Flexible Ti3C2Tx@Al electrodes with Ultrahigh Areal Capacitance: In Situ Regulation of Interlayer Conductivity and Spacing

Although Ti₃C₂ MXene has shown great potential in energy storage field, poor conductivity and restacking between MXene flakes seriously hinders the maximization of its capacitance. Herein, a new strategy to solve the problems is developed. Gallery Al atoms in Ti₃AlC₂ are partially removed by simple hydrothermal etching to get Ti₃C₂T_x reserving appropriate Al interlayers (Ti₃C₂T_x@Al). Ti₃C₂T_x@Al keeps stable layered structure rather than isolated Ti₃C₂T_x flakes, which avoids flake restacking. The removal of partial Al frees up space for easy electrolyte infiltration while the reserved Al as “electron bridges” ensures high interlayer conductivity. As a result, the areal capacitance reaches up to 1087 mF cm^?2 at 1 mA cm^?2 and over 95% capacitance is maintained after 6000 cycles. The all‐solid‐state supercapacitor (ASSS) based on Ti₃C₂T_x@Al delivers a high capacitance of 242.3 mF cm^?2 at 1 mV s^?1 and exhibits stable performance at different bending states. Two ASSSs in tandem can light up a light‐emitting diode under the planar or wrapping around an arm. The established strategy provides a new avenue to improve capacitance performances of MXenes.     

Reassembly of MXene Hydrogels into Flexible Films towards Compact and Ultrafast Supercapacitors

The freestanding MXene films are promising for compact energy storage ascribing to their high pseudocapacitance and density, yet the sluggish ion transport caused by the most densely packed structure severely hinders their rate capability. Here, a reassembly strategy for constructing freestanding and flexible MXene-based film electrodes with a tunable porous structure is proposed, where the Ti₃C₂T_x microgels disassembled from 3D structured hydrogel are reassembled together with individual Ti₃C₂T_x nanosheets in different mass ratios to form a densely packed 3D network in microscale and a film morphology in macroscale. The space utilization of produced film can be maximized by a good balance of the density and porosity, resulting in a high volumetric capacitance of 736 F cm⁻³ at an ultrahigh scan rate of 2000 mV s⁻¹. The fabricated supercapacitor yields a superior energy density of 40 Wh L⁻¹ at a power density of 0.83 kW L⁻¹, and an energy density of 21 Wh L⁻¹ can be still maintained even when the power density reaches 41.5 kW L⁻¹, which are the highest values reported to date for symmetric supercapacitors in aqueous electrolytes. More promisingly, the reassembled films can be used as electrodes of flexible supercapacitors, showing excellent flexibility and integrability.     

Tetrabutylammonium-Intercalated 1T-MoS2 Nanosheets with Expanded Interlayer Spacing Vertically Coupled on 2D Delaminated MXene for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Capacitors

2D 1T phase MoS₂ (1T-MoS₂) nanosheet with metallic conductivity and expanded interlayer spacing is considered as a highly potential lithium storage electrode material but remains thermodynamic instability in aqueous media, seriously hindering the electrochemical performance. Herein, a versatile strategy is proposed for the preparation of thermodynamically stable 1T-MoS₂/MXene heterostructures with the aid of delaminated Ti₃C₂T_x MXene (d-Ti₃C₂T_x) dispersion containing tetrabutylammonium hydroxide. The 2D d-Ti₃C₂T_x provides more uniform nucleation sites for MoS₂, and the TBA⁺ ions can intercalate into MoS₂ to induce the phase conversion from semiconducting 2H to 1T. Moreover, the electrochemical advantages of 1T-MoS₂ and d-Ti₃C₂T_x can be united by the construction of a well-organized heterostructure. Outstanding rate performance is realized because of extra-large interlayer space of 1T MoS₂ with TBA⁺ intercalation and decreased energy barrier for fast Li⁺ diffusion. Subsequently, a lithium-ion capacitor (LIC) is assembled based on 1T-MoS₂/d-Ti₃C₂T_x as anode and hierarchically porous graphene nanocomposite with micro/mesoporous structure as a cathode. The LIC exhibits a large energy density up to 188 Wh kg⁻¹, an ultra-high power density of 13 kW kg⁻¹, together with remarkable capacity retention of 83% after 5000 cycles. This study demonstrates the great promise of 1T-MoS₂/d-Ti₃C₂T_x heterostructures as anode for high-performance LICs.     

