Electrodeposition of mesoporous ruthenium oxide using an aqueous mixture of CTAB and SDS as a templating agent

Mesoporous RuO2 films were electrochemically fabricated on ITO-coated glass substrate from aqueous ruthenium chloride (RuCl3·nH2O) solution. To achieve highly stable mesoporous structure, an aqueous mixture of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was used as a templating agent.The mesoporous structure was confirmed by small angle X-ray diffraction (SAXRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The addition of small amount (10wt%) of CTAB significantly improved the stability of porous structure. The crystallinity of synthesized RuO2 thin film was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Specific capacitance of the synthesized films was evaluated by measuring cyclic voltammetry (CV) and charge-discharge curves in 0.5 M H2SO4. Compared with non-porous electrode, mesoporous RuO2 showed higher supercapacitor performance.

► Mesoporous ruthenium oxide (RuO2) was synthesized by electrodeposition method.
► Stability of mesoporous structure was improved by using a mixture of SDS and CTAB.
► Mesoporous RuO2 electrode showed enhanced electrochemical properties.