Experimental / Theoretical Approach for the Study of Nanocomposite Oxides (X-Co2O4, where X = Mn, Li, Ce) in Energy Applications

Abstract

The study explores the potential of Nanocomposite Oxides (X-Co2O4, where X = Mn, Li, Ce) in energy applications, synthesized using a ball milling technique due to its efficacy in producing homogeneous nanoparticles with desirable electrochemical properties. The physicochemical and electrochemical behavior of the synthesized materials was revealed through various characterizations. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and Galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) measurements gave some understanding into the electrochemical supercapacitor performance of these materials. They proved that they might be materials for supercapacitor electrodes. The synthesized samples' pseudo behavior was shown by the CV analysis performed on the assessed cycled material at different potential ranges and scanning rates ranging from 10 to 60mV/s. Galvanostatic charge discharge (GDC) reveals the sample’s duration and performance at various current densities. The maximum specific capacitance of 75 Fg-1 at a current density of 0.5 A/g is revealed by MnCo2O4. Particularly, EIS analysis provided the details of ohmic resistance within the samples which were used to find out the values of the conductivity. UVvisible spectroscopy reveals the optical band gaps of MnCo2O4, CeCo2O4, and LiCoO2 nanocomposite oxide materials are revealed to be 1.6 eV, 1.8 eV, and 1.9 eV. Several functional group evaluations for these materials were provided by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, which contributed to a thorough understanding of their characteristics and possible uses. The Raman spectra display two main peaks of MnCo2O4 at 316 cm-1 and 672 cm-1, which are indicative of unique vibrational modes. CeCo2O4-related peaks may be seen at 463 cm-1 and 672 cm-1, while LiCoO2-related peaks can be found at 475 cm-1 and 578 cm-1. These peaks indicate the distinct metal-oxygen bonding and structural features present in each material. These findings provide important new information about the vibrational modes and composition of the investigated nanocomposites. The tetragonal crystalline structures of the nanocomposite oxides are confirmed by specific patterns in their XRD profiles. MnCo2O4, CeCo2O4, and LiCoO2 have average crystallite sizes of 40.94 nm, 34.2 nm, and 37.5 nm, respectively. As such, every facet of the synthesis process and properties will contribute to the development of these oxide nanocomposite materials for diverse energy applications.