Multi-functional MXene Binder Enables Ultra-Stable and High-Capacity Li4Ti5O12 Anode for Lithium Ion Batteries

Lithium titanate (LTO) has been extensively utilized as a potential anode material for fast-charging lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, its use is limited by inadequate electrical conductivity and low theoretical capacity. Herein, to improve LTO performance, the traditional polymer binders are replaced with electrochemically active MXene, enabling the formation of a continuously conductive network facilitated by MXene flakes and Super-P particles and encapsulated LTO particles. The adopted configuration enables MXene to function as a binder and conductive additive, rendering stronger adhesion to the current collector, avoiding the pore-blocking effect of polymer binders, and providing extra capacity. Consequently, the MXene-integrated LTO anode exhibits significantly enhanced lithium storage properties compared to the polymer-integrated LTO anodes, attaining a high capacity of 197.7 mAh g-1 at 0.5 C, excellent rate capability of 127.1 mAh g-1 at 20 C, and ultra-stable cycle performance with a capacity retention of 93.4 % over 10,000 cycles. When configurated with LiFePO4 cathode, the lithium ion full cell delivers a maximum energy density of 150.7 Wh kg-1 and power density of 3615.1 W kg-1, underscoring the superiority of utilizing MXene binder to advancing the fabrication of high-performance LTO anode for LIBs.