Nanoparticles typically have dimensions of less than 100 nm. Scientists around the world have recently become interested in nanotechnology because of its potential applications in a wide range of fields, including catalysis, gas sensing, renewable energy, electronics, medicine, diagnostics, medication delivery, cosmetics, the construction industry, and the food industry. The sizes and forms of nanoparticles (NPs) are the primary determinants of their properties. Nanoparticles’ unique characteristics may be explored for use in electronics (transistors, LEDs, reusable catalysts), energy (oil recovery), medicine (imaging, tumor detection, drug administration), and more. For the aforementioned applications, the synthesis of nanoparticles with an appropriate size, structure, monodispersity, and morphology is essential. New procedures have been developed in nanotechnology that are safe for the environment and can be used to reliably create nanoparticles and nanomaterials. This research aims to illustrate top-down and bottom-up strategies for nanomaterial production, and numerous characterization methodologies, nanoparticle features, and sector-specific applications of nanotechnology.
Zinc (Zn) ion supercapacitors (ZISCs) have attracted considerable attention as a viable energy storage technology because they are cost-effective, safe, and environmentally friendly. However, cathode materials with suitable properties are rare and need to be explored. In this regard, metal carbides (MXenes) are a good choice for capacitive energy storage, but they exhibit low capacitance. The energy storage performance of MXenes can be bossed using functionalization with heteroatom doping, e.g., nitrogen (N), to simultaneously modify ZISCs’ fundamental characteristics and electrochemical properties. Herein, we present an in-situ N-functionalization of Ti3C2Tx-MXene via a hydrothermal reaction with urea (denoted as N-Ti3C2Tx-MXene). N-functionalization into Ti3C2Tx-MXene raised Ti3C2Tx-MXene’s interlayer spacing and boosted the Zn-ion storage in 1 M ZnSO4 electrolyte. The N-Ti3C2Tx-MXene electrode delivered an excellent specific capacitance of 582.96 F/g at 1 A/g and retained an outstanding cycle stability of 94.62% after 5000 cycles at 10 A/g, which is 1.8 times higher than pristine Ti3C2Tx-MXene at identical conditions. Moreover, the N-Ti3C2Tx-MXene//Zn device demonstrated a maximum capacitance of 153.55 F/g at 1 A/g, retained 92% of its initial value after 5000 cycles, and its Coulombic efficiency was ~100%. This strategy considerably reduced Ti3C2Tx-MXene nanosheet restacking and aggregation and enhanced electrochemical performance. Further, this research elucidated N-Ti3C2Tx-MXene’s charge–storage process and offered a fresh approach to the rational design of novel electrode materials for ZISCs.
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