One step synthesis of samarium vanadate nanorods for high performance supercapacitors.

Tetragonal SmVO4 nanorods were prepared by simple solvothermal route with various temperatures. An optimised SmVO4 sample was characterised through X-ray diffraction spectrum (XRD) and Micro-Raman spectroscopy. These results confirm that high crystallinity and pure tetragonal phase of SmVO4 can be achieved. For morphology analysis, scanning electron microscope (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) techniques were performed. These results confirmed the rod shape SmVO4 nanoparticles with no impurities. For optical properties, UV-visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) techniques were performed. A broad absorption (290 nm – 330 nm) occurred in UV-Vis spectrum leads to multiple excitations and emissions at 542.7 nm, 600.5 nm and 643.7 nm with 4G5/2→6H5/2 (green), 4G5/2→6H7/2 (orange) and 4G5/2→6H9/2 (red), respectively. Finally, Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) study showed that the prepared SmVO4 nanoparticles possessed paramagnetic nature with high retentivity of 366.06 emu. Electrochemical performance of SV1 electrode shows pseudocapacitance nature with high specific capacitance value of 310 F/g (1 A/g) from GCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]