Amorphous carbon nanofibres inducing high specific capacitance of deposited hydrous ruthenium oxide

Composites consisting of ruthenium oxide particles deposited on amorphous carbon nanofibres are prepared by a repetitive impregnation procedure. The choice of amorphous carbon nanofibres as support of amorphous ruthenium oxide leads to composites in which the deposited oxide consists of aggregates of extremely small primary particles (1–1.5 nm-size) and showing high porosity (specific surface area of 450 m² g⁻¹). This special deposition of the oxide seems to favour: (i) high oxide capacitance (1000 Fg⁻¹) at high oxide loadings (up to 20 wt%) and (ii) high capacitance retention (ca. 80% from the initial oxide capacitance) at high current densities (200 mA cm⁻²). Amorphous carbon nanofibres are suitable supports for amorphous ruthenium oxide and perhaps for other amorphous oxides acting as active electrode materials.