Electrochemical performance of Ag nanoparticles-integrated surface-terminated V2CTx MXene for enhanced energy storage

Abstract

The incorporation of metal nanoparticles into two-dimensional (2D) MXene has emerged as a promising strategy for enhancing energy storage capabilities, offering a potential solution to the global energy crisis. MXene are considered highly effective electrode materials for electrochemical energy storage devices due to its exceptional electrical conductivity, unique layered structure, and diverse surface functional groups. However, the strong van der Waals interactions between MXene layers often result in stacking and agglomeration, leading to a reduction in active sites and diminished electrochemical performance. This study investigates the incorporation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) into surface-terminated vanadium carbide MXene (V₂CT_x) using a facile sonication method, which preserves the integrity of the MXene layers. The conductive AgNPs not only act as spacers to prevent layer stacking but also enhance the electrical conductivity of V₂CT_x. X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are employed to support the successful synthesis of nanocomposite. Furthermore, the nanocomposite was electrochemically evaluated as an electrode material for electrochemical energy devices. The resulting V₂CT_x-Ag nanocomposites exhibit a specific capacitance of 1122 F/g with excellent specific capacitance retention of 105% after 10,000 cycles. Moreover, the MXene-Ag nanocomposite also showed energy and power densities of 21.67 Wh/kg and 1000 W/kg, respectively in a two-electrode setup.