Investigation of chemical bonding and supercapacitivity properties of Fe3O4-rGO nanocomposites for supercapacitor applications

• Published in: Diamond and related materials Vol. 104; p. 107756
• Main Authors: Devi, N. Aruna, Nongthombam, Sumitra, Sinha, Sayantan, Bhujel, Rabina, Rai, Sadhna, Singh, W. Ishwarchand, Dasgupta, Prajnamita, Swain, Bibhu P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.04.2020; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Carbon monoxide; Chemical bonds; Chemical reduction; Chemical synthesis; Cyclic voltammetry; Fe3O4/rGO nanocomposites; Functional groups; Graphene; Iron oxides; Nanocomposites; Nanoparticles; Supercapacitors; UV–Vis; Cyclic voltammetry; Fe3O4/rGO nanocomposites; UV–Vis; Functional groups
• ISSN: 0925-9635; 1879-0062
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diamond.2020.107756

Iron oxide decorated reduced graphene oxide (Fe3O4/rGO) nanocomposites were synthesized using a one-step chemical reduction method. The XRD results reveal the diffraction planes at 2θ = 36.53° and 43.04° corresponding to the planes (311) and (400) respectively for Fe nanoparticles and the broadened peak at 26.52° was observed corresponds to plane (002) for rGO which confirmed the formation of Fe3O4 in rGO sheets. FTIR results shows the chemical bonding at around 580.96 cm−1, 1191.61 cm−1, 1559.36 cm−1, 2358.27 cm−1, 2987.45 cm−1 and 3360 cm−1 attributes for the FeO, CO, CC, CO, C-H2 and OH bonds respectively whereas Raman shift for Fe3O4 was found in the range of 100–800 cm−1. The ID/IG ratios varied from 2.5 to 1.55 as Fe(NO3)3 concentration increases from 5 mM to 25 mM. The estimated bandgap for rGO and rGO/Fe3O4 are 2.60 eV, and from 2.52 to 2.34 eV respectively as the Fe(NO3)3 concentration increases from 5 mM to 25 mM. The atomic percentage of Fe(2p), C(1s), and O (1s) was varied as 0.75–7.11 at.%, 86.09–69.58 at.% and 13.16–23.31 at.% as the Fe(NO3)3 concentration increases from 5 mM to 25 mM. The maximum specific capacitance was achieved at 416 F/g for 25 mM of Fe3O4/rGO nanocomposite with cyclic stability of 88.57% at a current density of 5Ag−1 over 1000 cycles. Hence, Fe3O4/rGO nanocomposite can be considered as a good candidate for the supercapacitor electrode applications. [Display omitted] •Fe3O4/rGO was successfully synthesized by using a one-step chemical reduction method.•Optical, chemical network and electrochemical properties of Fe3O4/rGO were investigated.•The crystallite size varied from 9.41 nm to 21.69 nm with increasing Fe(NO3)3 concentrations.•FTIR and Raman spectra confirmed the rGO and Fe nanoparticles in Fe3O4/rGO nanocomposites.•The maximum specific capacitance was achieved at 416 F/g with capacitance retention of 88.57% for Fe3O4/rGO nanocomposite.