journal article·2025-09-27Open access

Hollow Carbon Nanorod-Encapsulated Eu2O3 for High-Energy Hybrid Supercapacitors

Arslan Umer, Daniel W. Tague, Muhammad Abbas, John P. Ferraris, Kenneth J. Balkus

Batteries· Volume 11· Issue 10

Abstract

Carbon nanorods have been synthesized from acetylene and steam using europium oxide nanorods as a template. The resulting carbon exhibits a high conductivity of 4.66 × 105 S/m and a surface area of 1226 m2/g. The Eu2O3 was partially or completely washed from the carbon, creating hollow nanorods. Hybrid supercapacitors were fabricated where the Eu2O3 contributes a redox pseudocapacitance. A gravimetric capacitance of 501.2 F/g for the hybrid cell and 202 F/g for the carbon-only cell was measured at 1 A/g using 1 M lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) in propylene carbonate as an electrolyte. The hybrid supercapacitor exhibited an excellent energy density of 108 Wh/kg at 1 A/g compared to 43 Wh/g at 1 A/g for the carbon-only supercapacitor.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Supercapacitor Materials and Fabrication · Advancements in Battery Materials · Aerogels and thermal insulation

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX 75080, USA

Funding

Robert A. Welch Foundation · University of Texas at Dallas Office of Research through the Core Facility Voucher Program

References (58)

