Nanostructured Manganese Oxide and Composite Electrodes for Electrochemical Supercapacitors

Abstract

<p> Electrochemical supercapacitors (ES) are urgently needed as components in many advanced power systems. The development of advanced ES is expected to enable radical innovation in the area of hybrid vehicles and electronic devices. Nanostructured manganese oxides in amorphous or various crystalline forms have been found to be promising electrode materials for ES. The use of composite electrodes of manganese oxide with carbon nanotubes is being proposed to improve the overall electrochemical performance of the ES.</p> <p> Electrodeposition methods have been developed for the fabrication of manganese oxide films with/without carbon nanotubes for applications in ES. Electrolytic deposition of manganese oxides was found to be possible using Mn2+ and Mn7+ species, co-deposition of multi wall carbon nanotubes (MWNT) and manganese oxide using cathodic electrosynthesis was successfully achieved.</p> <p> Novel chemical process has been developed for the synthesis of nano-size manganese oxide particles. Electrophoretic deposition of the nano-size manganese oxide particles was able to be performed in both aqueous and non-aqueous solutions. Electrophoretic co-deposition of the nano-size manganese oxide particles with carbon nanotubes was successfully achieved.</p> <p> The mechanisms and kinetics of all the deposition methods are discussed. Charge storage properties of the films prepared by different deposition methods are investigated and compared.</p>