Charge Storage Properties of Ferrimagnetic BaFe₁₂O₁₉ and Polypyrrole-BaFe₁₂O₁₉ Composites

This investigation is motivated by an interest in multiferroic BaFe₁₂O₁₉ (BFO), which combines advanced ferrimagnetic and ferroelectric properties at room temperature and exhibits interesting magnetoelectric phenomena. The ferroelectric charge storage properties of BFO are limited due to high coercivity, low dielectric constant, and high dielectric losses. We report the pseudocapacitive behavior of BFO, which allows superior charge storage compared to the ferroelectric charge storage mechanism. The BFO electrodes show a remarkably high capacitance of 1.34 F cm^-2 in a neutral Na₂SO₄ electrolyte. The charging mechanism is discussed. The capacitive behavior is linked to the beneficial effect of high-energy ball milling (HEBM) and the use of an efficient dispersant, which facilitates charge transfer. Another approach is based on the use of conductive polypyrrole (PPy) for the fabrication of PPy-BFO composites. The choice of new polyaromatic dopants with a high charge-to-mass ratio plays a crucial role in achieving a high capacitance of 4.66 F cm^-2 for pure PPy electrodes. The composite PPy-BFO (50/50) electrodes show a capacitance of 3.39 F cm^-2, low impedance, reduced charge transfer resistance, enhanced capacitance retention at fast charging rates, and good cyclic stability due to the beneficial effect of advanced dopants, HEBM, and synergy of the contribution of PPy and BFO.