Hybrid supercapacitors using electrodes from fibers comprising polymer blend–metal oxide composites with polymethacrylic acid as chelating agent

Abstract Hybrid supercapacitors (SCs) made of carbon–metal oxide composites are devices which combine the advantages of electric double layer capacitors and pseudocapacitors viz high energy density, high power density and high cyclability. This is best achieved when the pseudocapacitive components are uniform in size and distribution on the conducting carbon support. Electrodes mats, fabricated from carbonized electrospun fibers generated from solutions of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as the carbon source, cobalt (III) acetylacetonate as a metal oxide precursor, and polymethacrylic acid (PMAA) as a metal oxide precursor carrier were utilized in coin cell SCs. Fibers without the PMMA carrier were prepared for comparison. XRD and TGA showed conversion of the cobalt precursor to a mixture of cobalt and cobalt oxide (Co 3 O 4 ). When the PMAA carrier was used, specific capacitance increased from 68 F g −1 in PAN-Co 3 O 4 to 125 F g −1 in PAN-PMAA-Co 3 O 4 . The addition of PMAA to the system results in better uniformity, accessibility and dispersion of metal and metal oxide particles. Due to the relatively low surface area of carbonized samples, Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles are the primary contributors to charge storage. The fabricated fibers show an energy density of 8.9 at 750 W kg −1 , which is twice that of the fibers made without PMAA.