High capacitive amorphous barium nickel phosphate nanofibers for electrochemical energy storage

Ultrafine amorphous BaxNi3-x(PO4)(2) (0 < x < 3) nanofibers are synthesized for the first time through a facile cation exchange reaction method at room temperature. Both the phase transformation and growing process of the nanofibers are systematically investigated. A dramatic morphology transformation from Ba-3(PO4)(2) flakes to BaxNi3-x(PO4)(2) nanofibers with the addition of Ni2+ ions is observed. The as-prepared nanofiber material shows a diameter less than 10 nanometers and length of several micrometers. The material possesses a BET surface area of 64.8 m(2) g(-1). When it is used as a supercapacitor electrode material, specific capacitances as high as 1058 F g(-1) at 0.5 A g(-1) and 713 F g(-1) at 5 A g(-1) are achieved, indicating the promising energy storage property of this material.