Developments and prospects of MXenes for energy storage and environmental sustainability

The global rise in energy demand and increasing environmental concerns have amplified the demand for advanced energy storage technologies. Electrochemical devices, including batteries, capacitors, and supercapacitors, have gained notable attention due to their exceptional efficiency and environmentally friendly design. Central to advancing these technologies is creating materials with superior performance. MXenes, a group of two-dimensional materials consisting of transition metal carbides, carbonitrides, and nitrides, stand out as up-and-coming candidates. MXenes’ unique characteristics, like metallic conductivity, hydrophilicity, tunable spacing between layers, and mechanical strength, make them ideal for boosting the performance and efficiency of advanced energy storage devices. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in MXene synthesis, properties, and applications in energy storage, CO₂ reduction, electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, water splitting, and environmental sustainability. Renowned for their large surface area, tunable surface chemistry, and excellent electrical conductivity, MXenes are emerging as pivotal materials for green energy technologies. Significant research has been devoted to their synthesis, analysis, and use in energy storage and environmental cleanup. MXenes have shown superior catalytic activity in CO₂ reduction and water splitting compared to traditional 2D materials while also demonstrating strong potential in supercapacitors and batteries. Their 2D layered structure facilitates effective charge storage and transfer, offering high conductivity and multiple active sites for adsorption. Despite these promising features, a thorough review of recent advancements in their roles in electrocatalysis, water splitting, photocatalysis, CO₂ reduction, sensor technologies, and energy storage remains essential. This review addresses these gaps, highlighting current progress, challenges, and potential solutions. It explores key synthesis methods and discusses MXenes applications as catalysts while outlining strategies to enhance their activity and storage capacity. The insights emphasize MXene's potential as an advanced material for numerous sustainable energy applications.