Stamping of Flexible,Coplanar Micro‐Supercapacitors Using MXene Inks

The fast growth of portable smart electronics and internet of things have greatly stimulated the demand for miniaturized energy storage devices. Micro‐supercapacitors (MSCs), which can provide high power density and a long lifetime, are ideal stand‐alone power sources for smart microelectronics. However, relatively few MSCs exhibit both high areal and volumetric capacitance. Here rapid production of flexible MSCs is demonstrated through a scalable, low‐cost stamping strategy. Combining 3D‐printed stamps with arbitrary shapes and 2D titanium carbide or carbonitride inks (Ti₃C₂T_x and Ti₃CNT_x, respectively, known as MXenes), flexible all‐MXene MSCs with controlled architectures are produced. The interdigitated Ti₃C₂T_x MSC exhibits high areal capacitance: 61 mF cm^?2 at 25 µA cm^?2 and 50 mF cm^?2 as the current density increases by 32 fold. The Ti₃C₂T_x MSCs also showcase capacitive charge storage properties, good cycling lifetime, high energy and power densities, etc. The production of such high‐performance Ti₃C₂T_x MSCs can be easily scaled up by designing pad or cylindrical stamps, followed by a cold rolling process. Collectively, the rapid, efficient production of flexible all‐MXene MSCs with state‐of‐the‐art performance opens new exciting opportunities for future applications in wearable and portable electronics.     

2D Titanium Carbide (MXene) Based Films: Expanding the Frontier of Functional Film Materials

2D titanium carbide (Ti₃C₂T_x) MXene films, with their well-defined microstructures and chemical functionality, provide a macroscale use of nano-sized Ti₃C₂T_x flakes. Ti₃C₂T_x films have attractive physicochemical properties favorable for device design, such as high electrical conductivity (up to 20 000 S cm^–1), impressive volumetric capacitance (1500 F cm^–3), strong in-plane mechanical strength (up to 570 MPa), and a high degree of flexibility. Here, the appealing features of Ti₃C₂T_x-based films enabled by the layer-to-layer arrangement of nanosheets are reviewed. We devote attention to the key strategies for actualizing desirable characteristics in Ti₃C₂T_x-based functional films, such as high and tunable electrical conductivity, outstanding mechanical properties, enhanced oxidation-resistance and shelf life, hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, adjustable porosity, and convenient processability. This review further discusses fundamental aspects and advances in the applications of Ti₃C₂T_x-based films with a focus on illuminating the relationship between the structural features and the resulting performances for target applications. Finally, the challenges and opportunities in terms of future research, development, and applications of Ti₃C₂T_x-based films are suggested. A comprehensive understanding of these competitive features and challenges shall provide guidelines and inspiration for the further development of Ti₃C₂T_x-based functional films, and contribute to the advances in MXene technology.     

Strategy Toward Semiconducting Ti3C2Tx-MXene: Phenylsulfonic Acid Groups Modified Ti3C2Tx as Photosensitive Material for Flexible Visual Sensory-Neuromorphic System

The excellent electronic and electrochemical properties make 2D MXenes suitable candidates for sensors, batteries, and supercapacitors. However, the metallic-like behavior of MXenes hinders their potential for optoelectronic devices such as photodetectors. In this study, the band gap of metalloid Ti₃C₂T_x MXene is successfully opened to 1.53 eV with phenylsulfonic acid groups and realized a transistor and high-performance near-infrared photodetector array for a flexible vision sensory-neuromorphic system. The phenylsulfonic acid groups modified Ti₃C₂T_x MXene (S-Ti₃C₂T_x)-based flexible photodetector has a maximum responsivity of 8.50×10² A W⁻¹ and a detectivity of 3.69×10¹¹ Jones under 1064 nm laser irradiation. Moreover, the fabricated flexible vision sensory-neuromorphic system for image recognition realizes a high recognition rate >0.99, leading to great potential in the field of biological visual simulation and biomimetic eye. Besides conventional devices with Au as the conductive electrodes, all Ti₃C₂T_x MXene-based devices are also fabricated with S-Ti₃C₂T_x as the photosensitive material and unmodified Ti₃C₂T_x as the conductive electrodes, exhibiting comparable optoelectronic performances.     

