Investigating the potential of Mg0.5ZnxCu0.5-xFe2O4 nanoparticles for energy storage applications

The electrochemical performance of Mg 0.5 Zn x Cu 0.5-x Fe 2 O 4 nanoparticles (with x ranging from 0.1 to 0.3) synthesized through the solvothermal reflux method was investigated, with samples designated as MZC1 (Mg 0.5 Zn 0.1 Cu 0.4 Fe 2 O 4 ), MZC2 (Mg 0.5 Zn 0.2 Cu 0.3 Fe 2 O 4 ) and MZC3 (Mg 0.5 Zn 0.3 Cu 0.2 Fe 2 O 4 ). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were used to characterize the structural and morphological properties. The XRD examination showed the production of a crystalline cubic spinel structure, whereas FESEM indicated shape and particle size variations caused by varying Zn 2+ doping levels. The chemical states were determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), which involved examining element binding energies. Furthermore, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis revealed that the Zn 2+ doping concentration influenced surface area, pore size, and volume. MZC2 outperformed MZC1 and MZC3 in a 1 M potassium hydroxide (KOH) electrolyte, with a specific capacitance (Cs) of 192.5 Fg -1 at a current density (CD) of 1.75 Ag -1 . These findings indicate that these MZC2 nanoparticles have a high potential for energy storage in supercapacitors . The work demonstrates the potential for improving energy storage capacities by optimizing synthesis conditions and Zn 2+ doping parameters for spinel ferrite electrodes, to expand energy storage applications.