High performance supercapacitors based on novel hybrid MXene electrodes

Sustainable and high-performance energy storage devices are an immediate need in today's world to achieve the UN's sustainability

goal of affordable and clean energy. One such energy storage device is the supercapacitor (SC), which can exhibit longer lifetimes,

high power densities, faster charging and discharging and safer operation than batteries. The performance, efficiency, as well as the

cost of SCs, are critically dependent upon the electrode material used. Historically, electrodes based on carbonaceous, or transition

metal oxides have been used, but respectively suffer from lower theoretical capacitance and poor cycling stability. To fully develop

the potential of SCs, sustainable and innovative electrode materials are required. In this regard, there has been much interest in 2-

dimensional (2D) MXene materials, with general formula Mn+1XnTx where M is a transition metal (typically Ti), X is C and or N and Tx

are surface functional groups. These materials combine the properties of carbon-based materials and the efficient pseudocapacitive

mechanisms of transition metal oxides. Nevertheless, some salient aspects of MXenes are still unexplored, such as the synthesis of

non-Ti based and related hybrid MXenes for SC applications. The proposed project will focus on little or unexplored non-Ti containing

MXenes (e.g., Co, Ni, Mn, V), novel carbonitride and hybrid high entropy MXenes. Green synthesis approaches will be investigated to

prepare novel and hybrid MXenes for the development of sustainable high performance SCs. To address the need for miniaturised

SCs, MXene-based micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) will also be fabricated. The project has been carefully designed based on the

researcher's expertise in SC electrode materials development and interdigital micro/nano electrode fabrication, along with the

supervisor's extensive experience in the synthesis and characterization of energy materials, to lead to the development of sustainable high-performance SCs and MSCs.