Electrochemical Characterization of MWCNTs/Ni(OH)2 Composites as Cathode Materials

ELIDA BEATRIZ CASTRO; SILVIA GRACIELA REAL; MARIELA GISELA ORTIZ

JOURNAL OF SOLID STATE ELECTROCHEMISTRY (PRINT)

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2016 vol. 20 p. 1029 - 1036

1432-8488

The hydrothermal method was used to synthesize multi-walled carbon nanotube/nickel hydroxide composites (MWCNT/Ni(OH)2). The structure and morphology of the prepared materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The electrochemical performance of cathodes prepared with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) loaded into the β-nickel hydroxide materials was investigated employing cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic measurements. It is shown that the cathode active material utilization increases for MWCNT/Ni(OH)2 obtained after 24 h of hydrothermal synthesis. These composites exhibit a fairly good electrochemical performance as cathode materials. Based on the results, this fact could be associated with the formation of a continuous conductive network structure in the hydroxide matrix. The analyses of impedance data, according to a physicochemical model, allow the improvement of a better understanding of the main structural and physicochemical parameters that control the electrochemical performance of these systems.