Bimetal Organic Framework–Ti3C2Tx MXene with Metalloporphyrin Electrocatalyst for Lithium–Oxygen Batteries

The gravest oxidation of MXenes has become a critical problem due to the formation of metal oxides, leading to the loss of their intrinsic properties. Herein, bimetallic cobalt–manganese organic framework (CMT) directly grown on a Ti₃C₂T_x MXene sheet via solvothermal treatment to obtain strong oxidation resistance in an open structured application and to enhance electrocatalytic properties for oxygen evolution and reduction reaction is reported. Inspired by ligand chemistry, the carboxyl acids in tetrakis(4–carboxyphenyl)porphyrin acting as an organic linker are grafted with the surface terminators of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene through the Fischer esterification and substitution reaction of fluorine, thereby greatly enhancing the antioxidation stability. Furthermore, the as-formed metalloporphyrin structure and unpaired electrons, produced between CMT and Ti₃C₂T_x MXene during solvothermal treatment, improve their electrocatalytic activity, durability, and electrical conductivity through an electron hopping mechanism. Consequently, the CMT@MXene demonstrates high stability as a bifunctional electrocatalyst at a fixed specific capacity of 1000 mAh g⁻¹ and a current density of 500 mA g⁻¹ for 247 cycles in lithium–oxygen (Li O₂) battery. This approach suggests new strategies for the synergistic coupling of MXenes and MOFs for future open structured applications.     

MXene-Based Anode-Free Magnesium Metal Battery

Rechargeable magnesium batteries (RMBs) are promising next-generation low-cost and high-energy devices. Among all RMBs, anode-free magnesium metal batteries that use in situ magnesium-plated current collectors as negative electrodes can afford optimal energy densities. However, anode-free magnesium metal batteries have remained elusive so far, as their practical application is plagued by low Mg plating/stripping efficiency due to nonuniform Mg deposition on conventional anode current collectors. Herein, for the first time, an anode-free Mg-metal battery is developed by employing a 3D MXene (Ti₃C₂T_x) film with horizontal Mg electrodeposition. The magnesiophilic oxygen and reactive fluorine terminations in MXene enable an enriched local magnesium-ion concentration and a durable magnesium fluoride-rich solid electrolyte interphase on the Ti₃C₂T_x film surface. Meanwhile, Ti₃C₂T_x MXene exhibits a high lattice geometrical fit with Mg (≈96%) to guide the horizontal electrodeposition of Mg. Consequently, the developed Ti₃C₂T_x film achieves reversible Mg plating/stripping with high Coulombic efficiencies (>99.4%) at high-current-density (5.0 mA cm⁻²) and high-Mg-utilization (50%) conditions. When this Ti₃C₂T_x film is coupled with a pre-magnesized Mo₆S₈ cathode, the anode-free Mg-metal full-cell prototype exhibits a volumetric energy density five times higher than its standard Mg-metal counterpart. This work provides insights into the rational design of anode current collectors to guide horizontal Mg electrodeposition for anode-free Mg metal batteries.     

