Hydrothermal synthesis of Fe2O3 nanoparticles and their electrochemical application

• Published in: Journal of materials science. Materials in electronics Vol. 35; no. 3; p. 230
• Main Authors: Vivekanandan, J., Vijaya Prasath, G., Selvamurugan, M., Usha, K. S., Ravi, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Capacitance; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Electrodes; Energy storage; Ferric oxide; Iron oxides; Materials Science; Morphology; Nanoparticles; Optical and Electronic Materials; Reaction time
• ISSN: 0957-4522; 1573-482X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10854-024-11971-4

In the present investigation, we report on Iron oxide (α-Fe 2 O 3 ) nanoparticles synthesized by simple hydrothermal method with different reaction times as 6 h (H1) and 8 h (H2) for supercapacitor application. The significance of varying the reaction time on structural, morphological, and vibrational properties of α-Fe 2 O 3 was explored. XRD, FTIR, and Raman study affirmed that the products consist of only the rhombohedral phase of α-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles. SEM image infers that with a change in reaction time the surface morphology of α-Fe 2 O 3 changed from spherical to octahedra. The size of nanoparticles reduced with reaction time. XPS spectra again confirmed the growth of α-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles. The electrochemical characteristics of the fabricated H2 electrode exhibited excellent performance in a 2 M KOH electrolyte solution. The specific capacitance (Cs) achieved from CV and GCD curves were 299.4 F g −1 , and 351.3 F g − 1. The R ct acquired via electrochemical impedance (EIS) reduced from 11.2 to 9.18 Ω demonstrating the rise in the conductivity of the prepared electrodes. Remarkable capacitance retention of 92% was accomplished, even after 1000 cycles, thus making α-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles a most promising electrode for the fabrication of energy storage devices.