A reclaimed piezoelectric catalyst of MoS2@TNr composites as high-performance anode materials for supercapacitors

Abstract

A piezoelectric catalyst of the MoS₂@TNr composite (MoS₂ nanosheets composited with TiO₂ nanorods) was synthesized by a two-step hydrothermal method, and can be recycled and reused as an advanced anode material for supercapacitors. In the dark, the MoS₂@TNr composite exhibited ultra-fast piezoelectric catalytic performance and good cycle stability on dye degradation; within 10 min, nearly all rhodamine B (50 mL, 20 ppm) was removed from the solution with the assistance of magnetic stirring. After the 5 cycle degradation reaction, the catalyst was reclaimed and applied to electrochemical testing, which showed better supercapacitor capacitance properties than the fresh catalyst due to the introduction of oxygen vacancies generated from the piezoelectric degradation process. The reclaimed catalyst demonstrated an excellent specific capacitance of 249 F g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹, and 92% capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles. Furthermore, as the current density increased to 30 A g⁻¹, the capacitance could maintain 58% of the initial value. Thus, it can be concluded that the abandoned catalysts may serve as a potential electrode material for energy storage; simultaneously, the reutilization could eliminate secondary pollution and decrease the energy consumption in efficiency.