NiCo-LDH/Ti3C2 MXene hybrid materials for lithium ion battery with high-rate capability and long cycle life

Nickel/cobalt-layered double hydroxides (NiCo-LDH) have been attracted increasing interest in the applications of anode materials for lithium ion battery (LIB), but the low cycle stability and rate performance are still limited its practice applications. To achieve high performance LIB, the surface-confined strategy has been applied to design and fabricate a new anode material of NiCo-LDH nanosheet anchored on the surface of Ti3C2 MXene (NiCo-LDH/Ti3C2). The ultra-thin, bended and wrinkled α-phase crystal with an interlayer spacing of 8.1 Å can arrange on the conductive substrates Ti3C2 MXene directly, resulting in high electrolyte diffusion ability and low internal resistance. Furthermore, chemical bond interactions between the highly conductive Ti3C2 MXene and NiCo-LDH nanosheets can greatly increase the ion and electron transport and reduce the volume expansion of NiCo-LDH during Li ion intercalation. As expected, the discharge capacity of 562 mAh g−1 at 5.0 A g−1 for 800 cycles without degradation can be achieved, rate capability and cycle performance are better than that of NiCo-LDH (~100 mAh g−1). Furthermore, the density function theory (DFT) calculations were performed to demonstrate that NiCo-LDH/Ti3C2 system can be used as a highly desirable and promising anode material for lithium ion battery.