Dual-carbon confinement of silicon nanoparticles in MXene/CNTs microspheres for high-stability lithium-ion batteries
摘要
The advancement of high-energy lithium-ion batteries necessitates silicon-based anodes with enhanced structural stability and electrochemical performance. However, the substantial volume expansion and low intrinsic conductivity of silicon remain critical challenges. This study presents a rationally designed MXene/carbon nanotubes@silicon nanoparticles (MXene/CNTs@Si) composite, synthesized via a scalable one-step in situ spray-drying method. In this architecture, two-dimensional (2D) MXene serves as a conductive framework, while in situ grown CNTs interconnect with silicon nanoparticles to form a robust 3D porous network. This synergistic structure promotes fast charge transport, buffers silicon’s volume expansion, and prevents MXene restacking. The optimized MXene/CNTs @Si-0.75 anode exhibits outstanding cycling stability, delivering an initial discharge specific capacity of 1374.6 mAh·g−1 and retaining 885.9 mAh·g−1 after 300 cycles at 0.5 A·g−1. Even at a high current density of 1.0 A·g−1, it maintains 747.2 mAh·g−1 after 500 cycles, with a low capacity decay rate of just 0.06% per cycle. Moreover, the composite demonstrates stable electrochemical performance under low-temperature conditions, indicating excellent structural robustness. Overall, this work provides a viable strategy for developing durable and high-capacity anodes suitable for real-world energy storage systems.
Graphical Abstract