Synthesis and characterization of a nanocomposite consisting of Ti3C2Tx (MXene) and WS2 nanosheets for potential use in supercapacitors

Abstract

With the growing demand for high-performance supercapacitor materials, this study explores the synthesis and electrochemical evaluation of Ti₃C₂T_x (MXene), WS₂ nanosheets, and MXene/WS₂ nanocomposites. The aim is to develop materials with enhanced energy storage capabilities. To this end, the performance of MXene/WS2 nanocomposites was compared to that of the individual materials. MXene, WS₂ nanosheets, and MXene/WS₂ nanocomposites were synthesized through chemical and hydrothermal methods, and their morphology was characterized using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, while Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of functional groups. Electrochemical analysis of WS₂, MXene, and MXene/WS₂ was conducted in a 1 M H₂SO₄ electrolyte using cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The specific capacitance (C_s) values for WS₂ were 58 F/g (at 5 mV/s) and 47 F/g (at 0.4 A/g); for MXene, the C_s values were 98 F/g (at 5 mV/s) and 71 F/g (at 0.4 A/g), while MXene/WS₂ exhibited much higher C_s values of 322 F/g (at 5 mV/s) and 373 F/g (at 0.4 A/g). EIS results indicated a lower charge transfer resistance (R_ct) for MXene/WS₂ (2.29 Ω) compared to WS₂ (5.25 Ω) and MXene (3.41 Ω). These findings demonstrate that MXene/WS₂ nanocomposites have superior electrochemical properties, making them promising candidates for high-energy supercapacitor applications.