Electrochemical Properties of Carbon Electrodes Modified with Nanoparticles of Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3, K2Co[Fe(CN)6], and Their Sodium-Containing Analogs

Abstract

Iron and cobalt hexacyanoferrates and their analogs (MHCF) have been synthesized as nanomaterials for the fabrication of C/MHCF composite electrodes. We have studied the structural characteristics and elemental composition of the synthesized compounds by X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis using a VEGA II LMU scanning electron microscope equipped with an INCA Energy 450/XT X-ray microanalysis system (X-Act DDD detector). The results demonstrate that the composite electrodes containing 20% MHCF have a better electrochemical performance than does a carbon electrode. The incorporation of sodium into the structure of iron and cobalt hexacyanoferrates ensures the smallest decrease in the specific capacitance of the composite electrodes at high charge–discharge rates and reduces the charge transport resistance.