Nanostructured polycrystalline Ni 3 S 2 as electrode material for lithium ion batteries

• Published in: Materials research express Vol. 7; no. 1; p. 15517
• Main Authors: Khan, I A, Medwal, R, Fareed, S, Farid, A, Vas, J V, Reddy, M V, Rawat, R S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-01-2020
• ISSN: 2053-1591; 2053-1591
• DOI: 10.1088/2053-1591/ab676f

Abstract
We report the facile synthesis of nanostructured polycrystalline nickel sulphide (NP-Ni
3
S
2
) on Ni foil at 750 and 800 °C by employing powder vapor transport technique. X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD) confirms the formation of polycrystalline Ni
3
S
2
phase with rhombohedral structure. Raman spectroscopy and x-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS) further confirms the formation of Ni
3
S
2
phase. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals the formation of flower shaped nanostructures of NP-Ni
3
S
2
material. As an electrode material of Li
+
batteries, the initial discharge capacities for NP-Ni
3
S
2
materials deposited at 750 and 800 °C are found to be ∼2649 mAh g
−1
and ∼1347 mAh g
−1
, respectively with initial capacity loss of ∼1067 mAh g
−1
and ∼363 mAh g
−1
after first cycle and capacities of ∼931 mAh g
−1
and ∼818 mAh g
−1
after 30 cycles for a current density of 60 mA g
−1
. An excellent capacity retention for NP-Ni
3
S
2
material synthesized at 800 °C is due to its larger surface area and shorter diffusion length for mass and charge transport brought about by the flower-like porous nanostructures showing that the NP-Ni
3
S
2
material synthesized at higher temperatures is more suitable as electrode material for Li
+
batteries.