The pseudo-capacitance of graphitic nanoribbons aerogel with encapsulated Fe nanoparticles

Abstract A graphitic nanoribbons (GNRs) encapsulated with Fe nanoparticles (NPs) hybrids derived from pyrrole and FeCl3 through polymerization, freeze drying and catalytic graphitization process showed excellent capacitive and cycle performance using as pseudo-capacitive material for supercapacitors (SC). The precursor of FeCl3 ingeniously served as oxidant for polymerization of pyrrole, catalyst for graphitization of polypyrrole and pseudo-capacitive material for SC successively. The obtained Fe@GNRs electrode exhibited a remarkable pseudocapacitance performance with a high specific capacitance of 526.7 F g−1 at a discharge current density of 1 A g−1. GNRs obtained by catalytic graphitization of polypyrrole under metallic Fe could effectively protect and stabilize the encapsulated Fe NPs showing ~100% capacitance retention rate after 10,000 cycles under 10 A g−1.