One-Step\nFacile Solvothermal Synthesis of Copper Ferrite–Graphene Composite\nas a High-Performance Supercapacitor Material

Abstract

In this work, we reported a facile\napproach to prepare a uniform copper ferrite nanoparticle-attached\ngraphene nanosheet (CuFe₂O₄-GN). A one-step\nsolvothermal method featuring the reduction of graphene oxide and\nformation of CuFe₂O₄ nanoparticles was efficient,\nscalable, green, and controllable. The composite nanosheet was fully\ncharacterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy\n(TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), which demonstrated\nthat CuFe₂O₄ nanoparticles with a diameter of\napproximately 100 nm were densely and compactly deposited on GN. To\ninvestigate the formation mechanism of CuFe₂O₄-GN, we discussed in detail the effects of a series of experimental\nparameters, including the concentrations of the precursor, precipitation\nagent, stabilizer agent, and graphene oxide on the size and morphology\nof the resulting products. Furthermore, the electrochemical properties\nof the CuFe₂O₄-GN composite were studied by\ncyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge–discharge measurements.\nThe composite showed high electrochemical capacitance (576.6 F·g^–1 at 1 A·g^–1), good rate performance,\nand cycling stability. These results demonstrated that the composite,\nas a kind of electrode materials, had a high specific capacitance\nand good retention. The versatile CuFe₂O₄-GN\nholds great promise for application in a wide range of electrochemical\nfields because of the remarkable synergistic effects between CuFe₂O₄ nanoparticles and graphene.