Facile Synthesis of SnS₂ Nanostructures with Different Morphologies for High-Performance Supercapacitor Applications

SnS₂ is an emerging candidate for an electrode material because of the considerable interlayer spaces in its crystal structures and the large surface area. SnS₂ as a photocatalyst and in lithium ion batteries has been reported. On the other hand, there are only a few reports of their supercapacitor applications. In this study, sheetlike SnS₂ (SL-SnS₂), flowerlike SnS₂ (FL-SnS₂), and ellipsoid-like SnS₂ (EL-SnS₂) were fabricated via a facile solvothermal route using different types of solvents. The results suggested that the FL-SnS₂ exhibited better capacitive performance than the SL-SnS₂ and EL-SnS₂, which means that the morphology has a significant effect on the electrochemical reaction. The FL-SnS₂ displayed higher supercapacitor performance with a high capacity of approximately ∼431.82 F/g at a current density of 1 A/g. The remarkable electrochemical performance of the FL-SnS₂ could be attributed to the large specific surface area and better average pore size. These results suggest that a suitable solvent is appropriate for the large-scale construction of SnS₂ with different morphologies and also has huge potential in the practical applications of high-performance supercapacitors

Ternary Composite of Polyaniline Graphene and TiO₂ as a Bifunctional Catalyst to Enhance the Performance of Both the Bioanode and Cathode of a Microbial Fuel Cell

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a potential sustainable energy resource by converting organic pollutants in wastewater to clean energy. The performance of MFCs is influenced directly by the electrode material. In this study, a ternary PANI-TiO₂-GN nanocomposite was used successfully to improve the performance of both the cathode and anode MFC. The PANI-TiO₂-GN catalyst exhibited better oxygen reduction reaction activity in the cathode, particularly as a superior catalyst for improved extracellular electron transfer to the anode. This behavior was attributed to the good electronic conductivity, long-term stability, and durability of the composite. The immobilization of bacteria and catalyst matrix in the anode facilitated more extracellular electron transfer (EET) to the anode, which further improved the performance of the MFCs. The application of PANI-TiO₂-GN as a bifunctional catalyst in both the cathode and anode helped decrease the cost of MFCs, making it more practical