Porous structure of Fe2O3 thin films prepared for supercapacitors via CBD method: effect of molar concentration
摘要
In present study, iron oxide (Fe2O3) thin films were fabricated using a simple chemical bath deposition method, and the effect of precursor concentration (0.05 M, 0.1 M and 0.15 M) on the electrochemical properties was investigated. The X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that the hematite (Fe2O3) phase of material, while water contact angle measurements revealed a hydrophilic nature. The scanning electron microscopy images exhibited a random distribution of porous structures, with a uniform coating and rough grain morphology. The energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy further confirmed the presence of iron (Fe) and oxygen (O) elements in the films. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis showed 41.19 m2 g−1 of specific surface area for Fe2O3 thin film deposited using 0.15 M precursor. The electrochemical performance of the films was evaluated for charge storage applications, with cyclic voltammetry revealing a high specific capacitance of 495 F g−1 at a scan rate of 5 mV s−1 for 0.15 M precursor concentration in 1 M NaOH electrolyte. Galvanostatic charge–discharge measurements confirmed a specific capacitance of 337 F g−1 at a current density of 3.1 A g−1. These findings suggest that Fe2O3 thin films deposited at optimized concentration of iron precursor exhibit significant potential as candidates for supercapacitor applications.
Graphical Abstract