Synergistic effects in CuO/SnO2/Ti3C2Tx nanohybrids: Unveiling their potential as supercapacitor cathode material

Abstract

In the field of materials science, a synergistic effect occurs when the combined physical and chemical properties of a composite material show significant improvement compared to the properties of its individual components. In this study, we synthesized a novel nanosheet-like structure composed of copper oxide (CuO) and tin oxide (SnO2) dispersed on MXene (Ti3C2Tx) sheets using an ultrasonicated coprecipitation method, and then we explored its synergistic effects. The CuO/SnO2/MXene nanohybrids were characterized through SEM, HRTEM, XRD, XPS, and BET analysis, confirming successful synthesis and evident synergy between MXene and CuO/SnO2. The electrochemical behaviour of the nanohybrid structure was investigated using different electrochemical techniques. CuO/SnO2/MXene revealed a high capacitance of 683.5 Fg-1 at 1 Ag-1 in a 2 M H2SO4 electrolyte, with 85 % cycling performance after 10,000 cycles. Notably, this performance surpassed that of MXene-Ti3C2Tx and CuO/SnO2 separately, which achieved only 102.8 and 378.2 Fg-1 capacitance with 60 % and 76 % cycling stability, respectively. These incredible results are attributed to CuO/SnO2/MXene nanohybrids' synergistic effects, whereby enhance the surface area, electrical conductivity, and availability of active sites and enhanced electrochemical performance. This research offers a promising solution for advancing supercapacitor electrode materials through the creation of a novel nanosheet structure that leverages synergistic effects.