Energy Storage Performance of MXene-Based Supercapacitors

MXenes, a family of two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides, have emerged as leading electrode materials for supercapacitors due to their excellent electrical conductivity, abundant surface terminations and high volumetric capacitance. Their layered structure enables rapid ion transport and facile surface redox reactions, combining electric double-layer capacitance with pseudocapacitance for enhanced charge storage. Advances in interfacial engineering, composite formation and electrode architecture have overcome challenges such as restacking, mechanical fragility and limited voltage windows. Strategies including the incorporation of polymers, metal oxides or conductive nanofibres between MXene layers create porous networks that maintain high ion accessibility and mechanical resilience. Asymmetric cell designs and solid-state electrolytes extend operating voltages, boosting energy densities while retaining high power performance and long cycle life. These developments position MXene-based supercapacitors as promising candidates for applications ranging from grid stabilisation to flexible and wearable electronics, where fast charge–discharge capability, durability and device integration are critical.

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Energy Storage Performance of MXene-Based Supercapacitors publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in energy storage performance of mxene-based supercapacitors across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

MXene: A class of two-dimensional transition metal carbides, nitrides or carbonitrides with high conductivity and tunable surface chemistry.
Specific capacitance: The capacitance per unit mass of electrode material, indicating how much charge can be stored per gram.
Pseudocapacitance: Fast and reversible faradaic charge-storage processes occurring at or near the electrode surface.
Energy density: The amount of energy stored per unit mass or volume, reflecting how long a device can power a load.
Power density: The rate at which energy can be delivered per unit mass or volume, critical for high-power applications.
Asymmetric supercapacitor: A device pairing two different electrode materials to expand voltage window and improve energy density.
Interfacial engineering: The design and modification of interfaces between components to optimise mechanical integrity, conductivity and ion transport.

References

1. Interfacial-engineered robust and high performance flexible polylactic acid/polyaniline/MXene electrodes for high-perfarmance supercapacitors. Journal of Material Science and Technology (2024).
2. High-performance flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors based on binder-free MXene/cellulose nanofiber anode and carbon cloth/polyaniline cathode. Nano Research (2023).
3. Facile Synthesis of NiCo2O4 Nanowire Arrays/Few-Layered Ti3C2-MXene Composite as Binder-Free Electrode for High-Performance Supercapacitors. Molecules (2022).