Abstract:
A novel NiO nanoparticle decorated MoS2 nanoflower (MoS2/NiO) has been synthesized in this study. A facile hydrothermal method was followed to fabricate the nanomaterials and nanocomposites using different concentrations of NiO (0% , 2% , 5% , 8%, and 12wt%). The images from the FESEM investigation illustrate that MoS2 and MoS2/NiO have a three-dimensional structure that resembles a flower. The different structural parameters of the nanomaterials were estimated using XRD. The Rietveld refinement analysis of the XRD patterns confirmed the phase purity of MoS2/NiO. The Raman spectroscopy of MoS2/NiO nanoflowers revealed a distinct low-shift of the first-order Raman peaks, attributed to the incorporation of NiO, which indicates n-type doping. UV-Vis spectroscopy revealed a change in the optical bandgap from 1.59 eV to 1.30 eV as a result of NiO nanoparticle introduction. The electrochemical properties of the nanocomposite was found to be improved due to the incorporation of the NiO nanoparticle into it. TheMoS2/12wt% NiOprovides a specific capacitance of 154.45 Fg-1 at 18.75 mAg-1 current density, along with a high energy density and superior cyclic stability (capacitance retention of 85% even after 10000 charging/discharging cycles). This improved electrochemical performance of MoS2/NiO can be attributed to the increased surface area, defect-rich structure, and decreased charge transfer resistancethat occurred due to the decoration of NiOnanoparticles. The nanostructured MoS2/NiO with enhanced specific capacitance and greater stability, synthesized using a straightforward and low-cost method, will pave the way to produce efficient, environmentally benign, and cost-effective energy storage devices.