Synthesis of Ti3C2Fx MXene with controllable fluorination by electrochemical etching for lithium-ion batteries applications

Ti3C2Tx MXene has attracted remarkable attention due to its promising applications in energy storage and sensors. However, traditional MXene preparation methods used HF as etchant, which was highly toxic and harmful to human and environment. Moreover, the aqueous etchants will also result in the combination of OH, O and F groups on the surfaces, making it difficult to control the varieties and contents of the surface terminations. In this paper, a green and mild electrochemical exfoliation method was proposed to synthesize Ti3C2Fx and synchronously control its fluorination degree on the surface. A non-aqueous ionic liquid, [BMIM][PF6]-based solution was used as electrolyte. The as-prepared Ti3C2Fx was fluorinated with the CF and TiF3 groups, which were electrochemically active and contributed to the excellent cycling stability of the MXene anode-based Li-ion batteries. These findings provided a facile strategy to prepare MXene materials and dope MXene with tailored property for MXene-based energy devices applications.