A flexible electrospun carbon nanofiber (CNF)-based electrode decorated with Mn3O4 is prepared starting from a solution containing polyacrilonitrile (PAN) mixed with manganese acetate (Mn(OAc)2). A thermal treatment at 270°C in air and a subsequent at 900°C in inert gas allow to obtain a flexible electrospun carbon nanofibers decorated with spinel manganese oxide (denoted as Mn3O4/CNF) characterized by suitable performance for vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) application. Pristine electrospun carbon nanofibers CNF were prepared by using a similar method to compare the electrochemical data with respect to the decorated CNF. A homogeneous distribution of the metal oxides on the carbon nanofibers is showed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) curves show a higher electrocatalytic activity toward the [VO]2+/[VO2]+ as well as the V2+/V3+ redox reactions with respect to the pristine electrospun CNF electrode, both in terms of peak to peak separation, DE[VO]2+/[VO2]+ = 0,15 V vs. 0,28 V, and Ipa/Ipc[VO]2+/[VO2]+ ratio, 1,48 vs 1,58, respectively. The improved performance is attributed to the hydrophilicity enhancement due to the oxygen groups availability that favour the surface mechanism process on the carbon nanofibers decorated with metal oxide nanoparticles.
Electrospun Carbon Nanofibers Decorated with Mn3O4 for Vanadium Redox Flow Battery
A Di Blasi;C Busacca;O Di Blasi;N Briguglio;V Antonucci
2016
Abstract
A flexible electrospun carbon nanofiber (CNF)-based electrode decorated with Mn3O4 is prepared starting from a solution containing polyacrilonitrile (PAN) mixed with manganese acetate (Mn(OAc)2). A thermal treatment at 270°C in air and a subsequent at 900°C in inert gas allow to obtain a flexible electrospun carbon nanofibers decorated with spinel manganese oxide (denoted as Mn3O4/CNF) characterized by suitable performance for vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) application. Pristine electrospun carbon nanofibers CNF were prepared by using a similar method to compare the electrochemical data with respect to the decorated CNF. A homogeneous distribution of the metal oxides on the carbon nanofibers is showed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) curves show a higher electrocatalytic activity toward the [VO]2+/[VO2]+ as well as the V2+/V3+ redox reactions with respect to the pristine electrospun CNF electrode, both in terms of peak to peak separation, DE[VO]2+/[VO2]+ = 0,15 V vs. 0,28 V, and Ipa/Ipc[VO]2+/[VO2]+ ratio, 1,48 vs 1,58, respectively. The improved performance is attributed to the hydrophilicity enhancement due to the oxygen groups availability that favour the surface mechanism process on the carbon nanofibers decorated with metal oxide nanoparticles.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
