Hierarchical NiO moss decorated diatomites via facile and templated method for high performance supercapacitors

The hierarchically porous NiO-modified diatomite structures are prepared for the first time by a one-pot hydrothermal method, which possess a moss-like structure assembled from NiO nanofibres arrays. Furthermore, the electrochemical properties of the NiO-modified diatomite electrodes are elucidated by cyclic voltammograms, galvanostatic charge/discharge tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in 1 M KOH electrolyte. The electrochemical results demonstrate that this unique NiO-modified diatomite structures exhibit a specific capacitance of 218.7 F g(-1) and excellent cycling stability (90.61% retention after 1000 cycles). Such high-performance capacitive behavior indicates that the low-cost NiO-modified diatomite structures are promising electrode materials for the fabrication of supercapacitors. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.