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Moiré-superlattice MXenes enabled ultra-stable K-ion storage in neutral electrolyte

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Abstract

Ti3C2 MXene is an auspicious energy storage material due to its metallic conductivity and layered assembly. However, in the real working condition of electrochemical energy storage with long cycle charging—discharging, a structural collapse is usually caused by the stacking of its layers creating a large attenuation of specific capacitance. Inspired by the superlattice effect of magic angle graphene, we conducted microscopical regulation of rotation mismatch on the Ti3C2 lattice; consequently, a hexagonal few-layered Ti3C2 free-standing film constructed with Moiré-superlattices. Such finding not only solves the problem of Ti3C2 structural collapse but also dramatically improves the specific capacitance of Ti3C2 as a supercapacitor electrode under long cycle charging and discharging. The ultra-stable energy storage of this electrode material in a neutral aqueous electrolyte was realized. Moreover, the formation mechanism of rotating Moiré pattern is revealed through microscopy and microanalysis of the produced Moiré pattern, assisted with modeling and analyzing the underlying mechanism between the Moiré pattern and the rotation angle. Our work provides experimental and theoretical support for future construction of Moiré-superlattice structure for a wide range of MXene phases and is undoubtedly promoting the development of MXene materials in the field of energy storage.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC, Nos. 51971106 and 52272209), Basic Scientific Research Project of Higher Education Department of Liaoning Province (No. LJKMZ20220961), and the Program for Liaoning Distinguished Professor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Liaoning University of Technology, **zhou, 121001, China

    Qiong Wu, Yanhui Xue, Shaofei Chao, Fufa Wu & Wei Zhang

  2. School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China

    Muhammad Sufyan Javed

  3. Key Laboratory for Photonic and Electronic Bandgap Materials, Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, 150025, China

    Lu Li

  4. Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials MOE, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Jilin Provincial International Cooperation Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Clean Energy Materials, Electron Microscopy Center, and International Center of Future Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China

    Wei Zhang

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  1. Qiong Wu
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Correspondence to Qiong Wu, Muhammad Sufyan Javed, Lu Li or Wei Zhang.

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Wu, Q., Xue, Y., Chao, S. et al. Moiré-superlattice MXenes enabled ultra-stable K-ion storage in neutral electrolyte. Nano Res. 16, 5006–5017 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-023-5437-0

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