Synthesis\nof Mn₃O₄/Amorphous\nCarbon Nanoparticles as Electrode Material for High Performance Supercapacitor\nApplications

Abstract

Via the green chemistry route, Mn₃O₄/amorphous\ncarbon nanoparticles have been synthesized. Dextrose was used as the\nreducing agent, and starch was used as the capping agent. The X-ray\ndiffraction patterns reveal the Hausmannite tetragonal structure of\nthe synthesized Mn₃O₄ particles. EDAX analysis\nconfirms the presence of carbon and stoichiometry of Mn₃O₄. Morphological studies reveal the nanospherical nature\nof the synthesized particles. The FTIR spectra confirm the presence\nof Mn–O bonds. Mn₃O₄/AC 500 exhibits\nhighest specific capacitance of 522 F g^–1 at a specific\ncurrent of 1 A g^–1, when measured from the charge–discharge\nprocess. This value is superior to previous reports on Mn₃O₄ nanoparticles as an electrode for supercapacitors.\nHigher energy density of 58.72 W h kg^–1 could be\nobserved for Mn₃O₄/AC 500, which is higher than\nlead acid batteries and comparable to those for the nickel hydride\nbatteries. These results indicate that Mn₃O₄/AC 500 is a promising electrode for supercapacitor applications.