Fabrication of Flexible Nickel Hydroxide Electrode for Nickel–Zinc Battery

Nickel–Zinc (Ni–Zn) batteries are attractive as a potential alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries due to their cost-effectiveness and environmental benefits. This study explores the fabrication of a flexible electrode using nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)₂) that is electrochemically deposited on a Buckypaper and polydimethylsiloxane (BP@PDMS) substrate. The electrodeposition condition is optimized by varying applied current density (− 1, − 1.5, and − 2 mA/cm²), and − 1.5 mA/cm² condition yields the highest specific capacity of 0.2 mAh/cm². According to spectroscopic and optical analyses, when − 1.5 mA/cm² is applied, Ni(OH)₂ is properly deposited on the BP@PDMS electrode, inducing a high specific capacity. Furthermore, Ni(OH)₂/BP@PDMS cathode is compared with (i) Ni foil cathode, and (ii) untreated BP@PDMS cathode to demonstrate its superior redox reaction, capacity, and stability. Despite minor capacity decay of Ni–Zn battery occurring for a long cycle test, the findings suggest that Ni–Zn batteries are suitable for portable electronic devices and offer a promising alternative to existing battery technologies.