-performance energy storage systems. Today’s energy systems provide large amounts of electricity generation, but the desired results cannot be achieved in the energy storage process. There is an urgent need for high-capacity and efficient energy storage devices. Supercapacitors are one of the most promising technologies for energy storage. They have competitive features such as high power density, excellent cycle stability, and short charge/discharge time. This study demonstrates the potential usage of NiSe₂ in supercapacitor applications as cathode material. In an experimentally novel approach, NiSe₂ on nickel foam was synthesized by a fast, simple, and inexpensive microwave-assisted method in the presence of selenium salt. In this route, nickel foam was employed as both nickel source and substrate. Furthermore, the electrochemical properties of the prepared NiSe₂ cathodes were investigated in three electrodes system. As a result, NiSe₂ obtained in 45 minutes delivers a high capacitance of 3.3 F/cm² at a high current density of 5 mA/cm².