Preparation and characterization of Cu+2-BTC MOF as an Electrodic Material for supercapacitors

Electrochemical capacitors store electrical energy either in the electrochemical double layer (EDL) formed by the electrolyte ions on the surface of the electrode, or faradaically by redox reactions involving the surface regions of electrode materials [1]. The important distinction between the two charge-storing mechanisms is that in the former no electrons are passed between the solution and the electrode, whereas the latter involves interfacial electron transfer between the solution and the electrode, giving rise to pseudocapacitance.One class of materials that far surpasses even the porosity of activated carbons is metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) [2]. In this study, we prepared Cu+2-BTC MOF in aqueous solution. The crystal structure of prepared material and MOF formation were certified by XRD and FT-IR. The capacitive behavior of prepared Cu+2-BTC MOF was investigated using cyclic voltammetry, charge-discharge curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in aqueous solution of 1.0 M Na2SO4. Finally, to enhance its electrical conductivity, some nanocomposites containing prepared MOF and different amounts of graphene oxide were prepared and their electrochemical capacitances were investigated and compared to pristine MOF.