Partially Graphitized Iron-Carbon Hybrid Composite as an Electrochemical Supercapacitor Material

The conversion of biomass into valuable carbon composites as an efficient non-precious energy storage electrode material has elicited extensive research interest. An as-synthesized partially graphitized iron oxide-carbon composite material (Fe3O4/Fe3C@C) shows excellent properties as an electrode material for supercapacitor applications. X-ray diffraction analysis, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis are used to study the structural, compositional and surface areal properties. The electrode material shows a specific surface area of 827.4 m(2)/g. Owing to the synergistic effect of the graphitic layers with iron oxide/carbide, Fe3O4/Fe3C@C hybrid electrode materials display a high performance when used in supercapacitors, with an excellent capacity of 878 F/g at a current density of 5 A/g (3-electrode) and 211.6 F/g at a current density of 0.4 A/g (2-electrode) in 6 M KOH electrolyte with good cyclic stability.