Layered SnSe functionalized carbon composite as high-performance supercapacitor electrode

Metal chalcogenides and carbonaceous composites have triggered enormous interest in the field of high-performance supercapacitors due to their lower electrical resistance and high specific capacitance. Herein, nanocomposites between Sn, Se, and SnSe argan-derived carbon were prepared via a simple hydrothermal process. The porosity and the electrochemical activity of carbon were enhanced by the incorporation of SnSe into the carbon matrix. These materials were employed as supercapacitor electrodes in a symmetric configuration using 6 M KOH as electrolyte. The galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) test revealed that AC/SnSe has the highest specific capacitance of 341 F·g–1 at a current density of 1 A·g–1. While the EIS measurements showed that the equivalent series resistance dropped from 11.8 Ω for AC to just 0.69 Ω in the case of AC/SnSe which explains its excellent electrochemical performance. Moreover, the stability test showed excellent stability for AC/SnSe with a capacitance retention of 96% after 5000 cycles was achieved. In addition, the AC/SnSe electrode delivered an energy density of 45.5 W h Kg–1 at a power density of 54.3 W Kg–1. The excellent performance of AC/SnSe electrode can be attributed to its high surface area, large pore volume, and its layered structured that enhances the ionic adsorption.These findings suggest that the prepared AC/SnSe nanocomposite seems to be feasible as electrode material in the supercapacitor field or any related electrochemical application.