SnO₂ nanoparticles functionalized MoS₂ nanosheets as the electrode material for supercapacitor applications

Tin oxide (SnO₂) nanoparticles undergo the volume expansion during an electrochemical cycle. This volume expansion leads to discontinuities in the form of microcracks in the electrode material. The problem of charge transportation associated with this microcracking limits the application of SnO₂ in the energy storage application such as supercapacitors. The present work approached to solve this problem by incorporating the MoS₂ nanosheets along with the SnO₂ nanoparticles. The SnO₂ nanoparticles are functionalized onto the surface of the MoS₂ nanosheets by the ligand exchange process. The MoS₂ nanosheets act as the support material for the SnO₂ nanoparticles. The electrode material prepared using SnO₂ nanoparticles and nanocomposite of SnO₂ functionalized MoS₂ nanosheets are tested by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements. The specific capacity of the MoS₂-SnO₂ nanocomposite is calculated to be 61.6 F g^-1 which is 4.4 fold higher than that of bare SnO₂ nanoparticles. The improvement in the electrochemical performance of SnO₂ is attributed to the high surface area and the charge transportation provided by the MoS₂ nanosheets.