Interfacial bonding enhances MXene/Sb2Se3 composites toward cyclic stability and fast aluminum storage

Abstract

Metal-chalcogenides have been extensively studied as electrode materials for rechargeable ion batteries due to their high theoretical specific capacity and high abundance. Although promising, these materials face challenges related to slow electrochemical kinetics, pronounced structural distortions, and severe shuttle effects. These issues have seriously hindered the practical application of metal-chalcogenides in ion batteries. This work presents a novel approach to form interfacial binding bonds and in situ generation of antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) on MXene by electrostatic adsorption. This innovative strategy enhances the reversible capacity and cycling stability of Sb2Se3 and effectively improves the electrochemical kinetics and shuttle effect. Ex-situ characterization elucidates the distinctive energy storage mechanism of the Ti3C2/Sb2Se3 cathode and the inhibitory effect of MXene on the dissolution of reaction intermediates into the electrolyte. Additionally, the improvement in charge transfer and ion diffusion due to the introduction of MXene was validated through density functional theory calculations. This work offers new insights into enhancing the stability of metal-chalcogenides and understanding the energy storage mechanism of antimony-based selenides in ion batteries.