A high-rate aqueous symmetric pseudocapacitor based on highly graphitized onion-like carbon/birnessite-type manganese oxide nanohybrids

摘要

We present a study on the pseudocapacitive properties of birnessite-type MnO2 grafted on highlygraphitized onion-like carbon (OLC/MnO2). In a three-electrode setup, we evaluated two differentsubstrates, namely a platinum disc and nickel foam. The OLC/MnO2 nanohybrid exhibited a large specificcapacitance (Csp) of 295 and 323 F g 1 (at 1 A g 1) for the Pt disc and Ni foam, respectively. In addition,the Ni foam substrate exhibited much higher rate capability (power density) than the Pt disc. Asymmetrical two-electrode device, fabricated with the Ni foam, showed a large Csp of 254 F g 1, aspecific energy density of 5.6 W h kg 1, and a high power density of 74.8 kW kg 1. These values havebeen the highest for onion-based electrodes so far. The device showed excellent capacity retentionwhen subjected to voltage-holding (floating) experiments for 50 h. In addition, the device showed a veryshort time constant (s ¼ 40 ms). This high rate handling ability of the OLC/MnO2 nanohybrid, comparedto literature reports, promises new opportunities for the development of aqueous-based pseudocapacitors.