Molybdenum oxide/carbon composite electrodes as electrochemical supercapacitors

MoO3/AC composite electrodes with various molybdenum oxide content were pre pared using activated carbon with high surface area (S(BET)similar to1,900 m(2) g(-1)) by impregnation of activated carbon in methanolic solutions of MoCl5. The supercapacitive behavior of the composite material was character ized by cyclic voltammetry. An increase in capacitance compared to pristine carbon was observed in both alkaline and acidic electrolytes when the load ing quantity was small (0.3-3.0 mass %). Enhancement of approximately 34% i n capacitance was obtained with 1.4 mass % loading in 1.0 M NaOH electrolyt e. The composite electrodes possessed excellent stability, with a capacitan ce decay of only 6% after 20,000 cycles. (C) 2001 The Electrochemical Socie ty.