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By using solar energy as the power source, aligned and clean reclaimed carbon fibers (RCFs) were successfully recovered from carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP). Furthermore, α-MnO 2 nanowires were grown on the RCF surface through a one-step hydrothermal process, and thus MnO 2 /RCF composite was successfully prepared. Both the RCF and MnO 2 /RCF can be directly utilized as supercapacitor electrode, and the electrochemical performance of the electrode materials were evaluated by utilizing cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in a three-electrode cell. RCF electrode exhibited a favorable performance with a prolonged potential window (−1.6–0 V) in a 2 mol L −1 of aqueous KOH solution, while the MnO 2 /RCF electrode prepared at 150 °C showed a superior electrochemical performance in a 1 mol L −1 of aqueous Na 2 SO 4 solution: a specific capacitance of 228.8 F g −1 at 1 A g −1 and high cycling stability (about 91.2% capacitance retention after 3000 cycles). A MnO 2 /RCF-based asymmetric supercapacitor was assembled, which exhibited excellent performances with a voltage window of 2.0 V, a high energy density of 22.9 Wh kg −1 and a remarkable cycling stability (89% capacitance retained after 1000 cycles at 2.25 A g −1 ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aligned reclaimed carbon fiber (RCF) was reused as a conductive support to load hierarchical molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) spheres and thus MoS 2 /RCF composite was constructed. The synthesis of MoS 2 and its loading were simultaneously completed during a facile hydrothermal process. This MoS 2 /RCF was directly utilized as the negative electrode for supercapacitor without any further process, which exhibited superior electrochemical performance: A specific capacitance of 225 F g −1 at 0.5 A g −1 . Furthermore, an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was assembled by coupling this MoS 2 /RCF electrode (−) with MnO 2 /RCF electrode (+), which delivered an energy density of 22.5 W h kg −1 at a power density of 703 W kg −1 over a wide potential range of 1.7 V. This RCF may be a promising conductive support candidate for those electrodes in the energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]