Preparation of interconnected tin oxide nanoparticles on multi-layered MXene for lithium storage anodes

MXenes, a novel class of two-dimensional (2D) materials known for their excellent electronic conductivity and hydrophilicity, have emerged as promising candidates for lithium-ion battery anodes. This study presents a simple wet-chemical method for depositing interconnected SnO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) onto MXene sheets. The SnO₂ NPs act as both a high-capacity energy source and a spacer to prevent MXene sheets from restacking. The highly conductive MXene facilitates rapid electron and lithium-ion transport and mitigates the volume changes of SnO₂ during the lithiation/delithiation process by confining the SnO₂ NPs between the MXene layers. This composite anode, SnO₂@MXene, leverages the high capacity of SnO₂ and the structural and mechanical stability MXene provides. The SnO₂@MXene anode exhibits superior electrochemical performance, with a high specific capacity of 678 mAh g^{- 1} at a current rate of 2.0 A g^{- 1} over 500 cycles, outperforming pristine MXenes and SnO₂ nanoparticles.