Uniformly depositing Sn onto MXene nanosheets for superior lithium-ion storage

Abstract Sn is promising anode material with high specific capacity for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), while the severe volume expansion and poor conductivity of Sn during lithiation/de-lithiation process result in dramatic capacity fading with poor cycle life. Therefore, exploring Sn-based anode materials with excellent structural stability and electrical conductivity is essential for high-performance LIBs. Herein, we propose the fabrication of a nanostructured Sn@Ti3C2Tx composites where Sn species are tightly attached onto the Ti3C2Tx nanosheets uniformly via electrostatic attraction followed by reduction. The Ti3C2Tx nanosheets, acting as a support and electron conductor of Sn, can effectively improve electron transport and electrode stability. Moreover, the Ti3C2Tx nanosheets with rich functional surface groups tend to form strong interfacial interactions with Sn, beneficial for the uniform distribution of Sn and stable lithium storage. As a result, the Sn@Ti3C2Tx electrode exhibits significantly improved battery performance compared with the Micro-Sn@Ti3C2Tx electrode. This work may shed lights on the development of advanced Sn-based anode materials for high-performance LIBs.