Synthesis and application of nanorod Bi2WO6/ZnO/rGO composite as a latent high-performance supercapacitor electrode

Abstract

Bismuth Tungstate/Zinc oxide/reduced Graphene Oxide (Bi2WO6(BWO)/ZnO/rGO) nanocomposites with various ratios of rGO were fabricated utilizing a surfactant-driven hydrothermal process to investigate structural, morphological, and electrochemical properties as a potential electrode material. Compared with the BWO/ZnO/rGO(0.03 wt%) to BWO/ZnO/rGO(0.02 wt%) and BWO/ZnO/rGO(0.02 wt%) composite electrodes, the composite with the highest concentration of rGO with a particular capacitance demonstrates much greater capacitive performances(Cs) of 254.34 Fg−1 at 2 A/g with high cycling stability with capacitance retention of 79.67 % of the initial capacitance(Cs). A good rate capacity of 87.39 % at 5 A/g, 85.37 % at 10 A/g, and a 79.67 % reduction of its initial capacitance at an extreme charge/discharge current density of 20 A/g. The enhanced performance of BWO/ZnO/rGO composites suggested a potential material for supercapacitor electrodes. EDX result ensures the chemical purity level of synthesized nanocomposites according to the experiment design. The SEM results of the composites BWO/ZnO/rGO exhibit a 50–150 nm long short rod-like shape and an average diameter of approximately 50 nm. The XRD patterns of BWO, BWO/ZnO, and BWO/ZnO/rGO have crystallite sizes of 42.016, 44.845, and 59.784 nm respectively representing a gradual increase in size wt% of rGO increased in the composite.