In Situ Growth of Iron Sulfide on Fast Charge Transfer V2C‐MXene for Superior Sodium Storage Anodes

• Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Vol. 19; no. 14
• Main Authors: Xiong, Zhihao, Shi, Haofeng, Zhang, Wenyuan, Yan, Jingtao, Wu, Jun, Wang, Chengdeng, Wang, Donghua, Wang, Jiashuai, Gu, Yousong, Chen, Fu‐Rong, Yang, Yongzhen, Xu, Bingshe, Yan, Xiaoqin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 05.04.2023
• Subjects: Anodes; Carbon; Charge transfer; Composite materials; Electrode materials; Energy storage; high‐rate performance; in situ synthesis; Iron sulfides; Lithium; MXenes; Nanotechnology; Sodium; Sodium-ion batteries; sodium‐ion capacitors; Storage capacity; Storage systems; Substrates; V 2C‐MXene
• ISSN: 1613-6810; 1613-6829
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.202206767

Due to the upstream pressure of lithium resources, low‐cost sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) have become the most potential candidates for energy storage systems in the new era. However, anode materials of SIBs have always been a major problem in their development. To address this, V2C/Fe7S8@C composites with hierarchical structures prepared via an in situ synthesis method are proposed here. The 2D V2C‐MXene as the growth substrate for Fe7S8 greatly improves the rate capability of SIBs, and the carbon layer on the surface provides a guarantee for charge–discharge stability. Unexpectedly, the V2C/Fe7S8@C anode achieves satisfactory sodium storage capacity and exceptional rate performance (389.7 mAh g−1 at 5 A g−1). The sodium storage mechanism and origin of composites are thoroughly studied via ex situ characterization techniques and first‐principles calculations. Furthermore, the constructed sodium‐ion capacitor assembled with N‐doped porous carbon delivers excellent energy density (135 Wh kg−1) and power density (11 kW kg−1), showing certain practical value. This work provides an advanced system of sodium storage anode materials and broadens the possibility of MXene‐based materials in the energy storage. In this work, V2C/Fe7S8@C composites prepared via an in‐situ synthesis method are proposed, leading to the high reversible capacity and outstanding rate performance. The mechanisms are revealed by theoretical calculations and ex‐situ characterizations. Furthermore, sodium‐ion capacitors assembled with N‐doped porous carbon deliver excellent energy density (135 Wh kg−1) and power density (11 kW kg−1), showing certain practical value.