Assembling a supercapacitor electrode with dual metal oxides and activated carbon using a liquid phase plasma

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Developing affordable supercapacitor electrodes with high energy and power density remains a significant challenge.
• Activated carbon (AC) is a common electrode material, but its performance can be limited without modification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a cost-effective method for creating novel supercapacitor electrode composites.
• To investigate the effect of plasma treatment on activated carbon doped with iron and manganese precursors.
• To compare the electrochemical performance of single-metal and dual-metal composites.

Main Methods:

• A liquid phase plasma technique was used to synthesize electrode composites.
• Activated carbon powder was combined with dual metal precursors (iron and manganese).
• Composites were synthesized with varying precursor concentrations and plasma durations.

Main Results:

• Increasing precursor concentration and plasma duration enhanced metal oxide content, favoring iron oxide deposition.
• The composite with the longest plasma duration and highest manganese concentration exhibited superior cyclic stability and lower equivalent series resistance.
• The novel dual-metal oxide composite demonstrated improved electrochemical performance compared to raw AC and single-metal composites.

Conclusions:

• The proposed plasma-based methodology effectively modifies activated carbon for enhanced supercapacitor performance.
• Synergistic effects between iron and manganese oxides contribute significantly to the improved electrochemical properties.
• This approach offers a viable route for developing high-performance, low-cost supercapacitor electrodes using abundant materials.