Cost-Effective Synthesis of Efficient CoWO4/Ni Nanocomposite Electrode Material for Supercapacitor Applications

Abstract

In the present study, the synthesis of CoWO4 (CWO)–Ni nanocomposites was conducted using a wet chemical method. The crystalline phases and morphologies of the Ni nanoparticles, CWO, and CWO–Ni composites were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX). The electrochemical properties of CWO and CWO–Ni composite electrode materials were assessed by cyclic voltammetry (CV), and galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD) tests using KOH as a supporting electrolyte. Among the CWO–Ni composites containing different amounts of Ni1, Ni2, and Ni3, CWO–Ni3 exhibited the highest specific capacitance of 271 F g−1 at 1 A g−1, which was greater than that of bare CWO (128 F g−1). Moreover, the CWO–Ni3 composite electrode material displayed excellent reversible cyclic stability and maintained 86.4% of its initial capacitance after 1500 discharge cycles. The results obtained herein demonstrate that the prepared CWO–Ni3 nanocomposite is a promising electrode candidate for supercapacitor applications.