A La2O3/MXene composite electrode for supercapacitors with improved capacitance and cycling performance.

Developing efficient electrode materials is a key towards high power electrochemical energy storage devices. Two-dimensional (2D) MXene shows excellent conductivity and electrochemical performance among other materials. However, the restacking of MXene layers may degrade their specific capacity and cycling performance. Considering this challenge, here we have designed a composite made of 2D MXene nanosheets and lanthanum oxide (La2O3) nanoparticles to overcome the limitations. The bifunctionality of La2O3 nanoparticles prevents the restacking of MXene layers and enhances the electrochemical properties of the electrode due to its good Faradic characteristics. The specific capacitance of the La2O3/MXene composite electrode is 366 F/g at 1 A/g, which is 4.5 and 3 times higher than those of the individual La2O3 and MXene. The composite electrode displays a capacitance retention of 96% after 1,000 cycles, which is due to synergistic effects between the two components and indicates the potential of La2O3/MXene composite for supercapacitors.

Guided Electro-Optical Switching of Small Graphene Oxide Particles by Larger Ones in Aqueous Dispersion.

Although the large Kerr coefficient of aqueous graphene oxide (GO) dispersions is quite attractive for electro-optical applications with low power consumption, the maximum birefringence of GO dispersions is not sufficiently high for actual display applications. Here we report that adding a small amount of larger GO particles (about 4 µm) into a high-concentration dispersion of small GO (about 0.2 µm) can improve the electro-optical sensitivity to an electric field and also the maximum birefringence. Large GOs induce the ordering of small particles and enhance the electro-optical switching. Large GOs have higher polarizability and are easily driven under an applied electric field, and the rotational motion of large GO particles leads to switching of surrounding small GO particles, improving the electro-optical performance. The binary mixture can overcome the limitations of pure dispersions of large GO or small GO particles; the former has high interparticle interaction, and the latter has low sensitivity to an electric field.