Advancing Supercapacitors: Examining Modified MCM-48 as a Superior Electrode Material

Abstract

Abstract Supercapacitors have gained prominence owing to their exceptional cyclic efficiency, reversible charge/discharge rates and high specific power density. In this study, Fe was integrated into the MCM-48 framework to create a modified mesoporous structure to be used as supercapacitor electrodes. 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 ideal supercapacitor behaviour, showcasing higher capacitance value of up to 787 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g−1. The modified material also demonstrated excellent specific energy (up to 109.3 W h kg−1) and specific power (up to 240 W kg−1). These results suggest the potential practical applicability of this material as an electrode material in supercapacitors.