Balancing MXene Surface Termination and Interlayer Spacing Enables Superior Microwave Absorption

Surface chemistry and interlayer engineering determines the electrical properties of 2D MXene. However, it remains challenging to regulate the surface and interfacial chemistry of MXene simultaneously. Herein, simultaneous modulation of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene surface termination and layer spacing by alkali treatment are achieved. The electrical and electromagnetic properties of Ti₃C₂T_x are investigated in detail with respect to KOH and ammonia concentration dependence. A high concentration of KOH caused the Ti₃C₂T_x layer spacing to expand to 13.7 Å and the surface O/F ratio to increase to 33.84. Because of its weaker ionization effect, ammonia provides finer tuning compared to the drastic intercalation of KOH with a thorough sweeping of the F-containing groups. Ti₃C₂T_x is enriched with conductive -OH termination after ammonia treatment, which achieves an effective balance with the increased interlayer resistance. Therefore, NH₃H₂O-Ti₃C₂T_x achieves broad-band impedance matching and exhibits an efficient microwave loss of −49.1 dB at a low thickness of 1.7 mm, with an effective frequency bandwidth of 3.9 GHz. The results herein optimize the electrical properties of Ti₃C₂T_x using surface and interfacial chemistry to achieve broad microwave absorption, providing a framework for enhancing the electromagnetic wave loss of intrinsic MXene.     

Revealing the Pseudo‐Intercalation Charge Storage Mechanism of MXenes in Acidic Electrolyte

Since the discovery of Ti₃C₂T_x in 2011, the family of two‐dimensional transition metal carbides, carbonitrides, and nitrides (collectively known as MXenes) has quickly attracted the attention of those developing energy storage applications such as electrodes for supercapacitors with acidic aqueous electrolytes. The excellent performance of these MXenes is attributed to a pseudocapacitive energy storage mechanism, based on the non‐rectangular shape of cyclic voltammetry curves and changes in the titanium oxidation state detected by in situ X‐ray absorption spectroscopy. However, the pseudocapacitive mechanism is not well understood and no dimensional changes due to proton insertion have been reported. In this work, in situ X‐ray diffraction and density functional theory are used to investigate the charge storage mechanism of Ti₃C₂T_x in 1 m H₂SO₄. Results reveal that a 0.5 Å expansion and shrinkage of the c‐lattice parameter of Ti₃C₂T_x occur during cycling in a 0.9 V voltage window, showing that the charge storage mechanism is intercalation pseudocapacitance with implication for MXene use in energy storage and electrochemical actuators.     

High-Performance Ultraviolet Photodetectors Enabled by van der Waals Schottky Junction Based on TiO2 Nanorod Arrays/Au-Modulated Ti3C2Tx MXene

Two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes) show tremendous potential for optoelectronic devices due to their excellent electronic properties. Here, a high-performance ultraviolet photodetector based on TiO₂ nanorod arrays/Ti₃C₂T_x MXene van der Waals (vdW) Schottky junction by all-solution process technique is reported. The Ti₃C₂T_x MXene modulated by the Au electrode increases its work function from 4.41 to 5.14 eV to form a hole transport layer. Complemented by the dangling bond-free surface of Ti₃C₂T_x, the Fermi-level pinning effect is suppressed and the electric-field strength of the Schottky junction is enhanced, which promotes charge separation and transport. After applying a bias of −1.5 V, the photovoltaic effect is favorably reinforced, while the hole-trapping mechanism (between TiO₂ and oxygen) and reverse pyroelectric effect are largely eliminated. As a result, the responsivity and specific detectivity of the device with FTO/TiO₂ nanorod arrays/Ti₃C₂T_x/Au structure reach 1.95 × 10⁵ mA W⁻¹ and 4.3 × 10¹³ cm Hz^1/2 W⁻¹ (370 nm, 65 mW cm⁻²), respectively. This work provides an effective approach to enhance the performance of photodetectors by forming the vdW Schottky junction and choosing metal electrodes to modulate MXene as a suitable charge transport layer.     

