LAUSR

Abstract Three dimensional MoS2 microflowers were successfully synthesized by surfactant-free hydrothermal method. In the present work, effect of molybdenum source was scrutinized and this factor is found to alter the morphology. Herein, the as-prepared MoS2 samples were fully characterized by various characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, XPS and Raman spectroscopy. The electrochemical performance of pristine MoS2 was investigated by cyclic voltammogram, and galvanostatic charge–discharge. The remarkable microstructure change from nanosheets to microflowers was observed on reactant variation from sodium molybdate to molybdenum oxide. Electrochemical performances were evaluated and the result indicated that the as-prepared MoS2 microflowers showed a specific capacitance of 212.95 Fg−1 at the scan rate of 5 mV/s which is higher than that of MoS2 nanosheets. The result showed potential applicability of the microflowers as an supercapacitor electrode material. Furthermore, the symmetric device fabricated using MoS2 microflower electrodes has been studied using cyclic voltammetry. This work indicates that reactant selection is an effective approach to improve the morphology and electrochemical properties.