Surface modification of perovskite-type oxide LaFeO3 with electroless nickel deposition for application in MH-Ni batteries

In this study, the perovskite-type oxide LaFeO3 is treated by electroless Ni deposition with different reaction time and the electrochemical properties of the resulting material are investigated as the anode for MH-Ni batteries. XRD, SEM, and TEM measurements reveal a uniform deposition of crystalline nickel on the oxide surface and a clear increase in the amount of Ni coating with the deposition time. The electrochemical analysis shows that the electroless deposition can significantly improve the maximum discharge capacity of the battery. Furthermore, the coated electrodes exhibit excellent activation performance and superior cyclic stability. With the increase in the reaction temperature, improvements in the discharge ability, exchange current density, and diffusing coefficient of hydrogen are also observed.