Rational Design of MXene-Based Electrodes for High-Performance Supercapacitors

Supercapacitors offer high power density; however, improving their energy density requires enlarging the active surface area and optimizing ion transport pathways. In this study, a Ti3C2Tx MXene@ZnO composite electrode was fabricated to suppress the restacking of MXene layers and enhance the specific surface area. Ti3C2Tx MXene was synthesized, followed by ZnO incorporation using a simple precipitation process. The introduction of ZnO effectively stabilized the layered MXene structure and promoted pore formation. BET analysis revealed that the composite synthesized for 2 h exhibited the largest specific surface area of 43.639 m2 g−1, indicating the most effective pore structure development. Electrochemical evaluation as a supercapacitor electrode demonstrated that the 2 h composite achieved the highest specific capacitance of 139.0 F g−1 and the longest discharge time of 172.6 s. These improvements are attributed to the expanded pore structure and increased electrochemically active surface area induced by ZnO incorporation. Overall, the Ti3C2Tx MXene@ZnO composite exhibits enhanced structural stability and ion transport properties, demonstrating its strong potential and stable electrode material for advanced energy storage applications.