Solar-Driven Interfacial Evaporation Accelerated Electrocatalytic Water Splitting on 2D Perovskite Oxide/MXene Heterostructure

The rational design of economic and high-performance electrocatalytic water-splitting systems is of great significance for energy and environmental sustainability. Developing a sustainable energy conversion-assisted electrocatalytic process provides a promising novel approach to effectively boost its performance. Herein, a self-sustained water-splitting system originated from the heterostructure of perovskite oxide with 2D Ti₃C₂T_x MXene on Ni foam (La_1-xSr_xCoO₃/Ti₃C₂T_x MXene/Ni) that shows high activity for solar-powered water evaporation and simultaneous electrocatalytic water splitting is presented. The all-in-one interfacial electrocatalyst exhibits highly improved oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance with a low overpotential of 279 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² and a small Tafel slope of 74.3 mV dec⁻¹, superior to previously reported perovskite oxide-based electrocatalysts. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the integration of La_0.9Sr_0.1CoO₃ with Ti₃C₂T_x MXene can lower the energy barrier for the electron transfer and decrease the OER overpotential, while COMSOL simulations unveil that interfacial solar evaporation could induce OH⁻ enrichment near the catalyst surfaces and enhance the convection flow above the catalysts to remove the generated gas, remarkably accelerating the kinetics of electrocatalytic water splitting.     

High Linearity,Low Hysteresis Ti3C2Tx MXene/AgNW/Liquid Metal Self-Healing Strain Sensor Modulated by Dynamic Disulfide and Hydrogen Bonds

Flexible wearable strain sensors have received extensive attention in human–computer interaction, soft robotics, and human health monitoring. Despite significant efforts in developing stretchable electronic materials and structures, developing flexible strain sensors with stable interfaces and low hysteresis remains a challenge. Herein, Ti₃C₂T_x MXene/AgNWs/liquid metal strain sensors (MAL strain sensor) with self-healing function are developed by exploiting the strong interactions between Ti₃C₂T_x MXene/AgNWs/LM and the disulfide and hydrogen bonds inside the self-healing poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomers. AgNWs lap the Ti₃C₂T_x MXene sheets, and the LM acts as a bridge to increase the lap between Ti₃C₂T_x MXene and AgNWs, thereby improving the interface interaction between them and reducing hysteresis. The MAL strain sensor can simultaneously achieve high sensitivity (gauge factor for up to 3.22), high linearity (R² = 0.98157), a wide range of detection (e.g., 1%–300%), a fast response time (145 ms), excellent repeatability, and stability.In addition, the MAL strain sensor before and after self-healing is combined with a small fish and an electrothermally driven soft robot, respectively, allowing real-time monitoring of the swinging tail of the small fish and the crawling of the soft robot by resistance changes.     

Full-Temperature All-Solid-State Ti3C2Tx/Aramid Fiber Supercapacitor with Optimal Balance of Capacitive Performance and Flexibility

Full-temperature all-solid-state flexible symmetrical fiber supercapacitors (FSCs) are assembled by using montmorillonite flake/polyvinyl alcohol organic hydrogel (F-MMT/PVA OHGE) as the electrolyte and separator and Ti₃C₂T_x/ANF-5% (T/A-5) fiber as the electrode, in which T/A-5 fiber is prepared by using delaminated Ti₃C₂T_x nanosheets as assembled units and 5% of aramid nanofiber (ANF) as the functional additive using a wet spinning method in a coagulated bath with 0.5 m FeCl₂ solution. The T/A-5 hybrid fiber exhibits a specific capacity of 807 F cm⁻³ in 3 m H₂SO₄ electrolyte, a superior mechanical strength of 104 MPa, and a high conductivity of 1025 S cm⁻¹. The assembled F-MMT/PVA OHGE T/A-5 FSC not only shows a specific capacitance of 295 F cm⁻³ and a capacitance retention of 91% at a current density of 5 A cm⁻³ after 10 000 charging/discharging cycles, but also a maximum volumetric energy density of 26.2 mWh cm⁻³. Meanwhile, the assembled device displays good flexibility and excellent capacitance in a wide temperature range of −40 to 80 °C, the electrochemical performance of the FSC is maintained under varying degrees of bending. This study provides an effective strategy for designing and assembling of full-temperature all-solid-state symmetrical flexible FSCs with the optimal balance of capacitive performance and flexibility.     

