Charge storage properties of a α-MoO3/carboxyl-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotube composite electrode in a Li ion electrolyte

A facile, cost-effective and scaleable method is presented for the fabrication of thin film alpha-MoO3/SWCNT-COOH composite electrodes with a high charge storage capacity in LiClO4/propylene carbonate in a 1.5-3.5V (versus Li/Li+) working electrochemical window. alpha-MoO3 nanobelts were synthesized using an established hydrothermal method and composite thin film electrodes incorporating interwoven single walled carbon nanotubes as an electrical conductive additive within a network of alpha-MoO3 nanobelts were manufactured by spray deposition. The composite electrode showed a maximum charge storage/capacitance of 697.7 Cg(-1) (193.8 mAhg(-1))/ 348.7 Fg(-1) at 0.1 mVs(-1) (per unit mass of composite electrode) with a contribution to charge storage from capacitive and diffusion controlled processes of 443 Cg(-1) and 463.2 Cg(-1) (per unit mass of alpha-MoO3), respectively, which is comparable to charge storage attained by electrodes manufactured by more costly and non-scaleable templating methods previously reported. Cyclic voltammetry showed capacitances of 167 Fg(-1) and 75 Fg(-1) at 10 mVs(-1) and 50 mVs(-1), respectively, suggesting a potential application as electrochemical capacitor electrodes of moderate power densities. On the other hand, a charge storage of 697.7Cg(-1) (193.8 mAh g(-1)) attained at 0.1 mV s(-1), and a capacity of 596.8 mAh g(-1) achieved at 10 mA g(-1) in galvanostatic charge-discharge experiments supports a potential application of alpha-MoO3 as a Li-ion battery cathode. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.