Recent advances and prospects of MXene-based materials for electrocatalysis and energy storage

Transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes), an emerging family of two-dimensional (2D) materials, have recently received commonly employed in a wide variety of critical research areas, due to their relatively high surface areas, superior mechanical strength, high electrical conductivities, functional transition metal surfaces, tunable surface chemistries, and excellent dispersion in various solvents. Electrocatalysis is considered as the key element of future clean energy conversion technologies, and energy storage processes will promote the wider application of sustainable energy in more situations. MXene-based materials afford abundant inspiration for the design and preparation of electrode materials used in electrocatalysis and energy storage. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the current state-of-the-art development and progress in the synthesis of various MXene-based materials focusing on their performance and application as efficient electrocatalysts in different operating media of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and energy storage electrode materials in rechargeable lithium ion batteries, sodium ion batteries, and potassium ion batteries. In addition, the possibilities and challenges for MXenes-based materials in the light of synthesis and applications are also discussed.