Enhancing the Energy Storage Capabilities of Ti3C2Tx MXene Electrodes by Atomic Surface Reduction

MXenes are a large class of 2D materials that consist of few-atoms-thick layers of transition metal carbides, nitrides, or carbonitrides. The surface functionalization of MXenes has immense implications for their physical, chemical, and electronic properties. However, solution-phase surface functionalization often leads to structural degradation of the MXene electrodes. Here, a non-conventional, single-step atomic surface reduction (ASR) technique is adopted for the surface functionalization of MXene (Ti₃C₂T_x) in an atomic layer deposition reactor using trimethyl aluminum as a volatile reducing precursor. The chemical nature of the modified surface is characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The electrochemical properties of the surface-modified MXene are evaluated in acidic and neutral aqueous electrolyte solutions, as well as in conventional Li-ion and Na-ion organic electrolytes. A considerable improvement in electrochemical performance is obtained for the treated electrodes in all the examined electrolyte solutions, expressed in superior rate capability and cycling stability compared to those of the non-treated MXene films. This improved electrochemical performance is attributed to the increased interlayer spacing and modified surface terminations after the ASR process.     

Interlayer Injection of Low-Valence Zn Atoms to Activate MXene-Based Micro-Redox Capacitors With Battery-Type Voltage Plateaus

Insufficient and unstable energy output is the bottleneck issue radically restricting the application of micro-supercapacitors (MSCs). Herein, an interlayer atom injection strategy that can anchor low-valence Zn atoms (Zn^δ+, 0 < δ <2) on O-terminals of Ti₃C₂T_x (MXene) flakes within the MXene/silver-nanowires hybrid cathode of symmetric MSCs is first presented. Combining the polyacrylamide/ZnCl₂ hydrogel electrolyte rich in Cl⁻ and Zn²⁺ ions, the matched Zn^δ+/Zn²⁺ (−0.76 V vs SHE) and Ag/AgCl (0.23 V vs SHE), redox couples between the symmetrical electrodes are activated to offer faradaic charge storage beside ions-intercalation involved pseudocapacitance. Thus, a battery-type voltage plateau (≈0.9 V) appears in the discharge curve of a fabricated pseudo-symmetric micro-redox capacitor, simultaneously achieving energy density enhancement (117 µWh cm⁻² at 0.5 mA cm⁻²) and substantially improved power output stability (46% of the energy from the plateau region) relative to that before activation (98 µWh cm⁻² without voltage platform). The work provides a fire-new strategy to overcome the performance bottlenecks confronting conventional MSCs.     

Flexible MXene Framework as a Fast Electron/Potassium-Ion Dual-Function Conductor Boosting Stable Potassium Storage in Graphite Electrodes

Graphite anodes show great potential for potassium storage, however, their capacity fades quickly owing to substantial interlayer expansion/shrinkage (i.e., up to 60%) induced structural degradation. Here, Ti₃C₂T_x MXene nanosheets are used as a fast electron/potassium-ion dual-function conductor to construct the framework of all-integrated graphite nanoflake (GNF)/MXene (GNFM) electrodes. The continuous MXene framework constructs a 3D channel for fast electron/potassium-ion transfer and endows GNFM electrodes with a high structural stability. Owing to this unique MXene framework, GNFM electrodes exhibit much enhanced potassium storage performances than that of the conventional polymer-bonded electrodes even at high mass loadings. Moreover, GNFM electrodes also show impressive cyclability in non-flammable electrolytes and are further used as anodes to assemble novel non-flammable potassium-ion capacitors that show an excellent cyclability and high energy/power densities (113.1 Wh kg^–1 and 12.2 kW kg^–1). New insights into phase transition mechanism in GNFM electrodes are verified by operando XRD. Density functional theory calculations demonstrate that MXene can promote electron transfer and potassium diffusion in the heterointerface between GNF and MXene. Therefore, the results demonstrate that all-integrated GNFM electrodes designed with MXene as multifunctional frameworks provide a new paradigm for producing efficient potassium storage anodes.     

