Non-Ti MXene: An emerging class of 2D materials for non-Li batteries

Abstract

<p>MXene discovery in 2011, have grown significant attention in the field of rechargeable batteries because of their innovative physical and chemical properties, tunable functionalities, enhanced metallic conductivity, improved electrochemical properties, etc. With rapid progress, the MXene family has also been expanding day by day. The current focus on MXene research has been shifted towards the exploration of non-Ti MXenes. On the other hand, the battery researchers are now focusing on the development of non-Li batteries because of the safety issue and high cost of conventional Li-ion batteries. In the current review article, the contemporary research progress on non-Ti MXenes in the field of non-Li batteries is briefly summarized. The article starts with the introduction and classification of few non-Ti MXenes and non-Li batteries. Furthermore, a brief overview on the synthetic approaches and theoretical interpretation of key non-Ti MXenes is introduced. The application of such non-Ti MXenes for fabricating the anodes, cathodes, as well as electrolytes for some non-Li ion batteries is concisely assessed. Finally, the article ends with the existing challenges and future aspects. Most importantly, while the published review articles on non-Ti MXene are primarily focused on the supercapacitor and Li-ion battery application, the current review article is narrowly focused on an emerging field of energy storage i.e. non-Li batteries. The uniqueness of this article can be justified by the diversity in the application of a less-explored class of MXene materials. Overall, the review article is expected to shed some light on the exploration of MXenes 'beyond Ti₃C₂T_x' and their applications in some secondary batteries 'beyond Li batteries'.<p>