One-dimensional MoO3 coated by carbon for supercapacitor with enhanced electrochemical performance

MoO3, as a potential electrode material in energy storage, has recently been attracted increasing attention in supercapacitor. However, due to the poor electrical conductivity of MoO3, its practical application is limited. In this work, the electronic conductivity and the electrochemical performances of MoO3 electrode have been improved by introducing carbon on the surface of MoO3 nanobelt. The novel C@MoO3 nanocomposite was successfully prepared by hydrothermal in this study. The as-prepared samples were characterized by XRD, Raman, Fourier transform infrared, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. The electrochemical measurement results showed that the C@MoO3 nanocomposite exhibits superior electrochemical properties. The specific capacitance of C@MoO3 is 179 F g− 1 at current density of 1 A g− 1, which is 2.8 times than MoO3 at the same current density. The outstanding electrochemical performance could be attributed to these reasons including the advantages of the synergistic effect and good conductivity of carbon layer. This work will facilitate the application of other transition metal oxides with similar structures in energy storage.