Sketchy synthesis of Mn3O4, Mn3O4/AC and Mn3O4/CNT composites for application of/in energy cache

Abstract

Nature is all powerful we can only bargain it sometimes with the help of science. For research community racking up high power density and energy density in a single energy storage device is a major expostulation. From micro to nano and the mega to giga, the developments of technologies that are either diminishingly small or increasingly large are major trends. Supercapacitors also known as ultra-capacitors, electric double layer capacitors use static electricity delivers charge much faster than the batteries. It contains two electrodes and are separated by an ion-permeable membrane, an electrolyte ionically connecting both electrodes. Oxides of transition metals alone or in combination generate strong faradaic electron–redox transferring reactions combined with low resistance according to the energy system used. In this project, we focused on sol–gel method for the synthesis of manganese oxide nanomaterials and carbon compounds such as CNT’s and activated carbon which significantly enhance the energy density of the supercapacitor. These improvements were expected to reduce maintenance costs and expand the utility to become the leader in the growing global wireless power supply market. Transition metals are mostly used as electrode materials for having high electrical conductivity, stability and to increase power and energy density with carbon materials having high surface area and porosity. Sol-gel method is used to synthesize Mn3O4/CNT and Mn3O4/AC as electrode material for supercapacitor applications. Structural and morphological features of prepared samples were characterized by analytical techniques such as XRD, FESEM, FTIR, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. In this work active electrode materials were developed with Mn3O4/CNT, Mn3O4/AC, and Mn3O4 and their electrochemical performance were tested using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy using 6 M KOH supporting electrolyte. Mn3O4/CNT and Mn3O4/AC delivered specific capacitance of 59 Fg−1 and 49 Fg−1 at a current density of 1 Ag−1 with high energy density of 18.2 Whkg−1 and 14.5Whkg−1 whereas Mn3O4 delivers specific capacitance of 45 Fg−1 with energy density of 6 Whkg−1 respectively.