Uniformly depositing Sn onto MXene nanosheets for superior lithium-ion storage

Sn is promising anode material with high specific capacity for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), while the severe volume expansion and poor conductivity of Sn during lithiation/de-lithiation process result in dramatic capacity fading with poor cycle life. Therefore, exploring Sn-based anode materials with excellent structural stability and electrical conductivity is essential for high-performance LIBs. Herein, we propose the fabrication of a nanostructured Sn@Ti 3 C 2 T x composites where Sn species are tightly attached onto the Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets uniformly via electrostatic attraction followed by reduction. The Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets, acting as a support and electron conductor of Sn, can effectively improve electron transport and electrode stability. Moreover, the Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets with rich functional surface groups tend to form strong interfacial interactions with Sn, beneficial for the uniform distribution of Sn and stable lithium storage. As a result, the Sn@Ti 3 C 2 T x electrode exhibits significantly improved battery performance compared with the Micro-Sn@Ti 3 C 2 T x electrode. This work may shed lights on the development of advanced Sn-based anode materials for high-performance LIBs.