Polyoxometalate intercalated MXene with enhanced electrochemical stability

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• MXene/polyoxometalate (POM) hybrids are promising for various applications.
• Achieving simple binary hybrids via POM intercalation into MXene remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for intercalating POMs into MXene layers.
• To create stable and high-performance MXene/POM hybrid materials.

Main Methods:

• Utilized quaternary ammonium cations, specifically cetyltrimethylammonium (CTA+), to expand Ti3C2Tx MXene interlayer spacing.
• Intercalated phosphotungstate (PW12) into CTA+-modified Ti3C2Tx MXene.
• Characterized the resulting hybrid material's structure and electrochemical properties.

Main Results:

• Successfully intercalated PW12 into Ti3C2Tx MXene using CTA+ surfactant, achieving a 2 nm interlayer expansion and 10 wt% PW12 loading.
• The resulting CTA+-delaminated Ti3C2Tx/PW12 hybrid exhibited a layered structure with well-dispersed, isolated PW12 clusters within the MXene layers.
• Demonstrated superior electrochemical stability, remaining redox active after 5000 cycles, compared to other MXene/POM hybrids.

Conclusions:

• The proposed method effectively enables the intercalation of POMs into MXene layers, overcoming previous limitations.
• The enhanced electrochemical stability of the Ti3C2Tx/PW12 hybrid is attributed to the successful intercalation and isolation of PW12 clusters within the MXene.
• This work provides a valuable strategy for designing high-performance MXene/POM hybrid materials for advanced applications.