Few-layered Ti3C2Tx MXene coupled with Fe2O3 nanorod arrays grown on carbon cloth as anodes for flexible asymmetric supercapacitors

The design of flexible electrode with high areal capacitance is the key for the application of flexible asymmetric supercapacitors (ASC) in portable and wearable electronics. In this study, Ti3C2Tx Mxene coupled with Fe2O3/CC flexible negative electrode, with good conductivity, high areal capacities, and excellent flexibility, was fabricated by simple dipping methods, in which the as-grown Fe2O3 nanorods arrays on carbon cloth was dipped into the few-layered Mxene nanosheets solution repeatedly to make the Fe2O3/CC fibers wrapped with Mxene completely. The Mxene@Fe2O3/CC electrode present a remarkable areal capacitance of up to 725 mF cm-2 at a current density of 1mA cm-2 which was contributed by both Mxene and Fe2O3 nanorods. As to the Mxene layer, it not only offers a capacitance for flexible electrode, but also acts as fast and efficient ion/electrons pathways for Fe2O3 effectively to improve electronic conductivity. Besides, the as-constructed ASC devices consisting of Mxene@Fe2O3 and MnO2 electrodes achieves a high energy density of 1.61 mWh cm-3 at a power density of 22.55 mWcm-3 along with good stability. The work provides a simple effective strategy to load active materials on carbon fibre and to construct hierarchical coating-structure electrode for high-performance flexible ASC application.