3D Nanoflowers of Binary Metal-Selenide for Improved Electrochemical Sensing and High-Energy-Density Energy Storage

Electrochemical sensing and energy storage devices are often hindered by the limited conductivity, low redox activity, and poor cycling stability of traditional electrode materials. To overcome these limitations, we report the design and synthesis of a novel 3D nanoflower-like nickel vanadium selenide (NF-NiVSe) architecture, formed by integrating nickel selenide (NiSe) nanoflakes and vanadium selenide (VSe) nanobelts. The bimetallic integration of Ni and V creates a hierarchically structured material with enhanced surface area, abundant electroactive sites, and efficient electron transport pathways. As an electrochemical sensor, NF-NiVSe demonstrates outstanding performance in detecting the anticancer drug nilutamide (NLT), with a low reduction potential (-0.53 V), high current response (-56.31 µA), and an ultralow detection limit of 0.2 nM, achieving ≈99% recovery in real samples. In supercapacitor applications, NF-NiVSe exhibits a high specific capacitance of 1695 F g⁻¹ at 1.5 A g⁻¹, excellent cycling retention (90% after 10,000 cycles), and 98% Coulombic efficiency. A symmetric NF-NiVSe//NF-NiVSe device achieves an energy density of 85 Wh kg⁻¹ at 1800 W kg⁻¹ and powers an LED, showcasing practical viability. The exceptional dual-functionality is attributed to the synergistic redox activity of Ni and V and the unique nanoflower morphology, positioning NF-NiVSe as a promising material for multifunctional applications.