Researchers coated a three-dimensional nanotubular copper current collector with an approximately 10-nm layer of Ti₃C₂Tₓ MXene for anode-free lithium-metal batteries.
2
The MXene coating interacted with electrolyte hexafluorophosphate anions and promoted uniform lithium nucleation and a lithium fluoride-rich solid-electrolyte interphase.
3
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, and transmission electron microscopy characterized the interface and showed lithium fluoride nanoparticles along the M
4
In lean-electrolyte coin cells with NCM811 cathodes, modified collectors retained 78.1 mAh/g at cycle 125, compared with 44.9 mAh/g for unmodified copper.
5
At cycle 125, Coulombic efficiency was 99.06% with the modified collector and 95.01% with unmodified copper; larger-format testing remains necessary to assess commercial performance.
