LAUSR

A new supercapacitor electrode material Ti3C2TX@Al (T = OH, O) derived from Ti3AlC2 is prepared by partly removing aluminum using alkali etching method at 40 °C. The reserved aluminum can not only ensure high interlayer conductivity but also prevent the structure from collapsing. The effect of etching time is investigated, the sample Ti3C2TX@Al obtained after etching 36 h in sodium hydroxide exhibits the best electrochemical performance among the series of samples. In 1M H2SO4, the material shows a high specific capacitance of 587 F g−1 at the current density of 1 A g−1, and 173 F g−1 at 10 A g−1. A low capacitance loss can be observed (0.0025% one cycle) after 6000 cycles test at the current density of 20 A g−1. It implies that the material Ti3AlC2 which etching in sodium hydroxide for 36 h may be a promising candidate for energy storage material, and this simple synthesis method can also be applied to other MAX members.