Show source-provided references
1. Liu, W., Sun, X., Yan, X., Gao, Y., Zhang, X., Wang, K., and Ma, Y. (2024). Review of Energy Storage Capacitor Technology. Batteries, 10.10.3390/batteries10080271 ↗
2. Salaheldeen, M., Eskander, T.N.A., Fathalla, M., Zhukova, V., Blanco, J.M., Gonzalez, J., Zhukov, A., and Abu-Dief, A.M. (2025). Empowering the Future: Cutting-Edge Developments in Supercapacitor Technology for Enhanced Energy Storage. Batteries, 11.10.3390/batteries11060232 ↗
3. Yaseen, M., Khattak, M.A.K., Humayun, M., Usman, M., Shah, S.S., Bibi, S., Hasnain, B.S.U., Ahmad, S.M., Khan, A., and Shah, N. (2021). A Review of Supercapacitors: Materials Design, Modification, and Applications. Energies, 14.10.3390/en14227779 ↗
4. On the performance of supercapacitors with electrodes based on carbon nanotubes and carbon activated material—A review10.1016/j.physe.2007.09.044 ↗
5. Materials for supercapacitors: When Li-ion battery power is not enough10.1016/j.mattod.2018.01.035 ↗
6. Recent advancement of supercapacitors: A current era of supercapacitor devices through the development of electrical double layer, pseudo and their hybrid supercapacitor electrodes10.1016/j.est.2024.115075 ↗
7. Material advancements in supercapacitors: From activated carbon to carbon nanotube and graphene10.1002/cjce.20586 ↗
8. Recent Progress in Carbonaceous and Redox-Active Nanoarchitectures for Hybrid Supercapacitors: Performance Evaluation, Challenges, and Future Prospects10.1002/tcr.202200018 ↗
9. The development of pseudocapacitor electrodes and devices with high active mass loading10.1002/aenm.201903848 ↗
10. Nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur co-doped hierarchical porous carbons toward high-performance supercapacitors by direct pyrolysis of kraft lignin10.1016/j.carbon.2019.04.023 ↗
11. Lu, Z., and Ren, X. (2025). Pseudocapacitive Storage in High-Performance Flexible Batteries and Supercapacitors. Batteries, 11.10.3390/batteries11020063 ↗
12. The key challenges and future opportunities of electrochemical capacitors10.1016/j.jechem.2022.09.019 ↗
13. Muzaffar, A., Ahamed, M.B., and Deshmukh, K. (2021). Conducting polymer electrolytes for flexible supercapacitors. Flex. Supercapacitor Nanoarchitectonics, 233–262.10.1002/9781119711469.ch9 ↗
14. Wei, L., Zhao, W., and Yushin, G. (2019). Carbons from biomass for electrochemical capacitors. Prod. Mater. Sustain. Biomass Resour., 153–184.10.1007/978-981-13-3768-0_6 ↗
15. Interactions between graphene and ionic liquid electrolyte in supercapacitors10.1016/j.electacta.2016.03.036 ↗
16. A supercapacitor with high specific volumetric capacitance produced by 12-phosphomolybdate anchored on graphene balls10.1021/acsaem.2c02324 ↗
17. New insights into the performance of biomass carbon-based supercapacitors based on interpretable machine learning approach10.1016/j.est.2025.116300 ↗
18. Three dimensional carbon nanosheets as a novel catalyst support for enzymatic bioelectrodes10.1002/aenm.201301306 ↗
19. Preparation and Utilization of Jute-Derived Carbon: A Short Review10.1002/tcr.202000071 ↗
20. Carbide-derived carbons–from porous networks to nanotubes and graphene10.1002/adfm.201002094 ↗
21. Recent advances in transition metal chalcogenides for lithium-ion capacitors10.1007/s12598-022-02028-8 ↗
22. Iron-based supercapacitor electrodes: Advances and challenges10.1002/aenm.201601053 ↗
23. Manganese oxide nanorod–graphene/vanadium oxide nanowire–graphene binder-free paper electrodes for metal oxide hybrid supercapacitors10.1016/j.nanoen.2013.03.018 ↗
24. Raut, B., Ahmed, M.S., Kim, H.-Y., Rahman Khan, M.M., Bari, G.A.K.M.R., Islam, M., and Nam, K.-W. (2025). Battery-Type Transition Metal Oxides in Hybrid Supercapacitors: Synthesis and Applications. Batteries, 11.10.3390/batteries11020060 ↗
25. Europium oxide nanorod-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites towards supercapacitors10.1039/C9RA11012G ↗
26. Augmented gravimetric and volumetric capacitive performance of rare earth metal oxide (Eu2O3) incorporated polypyrrole for supercapacitor applications10.1016/j.jelechem.2017.09.048 ↗
27. Magnesium hydroxide templated hierarchical porous carbon nanosheets as electrodes for high-energy-density supercapacitors10.1021/acsaem.2c00417 ↗
28. Graphene-like carbon from calcium hydroxide10.1021/acsomega.1c04305 ↗
29. Lanthanum-catalysed synthesis of microporous 3D graphene-like carbons in a zeolite template10.1038/nature18284 ↗
30. Yttrium oxide-catalyzed formation of electrically conductive carbon for supercapacitors10.1021/acsaem.1c02270 ↗
31. Abbas, M., Haque, S.F.B., Tian, Y., Ferraris, J.P., and Balkus, K.J. (2022). Organic–Inorganic Nanohybrids in Supercapacitors. Hybrid Nanomaterials: Biomedical, Environmental and Energy Applications, Springer.10.1007/978-981-19-4538-0_16 ↗
32. Facile synthesis, characterization, formation mechanism and photoluminescence property of Eu2O3 nanorods10.1016/j.jallcom.2009.07.165 ↗
33. Electrochemical capacitors for energy management10.1126/science.1158736 ↗
34. Carbon nanosheet buckypaper: A graphene-carbon nanotube hybrid material for enhanced supercapacitor performance10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.09.015 ↗
35. Binder-free three-dimensional high energy density electrodes for ionic-liquid supercapacitors10.1039/C5CC04359J ↗
36. Comparison of heterogeneous pore models QSDFT and 2D-NLDFT and computer programs ASiQwin and SAIEUS for calculation of pore size distribution10.1007/s10450-015-9704-6 ↗
37. Full characterization of Eu(OH)3 and Eu2O3 nanorods10.1016/j.apsusc.2014.06.165 ↗
38. Synthesis of europium oxide nanorods by ultrasound irradiation10.1021/jp025864g ↗
39. Physisorption hysteresis loops and the characterization of nanoporous materials10.1260/0263617053499032 ↗
40. Two-dimensional hexagonal-shaped mesoporous carbon sheets for supercapacitors10.1021/acsomega.2c01149 ↗
41. Physisorption of gases, with special reference to the evaluation of surface area and pore size distribution (IUPAC Technical Report)10.1515/pac-2014-1117 ↗
42. Yang, Q.-H., and Cheng, H.-M. (2006). Carbon nanotubes: Surface, porosity, and related applications. Carbon Nanotechnology, Elsevier.10.1016/B978-044451855-2/50015-2 ↗
43. Lanthanum hydroxide nanorod-templated graphitic hollow carbon nanorods for supercapacitors10.1021/acsomega.8b01714 ↗
44. Hausbrand, R., and Jaegermann, W. (2018). Reaction Layer Formation and Charge Transfer at Li-Ion Cathode—Electrolyte Interfaces: Concepts and Results Obtained by a Surface Science Approach, Elsevier.10.1016/B978-0-12-409547-2.14195-2 ↗
45. A Raman spectroscopic study of C-type rare earth sesquioxides10.1016/j.matchar.2007.04.008 ↗
46. Structural, XPS and magnetic studies of pulsed laser deposited Fe doped Eu2O3 thin film10.1016/j.materresbull.2015.05.007 ↗
47. XPS photoemission in carbonaceous materials: A “defect” peak beside the graphitic asymmetric peak10.1016/j.carbon.2004.03.005 ↗
48. Thermal stability and reducibility of oxygen-containing functional groups on multiwalled carbon nanotube surfaces: A quantitative high-resolution XPS and TPD/TPR study10.1021/jp804413a ↗
49. Everitt, G.F. (1971). Transition-Metal Complexes of Tetracyanoethylene. [Ph.D. Thesis, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College].
50. Tetracyanoethylene (TCNE): The characteristic geometries and vibrational absorptions of its numerous structures10.1002/anie.200503277 ↗
51. Controllable preparation of graphene/MnO2/Co3O4 for supercapacitors10.1016/j.jallcom.2017.09.251 ↗
52. V2O5/MnO2 Nanostructured Electrodes for High-Energy-Density Supercapacitors10.1021/acsanm.5c02454 ↗
53. Fe2O3 decorated graphene oxide/polypyrrole matrix for high energy density flexible supercapacitor10.1016/j.surfin.2021.101572 ↗
54. A novel electrochemiluminescnece sensor based on an Ru(bpy)32+-Eu2O3-nafion nanocomposite and its application in the detection of diphenhydramine10.20964/2017.06.56 ↗
55. Stabilizing divalent europium in aqueous solution using size-discrimination and electrostatic effects10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5b00548 ↗
56. Electrochemical investigation of the Eu3+/2+ redox couple in complexes with variable numbers of glycinamide and acetate pendant arms10.1002/ejic.201701070 ↗
57. Physical interpretations of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of redox active electrodes for electrical energy storage10.1021/acs.jpcc.8b05241 ↗
58. Graphene double-layer capacitor with ac line-filtering performance10.1126/science.1194372 ↗