Single-to-Trilayer MXenes Enabling Kinetically Enhanced High-Energy-Density Li-Ion Capacitors
Junfeng Huang, Haitao Zhang, Yongxiang Huang, Shenao Liu, Yuanxiao Qu, Yanting Xie, Xinglin Jiang, Yanan Zhao, Haitao Hu, Weiqing Yang, Zhengyou He
Abstract
A dual faradaic lithium-ion capacitor (LIC) promises high energy density but commonly suffers from low-power characteristics. The reason causing this deficiency is attributed to bulk-phase mass-transfer-induced sluggish dynamics, especially in the anode. Two-dimensional MXenes are promising to solve this issue because of their open structure and low ion-migration energy barrier. However, the self-stacking phenomenon of MXenes greatly diluted these advantages. Here we develop a biothermochemistry method to produce single-to-trilayer Nb 2 C and Ti 3 C 2 MXenes with a high ratio of >95%. The optimized Nb 2 C MXene with wider ion transport channels and a larger electrode/electrolyte contact area facilitates lower diffusion resistance and a higher diffusion coefficient. When assembled with a LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 (NCM) cathode, dual faradaic Nb 2 C|LiPF 6 |NCM LIC delivers simultaneously a high energy density of 107 Wh kg –1 and a power density of 870 W kg –1 . A 300 mAh soft-packaged Nb 2 C|LiPF 6 |NCM LIC drives a toy racing car over 400 m and still works even after bending-cutting-needling processes.