Synthesis, characterization and supercapacitor application of nanourchin-like VO2.

Nanourchin VO2 nanostructures have been effectively synthesized by hydrothermal method. The synthesized hierarchical nanostructure has been characterized by various characterization techniques and electrochemical behaviour has been studied. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the monoclinic phase and morphological analysis (FESEM) of VO2 showed nanourchin-like structure with arrangement of various nanorods in radial fashion. Over these nanorods, formation of secondary growth of asterisk-shape structure was observed. The width and length of nanorods were ~ 50 and ~ 75 nm, respectively. For the electrochemical measurements, 2032 type coin cells were fabricated using VO2 as electrode material. The electrochemical study of VO2 exhibited the pseudocapacitive behaviour with specific capacitance of 44 F g−1 in organic electrolyte with symmetric capacitor of two electrode system. The maximum energy density and power density were 44 and 8635 Wh kg−1, respectively. Cycling performance exhibited symmetric charge–discharge curves, and also specific capacitance was maintained up to 82% of initial value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]