Multi-Dimensional Engineering Enables Interfacial and Mechanical Stability of Mesoporous Carbon Anode for Lithium-Ion...

Mesoporous carbon materials represent promising anodes for advanced lithium-ion batteries, but their performance is still limited by poor structural stability and unstable electrochemical interface. To overcome this, we design a rigid and flexible multi-dimensional architecture, in which mesoporous carbon spheres were uniformly encapsulated by 2D Ti₃C₂T_x MXene nanosheets, followed by the in situ growth of 1D carbon nanotubes (CNTs). This rational multi-dimensional design preserves the intrinsic merits of mesoporous carbon, while leveraging the rich surface chemistry and mechanical flexibility of MXene to enhance interfacial stability. The interwoven CNTs network further improves the electronic conductivity and mechanical integrity. As a result, the MC@MXene-CNT electrode delivers a high reversible capacity of 671.9 mAh g^-1 after 150 cycles at 100 mA g^-1, and 593.6 mAh g^-1 after 600 cycles at 1000 mA g^-1. In situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiling further reveal that the enhanced performance mainly stems from the formation of a stable, inorganic-rich solid electrolyte interphase. Furthermore, electrochemical kinetics analysis and theoretical calculations demonstrate markedly improved charge transfer kinetics and strengthened lithium-ion adsorption. This work highlights the efficacy of multi-dimensional integration in designing anode materials with rapid transport dynamics and stable electrochemical interface.