Binder-Free Mesoporous Vanadium Oxide Electrode: Anodic Electrodeposition, Characterization, and Supercapacitor Application

Mesoporous vanadium oxide (V2O5) was galvanostatically electrodeposited into nickel foam to obtain a binder-free electrode with a three-dimensional (3D) porous structure for supercapacitive performance. The anodic electrodeposition process was performed using an aqueous solution of vanadyl sulfate, which was completed by calcination treatment. XRD and FTIR confirmed the formation of the orthorhombic V2O5 structure, also and FESEM and BET analysis revealed the 3D mesoporous structure of the electrode material. The supercapacitive performance of the fabricated electrode was evaluated using CV, GCD, and EIS examinations in lithium perchlorate electrolyte. The charge storage mechanism involved the intercalation/de-intercalation of lithium ions within the electrode structure, resulting in a vanadium valence shift between V4+/V5+. The prepared electrode showed an acceptable capacitance of 496 F g-1 at a rate of 1 A g-1, a suitable rate performance with a capacitance retention of 36.1%, and good cyclability with a capacitance retention of 85.2% after 2000 cycles. The resulting porous structure shortens the diffusion path of electrolyte ions to the active material, while the removal of the insulating binder reduces its the internal resistance, both of which improve the kinetics of electrochemical reactions. These results demonstrate the promise of vanadium oxide as an advanced electrode material for next-generation high-performance energy storage devices.