Microwave-driven eco-friendly fabrication of CuZrO3@GNP for superior asymmetric energy storage devices

Abstract

Supercapacitors (SCs) are ideal for high-power applications due to their rapid power delivery. The performance of SCs hinges on innovative electrode materials. This study presents the fabrication of a CuZrO₃ and graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) composite via a microwave-assisted, eco-friendly method. Structural and morphological analyses were conducted using XRD, FT-IR, FT-Raman, UV-DRS, SEM, EDX, HRTEM and N₂ adsorption/desorption. Electrochemical tests on CuZrO₃ and CuZrO₃@GNP revealed high capacitance (405.5 Fg ⁻¹), excellent rate performance, and good cyclic stability. An asymmetric supercapacitor using CuZrO₃@GNP was also fabricated and tested, showing a specific capacitance of 38.01 Fg ⁻¹, low charge transfer resistance, and robust cyclic performance. Comparative analysis with existing literature highlights the superior performance of this composite material in terms of specific capacitance and stability. This study demonstrates the potential of the CuZrO₃@GNP nanocomposite for developing advanced SCs electrode materials.