We developed a novel hybrid red-black phosphorus/sulfonated porous carbon (R-BP/SPC) composite via a simple sonochemical process, which can be used as a high-performance supercapacitor electrode that delivers a high specific capacitance of 364.5 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1 with excellent cycling stability of 89% after 10 000 cycles in comparison to the previously reported BP electrodes. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.