Microwave-assisted synthesis of porous nickel cobaltite with different morphologies in ionic liquid and their application in supercapacitors

A facile and one-step strategy was used to synthesize one-dimensional (1D) and 2D mesoporous nickel cobaltite (NiCo₂O₄) rods and sheets, which are conducted in a mixture of ionic liquid and water under microwave irradiation. The as-prepared product electrode exhibited high specific capacitance (879 F g⁻¹ at 0.5 A g⁻¹) and excellent cycling stability (only ca. 4.7% loss after 1500 cycles), suggesting its promising application as an efficient electrode material for supercapacitors. The high performance capacitance is mainly attributed to its binary electroactive surface area of Co and Ni species, and its fast electron and ion transport of the mesoporous structure. - Highlights: • NiCo₂O₄ nanostructures were efficiently prepared in ionic liquid under microwave irradiation. • The as-prepared electrode exhibited high specific capacitance and excellent cycling stability. • The method reported here is a green and fast route suitable for synthesis of nanomaterials.