A simple synthesis method to produce metal oxide loaded carbon paper using bacterial cellulose gel and characterization of its electrochemical behavior in an aqueous electrolyte

• Metal oxide loaded carbon papers were easily obtainable from cellulose fiber gel.
• Metal oxide content loaded on carbon paper was simply controllable.
• Structural change of metal oxide/carbon paper during heat-treatment was determined.
• Binder-free electrode for electrochemical redox reaction was possible by the paper.

A simple synthetic chemical process to produce metal oxide loaded carbon papers was developed using bacterial cellulose gel, which consisted of nanometer-sized fibrous cellulose and water. Metal ions were successfully impregnated into the gel via aqueous solution media before drying and carbonization methods resulting in metal oxide contents that were easy to control through variations in the concentration of aqueous solutions. The papers loaded by molybdenum oxides were characterized as pseudocapacitor electrodes preliminary, and the large redox capacitance of the oxides was followed by a conductive fibrous carbon substrate, suggesting that a binder and carbon black additive-free electrode consisting of metal oxides and carbon paper was formed.