Building an interpenetrating network of Ni(OH)₂/reduced graphene oxide composite by a sol–gel method

Herein, a facile sol–gel strategy for building the ordered interpenetrating network of Ni(OH)₂ and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was proposed. In this strategy, rGO nanosheets were homogeneously fixed inside composite utilizing the pores of Ni(OH)₂ gel as template, forming rGO-interpenetrated gel network. It was found that the rGO nanosheets could effectively reduce the internal resistant of composites and provide mechanical support for the gel network of Ni(OH)₂. Therefore, the composite presented high electrochemical performance, especially high-rate performance, due to the interpenetrating of rGO nanosheets plus the supplementary role of acetylene black. It had high specific capacitance of 2163 F g⁻¹ at low current density of 2.9 A g⁻¹ and 733 F g⁻¹ at high current density of 86.8 A g⁻¹.