Microwave assisted synthesis of 3D network of Mn/Zn bimetallic oxide-high performance electrodes for supercapacitors

Electrode materials with high efficiency in ionic and electronic transport are essential for high performance supercapacitors. Even though MnO2 is demonstrated as a promising material for supercapacitors due to its excellent electrochemical performance and natural abundance, its wide application is limited by poor electrical conductivity. Inspired by the electrochemical activity and electrical conductivity of ZnO, a highly porous three dimensional nanostructure of Mn/Zn bimetallic oxide was synthesized by microwave irradiation technique for the first time. The crystal structure, morphology and chemical composition and electrochemical properties of the Mn/Zn bimetallic oxide were investigated. The bimetallic oxide exhibits a high specific capacitance of about 250 F g(-1) even after 5000 charge/discharge cycles at current density of 0.5 A g(-1). A possible correlation of the structure of the bimetallic oxide to its electrochemical performance is also proposed. (C) 2016 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.