Sonochemically synthesized porous V2CTx MXene/red-black phosphorus composite: A promising electrode for supercapacitors

Abstract

Densely packed structure of MXene leads to less utilization of active material and thus show the mediocre performance. Fabrication of electrolyte-accessible, porous MXene composites with high rate capability and improved cycle life still needs to be looked upon. Herein, we've synthesized a red/black phosphorus (RBP) hybrid via an efficient and sustainable sonochemical route using low-cost red phosphorus (RP) in different solvents. RBP hybrid was then incorporated between V2CTx MXene layers to fabricate hetero-structured 3D V2CTx MXene-red/black phosphorus nanohybrid (MXRBP) as an electroactive material for supercapacitors. Red/black phosphorus prevented the MXene sheet from restacking and the resulted highly porous structure offered large electrochemically active surface area (ECSA ∼2125 m2 g−1). The MXRBP nanocomposite electrode blends the superior electrochemical characteristics of V2CTx MXene and the mechanical resilience of RBP. Therefore, the synergy in MXRBP||MXRBP symmetric cell result in energy density of 55 Wh Kg−1 @452 W Kg−1. This study, which is based on the design and fabrication of MXene based materials, is anticipated to offer a broad foundation for the next generation energy storage devices.