Hydrazine reduction of LaNiO3 for active materials in supercapacitors

To improve the electric conductivity and overall performance of active materials in pseudocapacitors, we have established a novel hydrazine reduction process to transform perovskite oxides into active materials with the desired electrical conductivity and electrochemical behavior. Taking LaNiO3 (LNO) produced from chemical solution as the starting material, different durations of hydrazine reduction (e.g. from 3, 6 to 12 hours) leads to a significant increase in specific capacitance, from similar to 70 F.g(-1) at 1 A.g(-1) (LNO) to similar to 280 F.g(-1) at 1 A.g(-1) (after 12 hours reduction). The desired electrical conductivity of LNO has been retained, as shown by the overall resistance of less than 0.3 Omega in the aqueous electrolyte. The hydrazined LNO demonstrated the desired stability as electrode, where the porous structure provides better accessibility for electrolytes, which is helpful in enhancing the overall electrochemical behaviors.