Tailored MXene/Gd₂O₃ hybrid composites for high performance supercapacitor electrodes

MXenes, a unique class of 2D transition metal carbides and/or nitrides, have come out as highly prominent material for energy storage applications due to their magnificent electrical conductivity, tunable surface chemistry and hydrophilic nature. In the present work, Ti 3 C 2 MXene and its composites with gadolinium oxide (Gd 2 O 3 ) were successfully synthesized and characterized using XRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy and FESEM, confirming successful formation and integration of the composite. A specific surface area of 15.247 m 2 g −1 was recorded for MXene, contributing to the superior electrochemical behavior. Electrochemical studies revealed that pure Ti 3 C 2 MXene exhibited a specific capacitance of 476.19 F g −1 . Upon incorporating 7.5 wt% Gd 2 O 3 into it, the composite delivered an enhanced capacitance of 1940 g −1 . Moreover, there was an improvement in capacitance retention in optimized composite from 76% to 96.1% over 5000 charge-discharge segments. In symmetric Swagelok cell testing, the composite delivered a specific capacitance of 562.8 F g −1 , whereas, two electrode asymmetric configuration achieved a specific capacitance of 913.5 F g −1 at a current density of 0.5 A g −1 by delivering an energy density of 69.47 Wh kg −1 upholding the power density to 739.98 W kg −1 . These results point MXene/Gd 2 O 3 composites for high-performance supercapacitors, with strong potential for use in electric automobiles, portable electronics and grid-scale energy systems. The synergy between MXene and Gd 2 O 3 brings forth new possibilities to develop efficient and durable energy storage and conversion technologies.