Ti3C2/Graphene Oxide Layered Nanocomposites for Enhanced Lithium-Ion Storage

Two-dimensional (2D) materials are extensively investigated in energy storage fields owing to their large surface area, easily accessible redox active sites, and abundant ion diffusion channels. However, severe self-restacking and volume expansion of 2D materials in electrochemical energy storage processes is a crucial challenge that limits their application. Herein, an effective strategy is proposed to construct graphene oxide and Ti3C2 layered nanocomposites (GO-PABA-Ti3C2) with a stable layered structure through para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) molecules' selective welding between Ti3C2 and GO sheets. The rigid PABA molecules are welded between Ti3C2 and GO sheets by HN-C=O bonds, which contribute pillar/strain effects to enhance the structural stability and alleviate the self-restacking of Ti3C2 and GO sheets during Li+ insertion/extraction processes. The GO-PABA-Ti3C2 exhibits excellent Li+ storage performance with a high specific capacity of 493.0 mAh g–1 at 0.1 A g–1 after 230 cycles and outstanding Coulombic efficiency of 99.0% at 1.0 A g–1 after 700 cycles. Ex situ XRD measurements demonstrate that GO-PABA-Ti3C2 prepared by PABA molecular welding possesses a stable layered structure during charge/discharge processes, resulting in excellent cycle stability and long cycle life. This strategy offers a practical approach to preparing 2D layered nanocomposites and an innovative method for enhancing lithium-ion storage performance.