Electrochemical activity of triple-layered boron-containing carbon nanofibers with hollow channels in supercapacitors.

Triple-layered boron-containing carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with hollow channels (PPMPB) are fabricated via step-by-step electrospinning for high-performance freestanding supercapacitors. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based CNFs in the first layer are chosen as the support layer material because of their excellent chemical stability and electrospinnability. The well-developed hollow channels provided fast ion diffusion in the second layer of PAN/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-based CNFs. The surface boron functional groups constituting the third layer contribute to the pseudo-capacitance. The symmetric supercapacitor of the PPMPB electrodes delivers a maximum specific capacitance of 180 Fg−1 at 1 mAcm−2, a high energy density of 22.38 Whkg−1 at a power density of 400 Wkg−1, and an excellent retention rate of 96% after 10,000 cycles in aqueous solution. The excellent electrochemical performance is attributed to the unique sandwich nanostructure with a three-layer structure, in which the factors representing the electrochemical properties of each layer do not interfere with each other. Therefore, a moderate amount of boron and the high surface area of the triple-layer structured PPMPB can be fully utilized as an excellent conductive network and electroactive sites, which is expected in a high-performance supercapacitor electrode. [Display omitted] • Triple-layered boron-containing CNFs were fabricated by step-by-step electrospinning. • The CNFs in the first layer provide active adsorption sites for EDLC. • Hollow core present in the interlayer serves as an excellent conductive network. • A moderate amount of boron in the third layer is utilized as the electroactive site. • Symmetric PPMPB(20) electrode showed good rate capability and long cycle life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]