Sustainable Carbon Meets Transition Metal Oxide: Fabrication and Electrochemical Assessment of α-MnO₂/Biomass-Carbon Supercapacitor Electrodes
摘要
We report the synthesis and electrochemical performance of a novel binary composite comprising rod-shaped α-phase Manganese dioxide (MnO₂) and pea-derived carbon (PDC) (MnO₂/PDC) for high-performance supercapacitors. The composite was prepared by mechanical milling and characterized using XRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, TEM, SEM, and XPS. The electrochemical evaluation in three- and two-electrode configurations with aqueous Na₂SO₄ electrolyte revealed good charge-storage capability, excellent rate performance, and superior cyclic stability. The synergistic combination of MnO₂ nanostructures with sustainable biomass-derived carbon significantly enhances electrochemical performance, offering a promising and environmentally friendly approach to next-generation energy-storage materials. The MnO2/PDC composite exhibited a specific capacitance of 303.4 F g− 1 at a current density of 4 mA cm− 2. Additionally, the MnO2/PDC composite demonstrated an excellent electrode material-electrolyte interface compatibility with capacitance retention rate of 90% after 5000 charge-discharge cycles. The composite attained a specific energy of 71.2 Wh kg− 1 and a specific power of 1363 W kg− 1. Moreover, the composite was tested in a two-electrode assembly device and it exhibited the specific capacitance of 107.7 F g− 1 at 4 mA cm− 2 current density.