High-performance supercapacitor based on 3D Ti₃C₂T_x electrodes and sulfonated lignin gel electrolyte

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Supercapacitors are crucial energy storage devices.
• Key research focuses on electrode and electrolyte materials.
• Challenges include material aggregation and poor dispersibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop high-performance supercapacitor electrodes and electrolytes.
• To overcome limitations of Ti3C2Tx self-aggregation and EDOT dispersibility.
• To enhance energy density and stability of supercapacitors.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized 3D Ti3C2Tx spherical structures using polystyrene nanosphere templates.
• Incorporated bimetallic cobalt-nickel hydroxide (CoNi-OH) for performance enhancement.
• Introduced sulfonated lignin (SL) to improve PEDOT dispersibility in gel electrolytes.

Main Results:

• The CoNi-OH/3D Ti3C2Tx composite electrode achieved a specific capacitance of 2020 ± 50 F g⁻¹.
• The asymmetric supercapacitor showed a specific capacitance of 278.3 ± 30 F g⁻¹.
• The device delivered an energy density of 87 Wh kg⁻¹ at 750 W kg⁻¹ and retained 83.7% capacitance after 7,000 cycles.

Conclusions:

• The CoNi-OH/3D Ti3C2Tx electrodes and PEDOT/SL gel electrolytes show great promise for energy storage.
• The developed materials address key challenges in supercapacitor performance.
• This research contributes to the advancement of efficient and stable energy storage systems.