Carbon Nanotube/MXene Composite with a Dense Regular Connective Tissue Structure and Its Application in Lithium-Ion Batteries

Abstract

MXene materials hold promise for lithium-ion battery applications but face challenges from interlayer restacking, which impedes both mechanical robustness and ionic transport. Inspired by the dense regular connective tissue of vertebrates, a biomimetic composite is developed, integrating superaligned carbon nanotubes (SACNTs) and Ti 3 C 2 . In this architecture, SACNTs "fibers" serve as mechanical skeletons and transport channels, while Ti 3 C 2 "cells" disperse uniformly and expose abundant lithium storage sites. This composite could endure strains up to 8.01% and 1000 cycles of large-angle bending. Electrochemically, it exhibits commendable rate capabilities (253.1 mA h g −1 at 10 A g −1 ) and robust cycling stability (3300 cycles at 5 A g −1 ) at room temperature, with sustained functionality even at −40 °C. Density functional theory calculations highlight the efficacy of carbon layers in reducing the adsorption energy toward Li. This biomimetic strategy effectively addresses the challenge of MXene restacking and improves the utility in advanced energy storage.