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Figure 1. a) Schematic illustration for the preparation of the BP/Nb2 C composite. b) SEM and c) TEM image of the BP/Nb2 C composite. d) HR-TEM
image and SAED pattern of the BP/Nb2 C composite and e) the corresponding elemental mapping of the BP/Nb2 C composite.

Information).[25] The prepared BP nanoflakes show an obvi-
ous lamellar structure (Figure S2, Supporting Information).
By comparing the SEM images of the BP nanoflakes, Nb2 C
nanosheets, and BP/Nb2 C composite, it is found that the sizes
of BP nanoflakes and Nb2 C nanosheets are slightly decreased af-
ter the formation of the BP/Nb2 C composite (Figures S1 and S2,
Supporting Information). Figure 1d shows an HRTEM image of
the BP/Nb2 C composite. The observed lattice fringes are assigned
to the (111) crystal plane of BP nanoflakes and the (100) and (103)
crystal planes of Nb2 C nanosheets. The selected area electron
diffraction (SAED) pattern of the BP/Nb2 C composite shows four
diffuse rings corresponding to the (203), (109), and (106) crystal
planes of Nb2 C nanosheets (the inset of Figure 1d).[26] In addi-
tion, the (111) and (151) crystal planes of BP nanoflakes are also
depicted,[27] which is consistent with the reported structure of
the BP nanosheets.[28] The results provide further evidence for
the successful synthesis of the BP/Nb2 C composite.[29] Further-
more, the elemental mapping images of the BP/Nb2 C composite
indicate the presence and uniform distribution of P, C, and Nb
elements in the BP/Nb2 C composite (Figure 1e).[30]
X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was performed to study the
crystalline structures of the BP/Nb2 C composite, as shown in
Figure 2a. Unlike BP nanoflakes with high crystallinity, the XRD
pattern of Nb2 C nanosheets shows low peak intensity, indicat-
ing slightly lower crystallinity and disordered structure.[31] The
XRD pattern of the BP/Nb2 C composite shows the characteris-
tic peaks of BP nanoflakes and Nb2 C nanosheets, indicating that
the crystalline structures of BP nanoflakes and Nb2 C nanosheets
are well retained in the prepared BP/Nb2 C composite.[32] Be-
sides, those small peaks corresponding to the (002), (100), (101),
(106), (110), and (109) crystal planes of Nb2 C nanosheets are
identified in the XRD pattern of the BP/Nb2 C composite. How-
ever, the intensities of these peaks are much lower than that
in the XRD pattern of Nb2 C nanosheets, suggesting a lower
crystallinity of Nb2 C nanosheets in the BP/Nb2 C composite.[29]
Moreover, the (002) peak of Nb2 C nanosheets and the (020)

Adv. Energy Mater. 2023, 13, 2301136 2301136 (3 of 13) © 2023 The Authors. Advanced Energy Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH