Structural, morphological, and electrochemical properties of MXene/MoS2-based supercapacitor

Two-dimensional (2D) materials, inclusive of molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), are auspicious due to their structure providing absorption sites and shorter diffusion paths. However, their sheet restacking affects the functional properties, resulting in the device’s low efficiency. A strategy is proposed to combine MoS₂ with MXene material. X-ray Diffraction data revealed peaks at d-spacings of 6.07, 2.72, 2.49, 2.27, 1.82, and 1.53 Å. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows prominent peaks for C 1s and Ti 2p, with no signal for Al detected in the pristine Ti₃C₂ MXene. This indicates successful etching of the Al layer. Electron Microscopes were used to confirm the samples’ morphology and showed that the hybrid sample has a layered flake-like structure with a small sphere attached to the surface. While the HR-TEM confirmed the layered structure of Ti₃C₂ after exfoliation from Ti₃AlC₂, consistent with prior studies. Prior, the electrochemical performances of the MXene/MoS₂ supercapacitor in 6M KOH aqueous electrolyte were examined through cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge–discharge. The highest specific capacitance reached was 139.71 Fg-1, attributed to heterostructures of an equally distributed MoS₂ and MXene. Furthermore, the device retained about 83% of its initial capacitance after 10,000 cycles of cyclic stability testing. The results demonstrated that the MXene material improved the capacitive performance of MoS₂, and conversely. Further enhancements can be expected as a result of a major omission in electrode synthesis, particularly the importance of delamination in MXene preparation.