Investigations on ternary transition metal ferrite: NiCoFe2O4 as potential electrode for supercapacitor prepared by microwave irradiation method

Ternary transition metal ferrite (NiCoFe2O4) has been successfully produced by a facile microwave-assisted method as an electrode material for supercapacitor applications. The structural single-phase nature is analysed by XRD pattern reveals the material belongs to cubic spinel structure with space group Fd (3) over barm. In addition, Rietveld refinement is used to confirm the structure from the powder X-ray diffraction data. The maximum entropy method also has been applied to find the electronic charge density that exists around the cation and anion sites in the compound. The UV spectral studies show the prepared nanomaterials have band gap of 1.43 eV and the magnetic studies confirm a ferromagnetic type with magnetization value of 0.615 emu g(-1) and coercivity as 920.38 Oe. Using a three-electrode system, the electrochemical performance of the prepared nanomaterial is assessed by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and galvanostatic process in 3 M KOH electrolyte. The highest specific capacitance value of 314.97 F g(-1) is observed at the scan rate of 5 mV s(-1). The maximum energy density and power density values are 3.826 Wh Kg(-1) and 1249.326 W Kg(-1) respectively. It also has good retention of 93.65% for 5000 cycles at a current density 3 A g(-1). Furthermore, an asymmetric supercapacitor device is fabricated which exhibits very high energy and power density of 6.4 Wh Kg(-1) and 1904.7 W Kg(-1) at a current density 10 A g(-1).

Automated summary

Ternary transition metal ferrite (NiCoFe2O4) was successfully synthesized using a microwave-assisted method as an electrode material for supercapacitor applications. Structural analysis confirmed the material's cubic spinel structure, and the prepared nanomaterial exhibited excellent electrochemical performance with high specific capacitance and retention rate.