Enhanced electrochemical performance of rGO: Sm2O3 nanocomposite synthesized by hydrothermal assisted simple solution technique

Reduced graphene oxide-Sm2O3 nanocomposite has been successfully synthesized by hydrothermal assisted simple solution method. The structural analysis has been done by the powder X-ray diffraction method and the morphology has been analyzed by the field emission scanning electron microscopic image and transmission electron microscopic image. The carbon band structures have been identified using the Raman spectroscopy analysis. From the morphological studies, it has been observed that the Sm2O3 nanoparticles with a size lesser than 50 nm have been homogeneously distributed on both sides of the rGO sheets. The elemental composition of the composite and rGO has been measured using EDAX spectra obtained by electron probe microanalysis techniques. Battery type dominant pseudo capacitance behavior was observed from chronopotentiometry charging-discharging analysis of pristine Sm2O3 and rGO: Sm2O3 nanocomposite. Moreover, the same storage behavior was also obtained in cyclic voltammetry analysis. Due to the synergistic effect, rGO: Sm2O3 nanocomposite has higher specific capacitance (84.03 Fg(-1) at 5 mVs(-1)) than that of pure Sm2O3 (64.96 Fg(-1) at 5 mVs(-1)) nanoparticles.