2D Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets coated cellulose fibers based 3D nanostructures for efficient water desalination

Cellulose fibers extracted from facial tissue paper were used as a porous carbon substrate to coat exfoliated two-dimensional Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets in order to prepare unique CLF@Ti3C2Tx nanostructures composites. The designed CLF@Ti3C2Tx material was assembled in symmetric capacitive deionization cell, which showed the desalination capacity of 35 mg·g−1, with good cycling stability. Inspired by the conventional chemical gilding process, the proposed low-cost synthesis strategy and innovative design open a new way to develop MXene-carbon based electrodes for CDI water desalination. [Display omitted] •2D Ti3C2Tx nanosheets@CLF core-shell structures are prepared by chemical gilding.•CLF@Ti3C2Tx electrodes are used in symmetric CDI cell for water desalination.•Pseudo-capacitance-effect is induced by ultrathin 2D Ti3C2Tx NSs shell.•Ti3C2Tx NSs coating on CLF significantly improved the overall CDI performance.•CLF@Ti3C2Tx shows salt absorption capacity (SAC) 35 mg·g−1. We introduce a novel and facile synthesis strategy to design 2D MXene (Ti3C2Tx) nanosheets (NSs) coated cellulose fibers (CLF) based 3D nanostructures (CLF@Ti3C2Tx) to overcome the drawbacks of co-ion expulsion in carbon-based, commonly used CDI electrodes and restacking of MXene NSs due to van der Waals forces in the pure MXene based electrodes. CLF extracted from facial tissue paper were used as a porous carbon core-substrate to coat shell of exfoliated two-dimensional (2D) Ti3C2Tx NSs in order to prepare unique CLF@Ti3C2Tx nanostructures composite by an improved dip-coating method. After appropriate structural and chemical characterization, the designed CLF@Ti3C2Tx material was assembled in symmetric capacitive deionization (CDI) cell as an active electrode and the electrochemical properties and desalination capacity were studied in detail. Interestingly, the CLF@Ti3C2Tx based active electrodes displayed good specific capacitance of 142 F·g−1 in 1 M sodium chloride electrolyte, and high salt adsorption capacitance of 35 mg·g−1 compared with the pure MXene and carbon-based electrodes at an applied voltage of 1.2 V, with considerable cycling stability of 10 cycles. Inspired by the conventional chemical gilding process, the proposed unique and low-cost synthesis strategy and unique design open a new way to develop MXene-carbon based composite nanostructures for CDI and energy storage applications.