A core-shell MnO2@Au nanofiber network as a high-performance flexible transparent supercapacitor electrode

Metal oxides have attracted great attention as active materials for supercapacitor devices because of their high energy densities. However, their application for transparent supercapacitors is limited due to their opaqueness. The challenge remains to fabricate flexible transparent metal oxide supercapacitor electrodes. Here, in this paper, we report a novel technique to fabricate flexible transparent core-shell MnO2@AuNF network electrodes for flexible transparent supercapacitors. A high electro-optical performance AuNF network electrode (sheet resistance 9.58 Omega sq(-1) and optical transparency similar to 93.13%) was fabricated using a scalable electrospinning process and thermal vacuum deposition technique. With the AuNF network electrode as a current collector, a hierarchal MnO2 nanosheet was electrodeposited over the AuNF network, yielding a highly interconnected core-shell MnO2@AuNF network electrode structure with high transparency (similar to 86%). The fabricated MnO2@AuNF network electrode exhibited a high areal capacitance of 8.26 mF cm(-2) at 5 mV s(-1), along with high rate capability, long-term cycling stability, and excellent mechanical flexibility. Furthermore, the assembled flexible transparent supercapacitor device also showed high transparency (similar to 79%), a high energy density of 0.14 mu W h cm(-2) at a power density of 4 mu W cm(-2), along with excellent mechanical flexibility.