TITLE:
Physical and Electrochemical Characterization of Nsutite
AUTHORS:
Rahul Singhal, Jonathan Lembeck, Peter C. K. LeMaire III, Daniel Pereira, Peter LeMaire
KEYWORDS:
Nsutite, Manganese Oxides, Supercapacitors, Cyclic Voltammetry, Specific Capacitance
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Analytical Chemistry,
Vol.12 No.11,
November
24,
2021
ABSTRACT: Manganese oxides are of interest as, among a number of other applications, supercapacitor materials for energy storage systems. Nsutite, a naturally occurring Manganese Oxide was studied as a possible high-volume source of materials for supercapacitor applications. X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis (DSC/TGA) measurements were carried out to characterize its physical properties, and Cyclic Voltametry and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements were carried out to obtain its electrochemical properties. The XRD and thermal results support transitions of nsutite, upon heating which were attributed to conversion to MnO2, and to Mn2O3 and eventually to Mn3O4. The electrochemical results of the as mined material show supercapacitance behaviour, suggesting that nsutite, with some heat processing, is to be a promising high-volume source of manganese oxides for supercapacitor applications.