Sol-Gel Derived Lithium-Substituted Nickel Ferrite (Ni 1-x Li x Fe 2 O 4 ; Where, x = 0.4 to 0.8) Functional Nanomaterials for Hydroelectric Cell Applications in Green Energy Generation

Sol-gel-derived Ni1-ₓLiₓFe2O4, x = 0.4–0.8 functional nanomaterials for green energy generation for hydroelectric cells (HECs). Single-phase cubic spinel structures with space group Fd-3m confirmed by XRD and Rietveld refinement. FTIR spectra exhibited characteristic tetrahedral and octahedral metal-oxygen vibrational bands of the spinel ferrite, whereas photoluminescence studies revealed defect-related emission around 558 nm associated with oxygen-vacancy-mediated electronic states. Ni1-ₓLiₓFe2O4, at x = 0.6; LNFO6 exhibiting the better electrical output, delivering an open-circuit voltage of 0.87 V. These findings establish LNFO6 as a promising material for efficient, electrolyte-free hydroelectric green energy generation.