Title: Nanostructured vanadium oxide based systems: their applications in supercapacitors

Authors: Amreesh Chandra, Alexander J. Roberts, Robert C.T. Slade

Addresses: Department of Physics and Meteorology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721 302, West Bengal, India. ' Chemical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK. ' Chemical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK

Abstract: Synthesis and characterisation of nanostructured vanadium oxide based systems and their application in energy storage devices, namely supercapacitors, is presented. Vanadium oxide has been synthesised using a hydrothermal route in presence of various templates. X-ray diffraction studies reveal the formation of vanadium (IV) oxide as majority phase. SEM and TEM results depict presence of different nano-structured morphologies depending upon the template used. BET surface area measurement shows an increase of ∼7 times in the surface area of the synthesised powders in comparison to surface area of the starting raw powders. Conductivity enhancement of ∼3 to 5 orders of magnitude is observed as compared to conductivity of the starting raw material. These properties make this templated system suitable for application as electrode material in energy storage devices such as supercapacitors. Promising results of charge discharge on supercapacitors assembled using templated vanadium oxide based electrodes are reported. It is proposed that such systems can act as a cheap alternative to RuO₂.

Keywords: supercapacitors; electrode materials; nanomaterials; electrochemical; nanostructures; vanadium oxide; synthesis; characterisation; nanotechnology; energy storage.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2010.034694

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2010 Vol.7 No.9/10/11/12, pp.861 - 869

Published online: 17 Aug 2010 *

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