In situ Growth of Mixed-Valence 2D α-MnOx Nanosheets within Interlayer Spaces of Multilayer Ti3C2 MXene as an Efficient Air Cathode for Rechargeable Li-O2 Batteries

Abstract

Rechargeable Li-O2 batteries are promising options for energy storage systems due to their simple fabrication, non-toxicity, and low cost. Herein, we present a new cathode design for Li-O2 batteries, featuring non-stoichiometric, mixed-valence 2D α-MnOx nanosheets (Mn4+/Mn3+/Mn2+) confined within multilayered MXene (M-Ti3C2). Electrochemical results show that the 2D α-MnOx@M-Ti3C2 electrode achieved a specific capacity of up to 14,377 mAh g-1 at 100 mA g-1 and remained stable over 54 cycles at 500 mA g-1 (with a 500 mA g-1 cutoff). This approach enables the design of manganese oxide-based cathodes within a conductive MXene scaffold for high-performance Li-O2 batteries.