Controlled synthesis of alkalized Ti3C2 MXene-supported β-FeOOH nanoparticles as anodes for lithium-ion batteries

Ti3C2 MXene, a new family of two-dimensional (2D) materials with metallic conductivity and excellent electrochemical stability, is one of the most promising materials for energy storage. However, its limited interlayer distance and low capacity still impede its further application in Li+ batteries. To address this problem, a facile wet chemical method is developed to construct β-FeOOH/Ti3C2 composites assisted by the alkalization treatment of Ti3C2. The structural and electrochemical properties of β-FeOOH/Ti3C2 are influenced by alkalization treatment and Fe3+ content. The alkalized Ti3C2 offers larger structural pathway for easy lithium ion transport and buffers the volume changes of FeOOH during lithiation/delithiation. As a result, the β-FeOOH/Ti3C2 composite anodes exhibit good rate performance with a capacity of 332 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 and an improved cycling capacity 432 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1 after 400 cycles. This study is expected to stimulate the intensive research and development on the MXene-based materials for lithium-ion batteries.