Microwave assisted fabrication of a nanostructured reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/Fe2O3 composite as a promising next generation energy storage material

Abstract

Herein, we report a facile two-step process involving homogenous precipitation followed by microwave assisted reduction to fabricate a rGO–Fe₂O₃ composite. The applicability of the composite as an electrode material for supercapacitors has been evaluated by a cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charging–discharging (GCD) study. The composite displays excellent supercapacitor performance compared to bare rGO and generates a high specific capacitance of 577.5 F g⁻¹, at a current density of 2 A g⁻¹. A high rate performance is also observed by retaining a specific capacitance of 437.5 F g⁻¹, at a high current density of 10 A g⁻¹. Finally, the electrodes have been analyzed through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to probe the charge transfer characteristics and the results have been found to be consistent with other electrochemical measurements. The remarkable electrochemical performance of the rGO–Fe₂O₃ composite can be attributed to the positive synergistic effects between rGO platelets and Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles.