Enhanced electrochemical performance of alpha-MoO3/graphene nanocomposites prepared by anin situmicrowave irradiation technique for energy storage applications

摘要

Nanoparticles of alpha-molybdenum oxide (alpha-MoO3) are directly grown on graphene sheets using a surfactant-free facile one step ultrafastin situmicrowave irradiation method. The prepared alpha-MoO(3)and alpha-MoO3/G nanocomposites are analysed by different characterization techniques to study their structural, morphological and optical properties. Transmission electron microscope images reveal the intercalation of three dimensional (3D) alpha-MoO(3)nanoparticles into 2D graphene sheets without any agglomeration. The electrochemical results exhibit improved performance for the alpha-MoO3/G composite electrode compared to pristine alpha-MoO(3)owing to its structural superiority. The specific capacitance (C-s) values of the alpha-MoO3/G composite and pristine alpha-MoO(3)are measured to be 483 and 142 F g(-1)respectively at a current density of 1 A g(-1). The alpha-MoO3/G composite maintains a very strong cyclic performance after 5000 cycles. The capacitance retention of the composite electrode shows stable behavior without any degradation confirming its suitability as an enduring electrode material for high-performance supercapacitor applications.