Pristine Titanium Carbide MXene Films with Environmentally Stable Conductivity and Superior Mechanical Strength

2D titanium carbide (Ti₃C₂T_x MXene) has potential application in flexible/transparent conductors because of its metallic conductivity and solution processability. However, solution‐processed Ti₃C₂T_x films suffer from poor hydration stability and mechanical performance that stem from the presence of intercalants, which are unavoidably introduced during the preparation of Ti₃C₂T_x suspension. A proton acid colloidal processing approach is developed to remove the extrinsic intercalants in Ti₃C₂T_x film materials, producing pristine Ti₃C₂T_x films with significantly enhanced conductivity, mechanical strength, and environmental stability. Typically, pristine Ti₃C₂T_x films show more than twofold higher conductivity (10 400 S cm^?1 vs 4620 S cm^?1) and up to 11‐ and 32‐times higher strength and strain energy at failure (112 MPa, 1,480 kJ m^?3, vs 10 MPa, 45 kJ m^?3) than films prepared without proton acid processing. Simultaneously, the conductivity and mechanical integrity of pristine films are also largely retained during the long‐term storage in H₂O/O₂ environment. The improvement in mechanical performance and conductivity is originated from the intrinsic strong interaction between Ti₃C₂T_x layers, and the absence of extrinsic intercalants makes pristine Ti₃C₂T_x films stable in humidity by blocking the intercalation of H₂O/O₂. This method makes the material more competitive for real‐world applications such as electromagnetic interference shielding.     

Intercalation of Metal Ions into Ti3C2Tx MXene Electrodes for High‐Areal‐Capacitance Microsupercapacitors with Neutral Multivalent Electrolytes

Microsupercapacitors (MSCs) with neutral multivalent electrolytes are safer, cheaper, and exhibit higher theoretical energy densities compared with the MSCs with acidic and alkaline electrolytes. Multivalent charge carriers (e.g., Mg²⁺, Zn²⁺) in the MSCs with Ti₃C₂T_x MXene electrodes have not been demonstrated, which could theoretically achieve higher specific capacitances and energy densities. However, because of the larger size of multivalent charge carriers, the MXene electrodes require further modifications to facilitate reversible electrochemical reactions. Herein, through spontaneous intercalation of various metal ions into MXene multilayers, twelve metal ion intercalated MXene electrodes (Mⁿ⁺‐MXene) are fabricated and demonstrate improved electrochemical performance. Different nanopillar effects are observed between divalent Be²⁺ and trivalent Al³⁺ intercalants, which are systematically investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulation. Among all Mⁿ⁺‐MXene electrodes, the Be²⁺‐MXene electrode largely facilitates the charge‐transfer process with minimal disturbance of electrolyte diffusion rates, showing improved specific capacitances and high rate performance in univalent (Li₂SO₄, Na₂SO₄, K₂SO₄) and multivalent electrolytes (BeSO₄, MgSO₄, ZnSO₄). Finally, flexible Be²⁺‐MXene MSCs with neural ZnSO₄ gel electrolytes are fabricated, demonstrating superior areal capacitances (77.2 mF cm^?2) and high energy density (3.86 μWh cm^?2 at 0.12 mW cm^?2) together with high user safety.     

Constructing Flexible Film Electrode with Porous Layered Structure by MXene/SWCNTs/PANI Ternary Composite for Efficient Low-Grade Thermal Energy Harvest

Thermal energy, constituting the majority of the energy lost through various inefficiencies, is abundant and ubiquitous. With thermogalvanic effect, thermocells (TECs) can directly convert thermal energy into electricity without producing vibration, noise or other waste emissions. This work presents a rational design of flexible film electrodes constructed on a ternary composite of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene (T_x represents surface terminations), polyaniline (PANI) and single-wall carbon nanotubes for TECs, which exhibit notably enhanced thermoelectrochemical performance compared to the widely adopted noble platinum electrodes. The ternary composite electrodes form a porous layered structure with a large electrochemical-active surface area. Experiment and simulation results reveal that synergistic effects of Ti₃C₂T_x and PANI are induced for promoting both mass and charge transport at the electrolyte-electrode interface, resulting in a TEC with an output power of 13.15 µW cm⁻² at the ΔT of 40 K. The TEC also shows a rapid response to the small temperature difference between the human body and the ambient, demonstrating high potential in harvesting low-grade heat to power small electronics.