Enabling Mg metal anodes rechargeable in conventional electrolytes by fast ionic transport interphase.

Rechargeable magnesium batteries have received extensive attention as the Mg anodes possess twice the volumetric capacity of their lithium counterparts and are dendrite-free. However, Mg anodes suffer from surface passivation film in most glyme-based conventional electrolytes, leading to irreversible plating/stripping behavior of Mg. Here we report a facile and safe method to obtain a modified Mg metal anode with a Sn-based artificial layer via ion-exchange and alloying reactions.

Aqueous Stable TiC MXene Membrane with Fast and Photoswitchable Nanofluidic Transport.

High, stable, and modulatable ionic conductivity is important for many nanofluidic applications of layered two-dimensional (2D) membranes. In this study, we demonstrate a proton and ionic conductivity of the TiCT membrane that is orders of magnitude higher than that of bulk solution at low concentrations. Importantly, the membrane is highly stable in aqueous solution without any modification, due to the strong and attractive interlayer van der Waals interaction and weak electrostatic repulsive interaction.

MXene Aerogel Scaffolds for High-Rate Lithium Metal Anodes.

Li metal is considered to be an ultimate anode for metal batteries owing to its extremely high theoretical capacity and lowest potential. However, numerous issues such as short lifespan and infinite volume expansion caused by the dendrite growth during Li plating/stripping hinder its practical usage. These challenges become more grievous under high current densities.