The laterite deposit in the Bavanat area of Fars province is promising for NICKEL metal extraction. The ore is an oxide type and in this research, microbial leaching experiments were done using common bacteria (Thiobacillus) for NICKEL sulfide ores. Characterization of the sample showed that the NICKEL grade was about 1.14%, which was dispersed in the matrix of iron ores. In the microbial leaching process, primary experiments were carried out with a 9K culture medium that did not have favorable results. New experiments were carried out with the addition of required materials such as sulfur to culture media. Primary experiments with this culture media showed that after 20 days, 21% of the NICKEL in the ore sample was extracted. The effective parameters on microbial leaching include microbial leaching time, sulfur content added to the culture media, and mineral content that were optimized by this method. Optimal values for the above parameters were 10 days, 10%, and 10 g, respectively. The maximum amount of NICKEL extraction in optimum conditions reached 65%. After this step, iron impurities were removed from the solution of microbial leaching using a combination of precipitation (with sodium hydroxide) and solvent extraction method. Finally, the solution was subjected to solvent extraction which used a selective NICKEL organic solvent (Cyanex 301 is a highly selective solvent for a NICKEL) and a pure NICKEL solution with 112 ppm was obtained.

Nanostructured NICKEL molybdate (NiMoO4), used as a supercapacitor electroactive material, was grown through a two-step process including cathodic galvanostatic electrochemical deposition on a NICKEL foam (NF) current collector followed by calcination heat treatment. The structure and surface morphology of the resulting NICKEL molybdate electrode were evaluated using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), nitrogen adsorption and desorption measurements, and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). Additionally, the supercapacitor performance of the NICKEL molybdate electrode was investigated using Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), Galvanostatic Charge-Discharge (GCD), Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), and cycle stability measurements. In summary, the prepared binder-free NICKEL molybdate electrode demonstrated good electrochemical performance, including a high specific capacitance of 676 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1, high rate capability (45% capacity retention with a 10-fold increase in the discharge current rate), and excellent cyclic stability (89.1% capacity retention after 2000 cycles at 5 A g-1).

This paper investigates the applicability of NICKEL-NICKEL oxide metallic foams as current collector for supercapacitor. A simple galvanic displacement reaction was employed to fabricate dendritic Cu dealloyed nanoporous Ni-NiO foam. A comprehensive characterization of foams is presented and includes the analysis of their structural, chemical, and electrochemical properties. The process is studied under well-defined experimental conditions using XRD, SEM, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and galvanostatic charge and discharge (GCD). XRD results confirm the presence of NICKEL and NICKEL oxide phases. Also, in the SEM test, porosities were observed in the range of micro and dendrites in the nanoscale. The outcome of these experiments demonstrates that the Ni-NiO foam has a higher specific capacitance. The best specific capacitance for Ni-NiO foam was calculated 924 F/g at 1A/g. Ni-NiO foam maintains 81. 8% of its specific capacitance at a current density of 20 A/g and after 3000 cycles. The created foam electrode can be used as a current collector for the deposition of subsequent layers and is a candidate for use in supercapacitors.