Fabrication and Characterization of Nanostructured Metal Sulfide/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite Electrodes for High Performance Supercapacitor

Abstract

In era of the modern energy storage technology fast charging in parallel to better cycling stability are required demands from the industrial market. Energy shortage around the world is currently emerging as a vital subject to be resolved. The rapid demand for energy usage leads the research path, along with ease of utility, towards the production of highly functional energy devices. Modern industries are striving to achieve highly effective, light-weight, portable and environment friendly energy storage devices like batteries and supercapacitors to meet the current energy demands. Thus, paper electrodes play a vital role for modern flexible, light-weight and portable component of such devices. Herein, the research work presents synthesis of materials and fabrication of environment friendly, flexible, light-weight paper electrodes for supercapacitor. Natural fibers extracted from self-growing plants corn incorporate to provide mechanical stability to acts as non-toxic natural binders for electrode development. Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) is renowned for better cycling stability however lacks fast charging due to low surface area and poor electronic conductivity. Nanostructured metal sulfides e.g. Molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) can provide the high surface area to enhance the kinetics required for fast charging. Presented study is an attempt to fabricate MoS2/rGO composite materials for the development of high power density and better cyclic stability electrode for supercapacitor application. MoS2 synthesized through hydrothermal method and Reduced Graphene oxide is prepared after Graphene oxide is synthesized through Modified Hummer method is further reduced thermally to obtain reduced graphene oxide. MoS2/rGO composite is prepared through hydrothermal method. Corn fibers are incorporated to MoS2/rGO acted as natural binder for fabrication of paper electrodes. The developed electrodes were investigated and compared for energy storage applications through electrochemical analysis including cyclic voltammetry and Galvanostatic charge discharge testing via 3-electrode system. Other characterizations (FTIR, Raman, and SEM) were under processed due to covid 19 (for analyzing the developed material and its composite). Overall analysis confirms the successful formation of material and composite. The electrode showed excellent electrochemical response with specific capacitance and good cyclic stability. Further utility for symmetric or asymmetric supercapacitor could be done accordingly. Therefore, the prepared electrodes are moderate to utilize in energy storage applications.