Ultrasonically assisted microwave synthesis of nanostructured FeCo2O4 as potential cathode materials for supercapacitors

Iron Cobaltite (FeCo2O4) is successfully prepared in a single-phase form via wet-chemical route with assistance from high power (150 W) ultrasound. The synthesis process was further hastened by utilizing the power of uniform microwave heating for solid-state reaction in lieu of conventional heating. We were able to achieve single-phase FeCo2O4 by calcinating sonicated solution at 400 °C for 6 h. The use of these accelerated synthesis techniques could accelerate the nucleation rate, and thus could result in reduction of phase formation temperature/time. This eventually resulted in nanoparticles formation with average particle size of ~ 200 nm. The electrochemical performance of the material was tested in a three-electrode system, with FeCo2O4 compound showing a high specific capacitance of 784 Fg−1 at 2 mVs−1. The electrochemical performance demonstrated by the FeCo2O4 put its candidature as a potential cathode material for supercapacitor application.