Electrospun polyacrylonitrile-polyphenyl/magnetite nanofiber electrode for enhanced capacitance of supercapacitor

Abstract

Abstract Supercapacitors are widely valued for their high cycle life, power density, and broad applications. However, the development of improved devicess hindered by the challenges related to electrode materials. Effective electrodes need high specific capacitance and low electrical resistance to enhance energy storage, while also being simple to prepare, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly to support sustainable development. This study utilized an affordable and straightforward electrospinning process to produce polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers, polyacrylonitrile-polyphenyl (PAN-PPh) nanofibers, and polyacrylonitrile-polyphenyl/magnetic iron oxide (PAN-PPh/Fe3O4) composite nanofibers for supercapacitor electrodes. Among these, the PAN-PPh/Fe3O4 electrode exhibited superior performance, with a specific capacity of 0.258 Ah g− 1, and specific capacitance of 442.4 F g− 1 and excellent cycling stability, retaining approximately 78.49% of its capacitance after 3000 cycles. These results highlight the potential of PAN-PPh/Fe3O4 composites as sustainable materials for supercapacitor electrodes.