In situ synthesis of clustered bimetallic metal-organic frameworks on Bi-pyrene terminated molecular wire modified graphene for supercapacitors

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been widely utilized for catalytic and sensing fields in recent years due to their high specific surface area and large porosity. However, the low electrical conductivity and unsatisfactory capacitance hinder their wide application in the field of energy storage devices. Given by its excellent electrical conductivity, large specific surface area, introduction of graphene into composite materials can significantly improve their electrical conductivities. Herein, we have successfully designed and fabricated CoCe-MOF@rGO/BPMW-300 hybrid through in situ growth of CoCe-MOF nanorods on Bi-pyrene terminated molecular wire (BPMW) modified graphene by hydrothermal and annealing processes. The synergistic effect of Co and Ce elements solves the disadvantage of low conductivity of MOF materials. The modification of BPMW can avoid graphene aggregation and help build abundant electron transport channels, which significantly improve the electrochemical performance of the entire material. The CoCe-MOF@rGO/BPMW-300, which is utilized as the cathode in three-electrode system, exhibits superior electrochemical performance with specific capacity of 1554 F g −1 under the current density of 1 A g −1 . • CoCe-MOF@rGO/BPMW is prepared by in situ growth of CoCe-MOF nanorods on BPMW modified graphene and hydrothermal process. • The introduction of BPMW among graphene sheets can help build abundant ion and electron transport channels. • The fabricated CoCe-MOF@rGO/BPMW-300 exhibits great electrochemical performances. • A multifunctional instrument and LED indicator can be powered by the as-assembled ACSs for 25 min.