Enhanced specific capacitance, structural, optical, and morphological study of carbon ions incorporated into the lattice of ZrCuO2 nanoparticle synthesized by hydrothermal method

Abstract

In this study, ZrCuO2 nanoparticles were made using the hydrothermal method and potassium hydroxide as the precipitant. The material was irradiated with 500 keV carbon (C++) ions at doses of 1 × 1014, 1 × 1016, and 1 × 1018 ions/cm2. The ZrCuO2 nanoparticles exhibited cubic crystal structures with clear peaks on different orientation planes, both before and after being irradiated with carbon ions (C++). By incorporating carbon ions, the peak intensity and crystallinity of CuO nanostructures were enhanced. The non-irradiated micrographs display groups of tiny pebbles, whereas the carbon ion irradiated ZrCuO2 nanoparticles show flake-like structures. The material became denser because of carbon ion irradiation, which increased the carrier concentration. The absorption rate increase of the material reveals the impact of a carbon ion on irradiated ZrCuO2 nanoparticles. The absorbance of ZrCuO2 nanoparticles is enhanced through carbon ion implantation. The material has a bandgap energy of 1.95 eV without irradiation. The bandgap energy range of the irradiated material is 1.55–1.82 eV. The energy bandgap of the synthesized material was reduced because of carbon ion irradiation. The ZrCuO2 nanoparticle electrode with a specific capacitance value of 225 F/g. The electrodes prepared at 500 keV carbon (C++) ions with dosages of 1 × 1014, 1 × 1016, and 1 × 1018 ions/cm2 yielded specific capacitance values of 275 F/g, 300 F/g, and 312.5 F/g, respectively.

Keywords

• Hydrothermal
• Carbon ions
• Bandgap
• Zirconium
• Copper oxide