Enhanced electrochemical performance of α-MoO3/graphene nanocomposites prepared by an: In situ microwave irradiation technique for energy storage applications

Abstract

Nanoparticles of α-molybdenum oxide (α-MoO3) are directly grown on graphene sheets using a surfactant-free facile one step ultrafast in situ microwave irradiation method. The prepared α-MoO3 and α-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) α-MoO3 nanoparticles into 2D graphene sheets without any agglomeration. The electrochemical results exhibit improved performance for the α-MoO3/G composite electrode compared to pristine α-MoO3 owing to its structural superiority. The specific capacitance (Cs) values of the α-MoO3/G composite and pristine α-MoO3 are measured to be 483 and 142 F g-1 respectively at a current density of 1 A g-1. The α-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.