The composite material based on Dawson-type polyoxometalate and activated carbon as the supercapacitor electrode

•P2Mo18 was introduced into the supercapacitor electrode for the first time.•The AC/P2Mo18 composite material improves the specific capacitance of primitive AC.•An AC/P2Mo18 electrode exhibits a remarkable rate capability (89%).

A supercapacitor electrode assembled from activated carbon (AC) and (NH4)6[P2Mo18O62]·14.2H2O (P2Mo18) was fabricated for the first time, and showed remarkable electrochemical performance ascribed to the synergy of the double layer capacitance of AC and the pseudocapacitance of P2Mo18. The investigations indicate that the AC/P2Mo18 electrode exhibits a specific capacitance of 275 F g− 1 at a high current density of 6 A g− 1, which is substantially larger than the 182 F g− 1 of the AC electrode. In addition, the AC/P2Mo18 electrode possesses a remarkable rate capability (89%) when the current density is increased from 2 to 6 A g− 1.

Graphical abstractAn AC/P2Mo18 composite material exhibiting a higher specific capacitance (275 F g− 1) than an AC electrode (182 F g− 1) at a high current density of 6 A g− 1 and possessing a remarkable rate capability (89%) when the current density increased from 2 to 6 A g− 1 has been introduced into a supercapacitor electrode for the first time.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide