Role of polymeric surfactant in the synthesis of cobalt molybdate nanospheres for hybrid capacitor applications

The role of Pluronic F127, a triblock copolymer, i.e. poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)poly( ethylene oxide) PEO-PPO-PEO, adsorbed on cobalt molybdate (CoMoO4), and its influence on the physico-chemical properties have been investigated. As a surfactant, Pluronic F127 is able to alter the surface properties of CoMoO4 during synthesis. Through a facile synthesis at 300 degrees C, F127 adsorbs at the interface and self-assembles into a micellar aggregate, resulting in the formation of CoMoO4 nanospheres. A cluster of nano-particles with an average size of 250 nm is obtained when F127 is added to CoMoO4, while rod-shaped particles (1 mm) are obtained in the absence of F127. The surfactant-assisted CoMoO4 is associated with enhanced pore accessibility and electronic conductivity, having a dual role in potential applications. The objective of this study is to test the as-synthesized CoMoO4 with regard to application in energy storage by tuning the surface properties. The hybrid capacitor (F127 added to CoMoO4 vs. activated carbon) showed an excellent electrochemical performance with a specific capacitance of 79 F g(-1) and an energy density of 38 W h kg(-1) in 2 M NaOH electrolyte, which was much higher than that for pure CoMoO4 (23 F g(-1)). The long-term cycling stability of the modified CoMoO4 was tested and it was found to retain almost 80% of its initial capacity after 2000 cycles. The results obtained suggest that F127-modified CoMoO4 would be a suitable candidate for fabricating a cost-effective energy storage device.