Development of binder-free MoTe₂/rGO electrode via hydrothermal route for supercapacitor application

The rising prevalence of electronic devices necessitates the application of supercapacitors, which rely on electrochemically active materials with high capacitive performance. Two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe₂) nanoarrays have piqued great interest due to their wide-range applications including supercapacitor material, because of the inherent layered structure, low band gap and comparable conductivity. On the other hand, its self-aggregations decrease its chemical stability and activity, which remains a major barrier to its actual application. By combining with carbon-based reduced graphene oxide (rGO), self-aggregation and electrochemical activity can be improved significantly. In this research, MoTe₂-supported rGO (MoTe₂/rGO) was fabricated via a low-cost facile hydrothermal approach and characterised by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) that is inclined with scanning electron microscope (SEM). Electrochemical assessments were also accomplished in an aqueous electrolytic solution of 2.0 M potassium hydroxide (KOH) for supercapacitor performance. The MoTe2/rGO shows exceptional specific capacitance (Cs) of 1196 F g⁻¹, specific energy of 83.06 Wh kg^−1- as well as 353.5 W kg⁻¹ specific power at a current density of 1 A g⁻¹ measured from galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD) profile. On the other hand, the composite shows specific capacitance of 757.40 F g⁻¹ measure via cyclic voltammetry (CV) at a scan rate of 5 mV s⁻¹. Additionally, the nanohybrid shows a robust retention capacitance of 94.23% after 5000th successive cycles at 1 A g⁻¹. The mechanical flexibility, intense cooperation and combined effects of MoTe₂ and rGO nanosheets are responsible for the exceptional performance of supercapacitor applications. Because of its enormous potential for green energy generation and its simplicity of manufacture in a single step, MoTe₂/rGO nanocomposite can serve as an electrode for extraordinary supercapacitors.