In-situ Iron Modified Mesoporous Silica MCM-48 for Electrochemical Energy Storage

Abstract

Electrochemical energy technologies stand as the beacon of a sustainable future, poised to redefine energy generation, storage and utilization with unparalleled efficiency and environmental stewardship. In this study, Fe was integrated into the MCM-48 framework to create a modified mesoporous structure to be used as electrodes for electrochemical storage applications. The materials were thoroughly characterized using various techniques, including XRD, XPS, UV-Vis (DRS), FT-IR, N₂ adsorption-desorption analysis, SEM with EDX, TEM and TGA. Cyclic voltammetry and galvanometric charge-discharge studies revealed that the Fe-MCM-48 sample with Si:Fe molar ratio of 20 (Fe-MCM-48 (20)) exhibited pseudocapacitive behaviour, showcasing higher capacitance value of up to 787 F g^-1 at a current density of 1 A g⁻¹. The findings undeniably indicate that Fe-MCM-48 (20) holds promise as a highly effective electrode material for advancing energy storage technologies.