Synthesis and electrochemical evaluation of Ti and V-based carbide MXene via microwave assisted hydrofluoric acid etching for energy storage†

Abstract

The current study involves the synthesis of bimetallic (Ti,V) carbide MXene through microwave-assisted hydrofluoric acid etching, targeting supercapacitor applications. Crystallographic and morphological analyses of the synthesized compound reveal the formation of layered Ti₃V₂C₃T_x MXene. A shift in the X-ray diffraction peak to a lower two theta angle suggests an increase in interlayer spacing, which is also evident in the morphology. The electrochemical performance of the synthesized material was evaluated, demonstrating a maximum specific capacitance of 465 F g⁻¹ at a scan rate of 1 mV s⁻¹, along with outstanding cyclic stability. The kinetics of charge distribution study reveals that diffusion dominates at low scan rates, while capacitive distribution takes precedence at higher scan rates. The practical applicability of the material was confirmed using a fabricated device, which exhibited an energy density of 14.4 W h kg⁻¹ and a power density of 1500 W kg⁻¹. Cyclic stability tests over 10 000 cycles showed an excellent 94% capacitance retention, highlighting the potential of the synthesized material for energy. Further-scale practicability was tested by fabricating a pouch cell and testing its glowing performance.