Constructing Artificial SEI Layer on Lithiophilic MXene Surface for High-Performance Lithium Metal Anodes

MXene has been found as a good host for lithium (Li) metal anodes because of its high specific surface area, lithiophilicity, good stability with lithium, and the in situ formed LiF protective layer. However, the formation of Li dendrites and dead Li is inevitable during long-term cycle due to the lack of protection at the Li/electrolyte interface. Herein, a stable artificial solid electrolyte interface (SEI) is constructed on the MXene surface by using insulating g-C3N4 layer to regulate homogeneous Li plating/stripping. The 2D/2D MXene/g-C3N4 composite nanosheets can not only guarantee sufficient lithiophilic sites, but also protect the Li metal from continuous corrosion by electrolytes. Thus, the Ti3C2Tx/g-C3N4 electrode enables conformal Li deposition, enhanced average Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 98.4%, and longer cycle lifespan over 400 cycles with an areal capacity of 1.0 mAh cm(-2) at 0.5 mA cm(-2). Full cells paired with LiFePO4 (LFP) cathode also achieve enhanced rate capacity and cycling stability with higher capacity retention of 85.5% after 320 cycles at 0.5C. The advantages of the 2D/2D lithiophilic layer/artificial SEI layer heterostructures provide important insights into the design strategies for high-performance and stable Li metal batteries.

Automated summary

This research focuses on using an insulating g-C3N4 layer to construct a stable artificial solid electrolyte interface (SEI) on the surface of MXene to improve the performance of lithium metal anodes. The 2D/2D MXene/g-C3N4 composite nanosheets protect the Li metal from electrolyte corrosion and achieve higher Coulombic efficiency and cycle lifespan.