The features of the solvothermal synthesis of SnSe nanosheets and nanoflowers for supercapacitor applications

[Display omitted] •Orthorhombic SnSe nanosheet and nanoflower electrode materials were synthesized for energy storage devices.•Solvent plays a critical role for getting well developed morphology through solvothermal method.•The specific capacitance 443F/g of AN-(EG) electrode shows morphology plays a critical role in capacitive performance of SnSe NPs. In this article, orthorhombic SnSe nanoparticles (NPs) are prepared through a hydrothermal method by using Oleylamine and Ethylene glycol solvents named as AN-(OA) and AN-(EG). The SEM and TEM images of the AN-(OA) and AN-(EG) NPs show sheet and flower-like shapes, respectively. The cyclic voltammograms (CV) and Galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD) studies of AN-(OA) and AN-(EG) electrodes are investigated in 0.5 M of KOH electrolyte. The specific capacitance values calculated through CV curves are 443, 240, 172, 138, 118, 130, and 50 (F/g) of AN-(EG) electrode and 224, 116, 80, 62, 52, 31, and 20 (F/g) of AN-(OA) electrode at the scan rate of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 (mV/s), respectively. Further, the specific capacitance values calculated through GCD curves are 83, 66, 58, and 55 (F/g) of the AN-(EG) electrode and 52, 33, 29, and 27 (F/g) of AN-(OA) electrode at the current density of 1, 2, 3 and 5 (A/g), respectively. The morphology plays a critical role in the capacitive performance of NPs.