Cerium oxide nanoparticles/multi-wall carbon nanotubes composites: Facile synthesis and electrochemical performances as supercapacitor electrode materials

Cerium oxide nanoparticles/multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composites are synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method without any surfactant or template. The morphology and microstructure of samples are examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transition electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectrum and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Electrochemical properties of the MWCNTs, the pure CeO2, and the CeO2/MWCNTs nanocomposites electrodes are investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge (GDC) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The CeO2/MWCNTs nanocomposite (at the mole ratio of 1:1) electrode exhibits much larger specific capacitance compared with both the MWCNTs electrode and the pure CeO2 electrode and significantly improves cycling stability compared to the pure CeO2 electrode. The CeO2/MWCNTs nanocomposite (at the mole ratio of 1:1) achieves a specific capacitance of 455.6 F g(-1) at the current density of 1 Ag-1. Therefore, the as prepared CeO2/MWCNTs nanocomposite is a promising electrode material for high-performance super capacitors.