Unraveling the potential of MXenes as multifunctional cathodes: Innovations and challenges for next-generation energy storage systems

Abstract

MXenes, a burgeoning class of two-dimensional materials, have emerged as promising candidates for energy storage applications due to their exceptional electrical conductivity, high specific surface area, and tunable surface chemistry. This review highlights recent advancements in the synthesis, structural design, and electrochemical performance of MXenes as cathode materials for a wide range of battery systems, including aqueous, non-aqueous, and solid-state configurations. MXenes' ability to accommodate multivalent ions, their high theoretical capacities, and their excellent cycling stability position them as transformative materials for next-generation energy storage. This review also addresses critical challenges hindering their large-scale application, including the need for green and scalable fabrication methods, strategies to mitigate structural degradation, and understanding the mechanisms of intercalation and surface modification. Insights into emerging MXene-based heterostructures and theoretical analyses are explored to bridge the gap between experimental performance and commercial viability. This work underscores the potential of MXenes to revolutionize energy storage technologies while identifying pivotal directions for future research in their development as high-performance battery cathodes.