Impact of reduced graphene oxide on La_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃ nanocomposite electrode for high-performance energy storage application

In this study, two materials were synthesized: La_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃ and novel rGO-La_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃. The solid-state reactions and hydrothermal methods were used to synthesize these nanocomposites. The specific capacitances of La_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃ nanocomposite were estimated at scan rates of (1 and 90 mV/s), resulting in values of (779.26, and 41.06) Fg⁻¹. Reduced graphene oxide gave the specific capacitance of (491.75 and 140.44) Fg⁻¹ at the scan rates of (1 and 50 mV/s). The novel rGO-La_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃ nanocomposite gave the reportable specific capacitance of (1014.62 and 81.86) Fg⁻¹ at the scan rates of (1 and 90 mV/s). The XRD pattern displayed crystallized nanoparticles exhibiting five distinct diffraction peaks at (112), (022), (220), (024), and (224) directions, which correspond to the hexagonal crystal structure. The insertion of electrons into the anti-bonding Mn orbital causes the Mn–O bond length to expand, shifting the diffraction peaks of LCM toward higher 2 theta angles. Five diffraction peaks were observed in the crystallized reduced graphene oxide (rGO), with two intense peaks at (002) and (200) at 2 theta angles of 26.591° and 44.640°. The material's surface morphology exhibits a hexagonal structure upon examination. The occurrence of wrinkles in reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is a common observation in 2D materials, primarily because of rGO's negative thermal expansion. Nanopoles in LCM and RLCM exhibit a distinct cube-like shape. The cubes are created through a combination of isotropic compression and thermal reduction.