Low-temperature synthesized nanocomposites with amorphous FeOOH on Ti3C2Tx for supercapacitors

Abstract The FeOOH has been a hotspot in the field of electrochemical research over recent years owing to its typical channel-type nanoporous structure and high theoretical specific capacitance. However, the poor electrical conductivity limits the applications in supercapacitors. In this investigation, the nanocomposites with amorphous FeOOH on Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets were one-step chemically synthesized by using FeCl 3 ·6H 2 O, NH 4 HCO 3 , and Ti 3 C 2 T x (MXene) at room temperature. The nanocomposite samples have been characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The results show that the capacitive performance is remarkably improved by introducing highly conductive Ti 3 C 2 T x and being composited with amorphous FeOOH. The specific capacitance of the as-prepared nanocomposite reaches 217 F g −1 at current density of 1 A g −1 which is much higher than that of amorphous FeOOH. It also exhibits good rate performance and high charge-discharge cycling stability. The enhancement in electrochemical performance is mainly attributed to the open layered structure with amorphous FeOOH nanoparticles uniformly distributed on Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets, which has the enlarged electrode-electrolyte interface area, the shortened diffusion path of ions, and the improved electrical conductivity provided by the conductive Ti 3 C 2 T x frame.