Facile synthesis of cobalt hexacyanoferrate/graphene nanocomposites for high-performance supercapacitor

Prussian blue and its analogues are promising for energy storage devices owing to the rigid open framework, yet suffer from poor conductivity and relatively low energy density. Herein, we report a facile preparation of cobalt hexacyanoferrate/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites (CoHCF/rGO) for supercapacitors with enhanced performance. The CoHCF nanoparticles with a size of around 50 nm are adhered onto the rGO nanosheets, which, in turn, not only prevent the agglomeration of the CoHCF nanoparticles but also provide conductive network for fast electron transport. The CoHCF/rGO nanocomposite delivers a maximum specific capacitance of 361 F g(-1) in Na2SO4 aqueous electrolyte. Asymmetric supercapacitor cells are assembled by pairing up an optimized nanocomposite electrode with an activated carbon negative electrode, which exhibits a wide reversible operating voltage of 2.0 V and a high energy density of 39.6 Wh kg(-1). The enhanced electrochemical performance of CoHCF/rGO benefits from the strong synergistic utilization of CoHCF nanoparticles and rGO nanosheets, rendering the nanocomposites a great promise for high-performance supercapacitors. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.