MnO₂/carbon nanocomposite based on silkworm excrement for high-performance supercapacitors

Abstract

MnO₂/biomass carbon nanocomposite was synthesized by a facile hydrothermal reaction. Silkworm excrement acted as a carbon precursor, which was activated by ZnCl₂ and FeCl₃ combining chemical agents under Ar atmosphere. Thin and flower-like MnO₂ nanowires were in-situ anchored on the surface of the biomass carbon. The biomass carbon not only offered high conductivity and good structural stability but also relieved the large volume expansion during the charge/discharge process. The obtained MnO₂/biomass carbon nanocomposite electrode exhibited a high specific capacitance (238 F·g⁻¹ at 0.5 A·g⁻¹) and a superior cycling stability with only 7% degradation after 2000 cycles. The observed good electrochemical performance is accredited to the materials’ high specific surface area, multilevel hierarchical structure, and good conductivity. This study proposes a promising method that utilizes biological waste and broadens MnO₂-based electrode material application for next-generation energy storage and conversion devices.

Keywords

manganese dioxide / specific capacitance / cyclic stability / biomass carbon / silkworm excrement

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