Symmetric Supercapacitors based on Reduced Graphene Oxide/Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes/Cobalt Oxide Ternary Composites

Abstract

Ternary nanocomposites of reduced graphene oxide/multi-walled carbon nanotubes/cobalt oxide nanoparticles (rGO/MWCNT/Co₃O₄) were synthesized employing a facile hydrolysis method with subsequent heat treatment. The good electrical conductivity and remarkable carrier mobility of rGO and MWCNTs make them a suitable matrix for hybrid supercapacitors, and their composites with metal oxides exhibit enhanced electrochemical properties due to the advantages of the synergistic contribution and the integration of different dimensionalities. The binary counterparts of Co₃O₄ with GO or MWCNTs were also produced using the same technique to gain additional insight into the characteristics of the individual components. The structural and morphological properties of the composites were analyzed using various analytical techniques. The electrochemical behaviors of the prepared composites were investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 1 M H₂SO₄. A platinum electrode modified with the rGO/MWCNT/Co₃O₄ composite displayed a remarkable specific capacitance of 922 F g⁻¹ at a current density of 1 A g⁻¹ composite with a negligible capacitance drop after 2000 cycles. The symmetric supercapacitor fabricated using the rGO/MWCNT/Co₃O₄ composite showed an energy density of 32.2 Wh Kg⁻¹ at 1 A g^−1, and the corresponding power density was 2000 W Kg⁻¹. The supercapacitor fabricated using the composite displayed 83% capacitance retention after 2000 cycles at 3 A g⁻¹ composite.

Keywords:

• cobalt oxide
• graphene oxide
• multi-walled carbon nanotubes
• symmetric supercapacitors

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the Center for Research, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru. (Seed money; Project No: SMSS-2216) for support.

Author contributions

Nirosha James: Formal analysis, Methodology, Writing original draft preparation (lead). Shilpa Simon: Methodology investigation (equal to Nirosha James). Sreelakshmi Rajeevan: Validation, (supporting). Soney C George: Resource, Software, validation (lead). Sreeja P Balakrishnan: conceptualization, supervision, project administration (lead).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.