Influence of electrodeposition temperature in the electrochemical properties of Ni(OH)2: An experimental and theoretical study

Highlights: • For the first time low temperatures influence on the electrochemical properties is studied. • DFT method was used to calculate the crystalline structures and lattice strain. • Films obtained at lower temperature show a high capacitance value. -- Abstract: In the present work, electrodeposition different temperatures are employed to obtain nickel hydroxide films on titanium substrate. The influence of this parameter on the electrochemical properties of the material is studied. The films are morphologically and structurally characterized using techniques of X-Ray Diffraction and Scanning Electronic Microscopy. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations are performed to study the effect of strain applied along the Ni(OH)₂ unit cell and electron density maps are performed to relate with electrochemical properties. For the electrochemical characterization are used cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge- discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. The films deposited at 10 °C, development a structure which favors the charge storage, both in those more accessible surfaces, and in those of more difficult access, by electrolyte ions. This fact is in correspondence with the DFT results for this temperature that suggests an improvement in the material electrochemical properties, showing a high capacitance value (2549 F g¹).