A copper based metal-organic framework as single source for the synthesis of electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors and glucose sensing applications

• Thermal conversion of MOf-199 to Cu–Cu2O–CuO/C nanostructures.
• Electrochemical application of copper/copper oxide embedded graphitic carbon.
• Use of electrochemical techniques for capacitive performance.
• Removal of copper oxides by washing the nanostructures with HCl solution.
• Evaluating the oxides free material electrocatalyst for glucose sensing.

The article describes the conversion of MOF-199 to Cu–Cu2O–CuO/C 700 (1) and Cu–Cu2O–CuO/C 800 (2) nanostructures by simple pyrolysis at 700 and 800 °C under inert atmosphere. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis reveals that the nanostructures Cu–Cu2O–CuO/C consist of graphitic carbon functionalized with carboxylic, carbonyl and hydroxyl functional groups with copper/copper oxide particles on surfaces. The electrochemical properties of 1 and 2 are evaluated as electrode material for supercapacitors using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results for the capacitive performance from cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge reveal that both the samples have gravimetric capacitance greater than 750 F g−1 at a scan rate of 2 mV s−1 and current density of 2 mA cm−2. The samples retain about 43% of their initial capacitance even at high scan rate of 75 mV s−1. The cycling performance of the nanostructures illustrate that there is 5.5% capacitance loss after 3000 cycles. The sample 1 and 2 are washed with 1 mol L−1 HCl solution to obtain copper oxide free materials Cu/C 700 (3) and Cu/C 800 (4). Samples 3 and 4 are tested as electrocatalysts for glucose sensing and the cyclic voltammetry measurement shows enhanced current densities compared to the literature values.