Rationally Designed PPy-Coated Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Nanoneedles Anchored on N-C Nanoflakes as a High-Performance Anode for Aqueous Supercapacitors

Flexible supercapacitors have emerged as pivotal energy storage components in wearable smart electronic systems, owing to their exceptional electrochemical performance. However, the widespread application of flexible supercapacitors in smart electronic devices is significantly hindered by the develo...

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Main Authors: Zhiqiang Cui, Siqi Zhan, Yatu Luo, Yunfeng Hong, Zexian Liu, Guoqiang Tang, Dongming Cai, Rui Tong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Crystals
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/15/4/346
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author Zhiqiang Cui
Siqi Zhan
Yatu Luo
Yunfeng Hong
Zexian Liu
Guoqiang Tang
Dongming Cai
Rui Tong
author_facet Zhiqiang Cui
Siqi Zhan
Yatu Luo
Yunfeng Hong
Zexian Liu
Guoqiang Tang
Dongming Cai
Rui Tong
author_sort Zhiqiang Cui
collection DOAJ
description Flexible supercapacitors have emerged as pivotal energy storage components in wearable smart electronic systems, owing to their exceptional electrochemical performance. However, the widespread application of flexible supercapacitors in smart electronic devices is significantly hindered by the developmental bottleneck of high-performance anode materials. In this study, a novel electrode composed of surface-modified Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> nanoneedles uniformly coated with a polypyrrole (PPy) film and anchored on Co-MOF-derived N-C nanoflake arrays (PPy/Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/N-C) is designed. This composite electrode, grown in situ on carbon cloth (CC), demonstrated outstanding specific capacity, rate performance, and mechanical flexibility, attributed to its unique hierarchical 3D arrayed structure and the protective PPy layer. The fabricated PPy/Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/N-C@CC (P-FONC) composite electrode exhibited an excellent specific capacitance of 356.6 mF cm<sup>−2</sup> (143 F g<sup>−1</sup>) at a current density of 2 mA cm<sup>−2</sup>. The current density increased to 20 mA cm<sup>−2</sup>, and the composite electrode material preserved a specific capacitance of 278 mF cm<sup>−2</sup> (112 F g<sup>−1</sup>). Furthermore, the assembled quasi-solid-state Mn/Fe asymmetric supercapacitor, configured with P-FONC as the negative electrode and MnO<sub>2</sub>/N-C@CC as the positive electrode, demonstrated robust chemical stability and notable mechanical flexibility. This study sheds fresh light on the creation of three-dimensional composite electrode materials for highly efficient, flexible energy storage systems.
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spelling doaj-art-3438578988ae4e0e8855320c628f53ac2025-08-20T02:17:14ZengMDPI AGCrystals2073-43522025-04-0115434610.3390/cryst15040346Rationally Designed PPy-Coated Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Nanoneedles Anchored on N-C Nanoflakes as a High-Performance Anode for Aqueous SupercapacitorsZhiqiang Cui0Siqi Zhan1Yatu Luo2Yunfeng Hong3Zexian Liu4Guoqiang Tang5Dongming Cai6Rui Tong7Hubei Key Laboratory of Energy Storage and Power Battery, School of New Energy, Hubei University of Automotive Technology, Shiyan 442002, ChinaHubei Key Laboratory of Energy Storage and Power Battery, School of New Energy, Hubei University of Automotive Technology, Shiyan 442002, ChinaHubei Key Laboratory of Energy Storage and Power Battery, School of New Energy, Hubei University of Automotive Technology, Shiyan 442002, ChinaHubei Key Laboratory of Energy Storage and Power Battery, School of New Energy, Hubei University of Automotive Technology, Shiyan 442002, ChinaHubei Key Laboratory of Energy Storage and Power Battery, School of New Energy, Hubei University of Automotive Technology, Shiyan 442002, ChinaHubei Key Laboratory of Energy Storage and Power Battery, School of New Energy, Hubei University of Automotive Technology, Shiyan 442002, ChinaHubei Key Laboratory of Energy Storage and Power Battery, School of New Energy, Hubei University of Automotive Technology, Shiyan 442002, ChinaHubei Key Laboratory of Energy Storage and Power Battery, School of New Energy, Hubei University of Automotive Technology, Shiyan 442002, ChinaFlexible supercapacitors have emerged as pivotal energy storage components in wearable smart electronic systems, owing to their exceptional electrochemical performance. However, the widespread application of flexible supercapacitors in smart electronic devices is significantly hindered by the developmental bottleneck of high-performance anode materials. In this study, a novel electrode composed of surface-modified Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> nanoneedles uniformly coated with a polypyrrole (PPy) film and anchored on Co-MOF-derived N-C nanoflake arrays (PPy/Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/N-C) is designed. This composite electrode, grown in situ on carbon cloth (CC), demonstrated outstanding specific capacity, rate performance, and mechanical flexibility, attributed to its unique hierarchical 3D arrayed structure and the protective PPy layer. The fabricated PPy/Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/N-C@CC (P-FONC) composite electrode exhibited an excellent specific capacitance of 356.6 mF cm<sup>−2</sup> (143 F g<sup>−1</sup>) at a current density of 2 mA cm<sup>−2</sup>. The current density increased to 20 mA cm<sup>−2</sup>, and the composite electrode material preserved a specific capacitance of 278 mF cm<sup>−2</sup> (112 F g<sup>−1</sup>). Furthermore, the assembled quasi-solid-state Mn/Fe asymmetric supercapacitor, configured with P-FONC as the negative electrode and MnO<sub>2</sub>/N-C@CC as the positive electrode, demonstrated robust chemical stability and notable mechanical flexibility. This study sheds fresh light on the creation of three-dimensional composite electrode materials for highly efficient, flexible energy storage systems.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/15/4/346PPyFe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>nanoarrayssupercapacitor
spellingShingle Zhiqiang Cui
Siqi Zhan
Yatu Luo
Yunfeng Hong
Zexian Liu
Guoqiang Tang
Dongming Cai
Rui Tong
Rationally Designed PPy-Coated Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Nanoneedles Anchored on N-C Nanoflakes as a High-Performance Anode for Aqueous Supercapacitors
Crystals
PPy
Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>
nanoarrays
supercapacitor
title Rationally Designed PPy-Coated Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Nanoneedles Anchored on N-C Nanoflakes as a High-Performance Anode for Aqueous Supercapacitors
title_full Rationally Designed PPy-Coated Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Nanoneedles Anchored on N-C Nanoflakes as a High-Performance Anode for Aqueous Supercapacitors
title_fullStr Rationally Designed PPy-Coated Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Nanoneedles Anchored on N-C Nanoflakes as a High-Performance Anode for Aqueous Supercapacitors
title_full_unstemmed Rationally Designed PPy-Coated Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Nanoneedles Anchored on N-C Nanoflakes as a High-Performance Anode for Aqueous Supercapacitors
title_short Rationally Designed PPy-Coated Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Nanoneedles Anchored on N-C Nanoflakes as a High-Performance Anode for Aqueous Supercapacitors
title_sort rationally designed ppy coated fe sub 2 sub o sub 3 sub nanoneedles anchored on n c nanoflakes as a high performance anode for aqueous supercapacitors
topic PPy
Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>
nanoarrays
supercapacitor
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/15/4/346
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