Enhanced rate and low-temperature performance of LiFePO4 cathode with 2D Ti3C2 MXene as conductive network

•A new LFP/MXene composite was prepared by a simple wet mixing method.•An efficient ‘surface-chain’ conductive network was fabricated.•A high capacity of 116.3 mAh g−1 is maintained at 10 C-rate in LFP electrode.•An electrolyte with low de-solvation energy is used as low temperature electrolyte.•∼133 mAh g−1 capacity can be delivered even at −40 °C and 0.1 C in LFP electrode. In recent years, LiFePO4 (LFP) has been widely used as the cathode of lithium-ion batteries due to its excellent stability, safety, and low cost. However, the low electronic conductivity limits its applications at low temperature or in high power occasions. Herein, we fabricated a network with excellent electrical conductivity using two-dimensional MXene to improve the poor conductivity of the LFP cathode. Benefited from the hydrophilicity of MXene, LFP and MXene were evenly dispersed in the water by ultrasonic treatment and freeze-dried to obtain LiFePO4/MXene (LFP/MXene) powder. Then, Ketjen black (KB) was mixed into the electrode slurry to prevent the restacking of 2D MXene and form a “surface-chain” conductive network structure. The prepared LFP/MXene/KB electrode exhibits an excellent rate performance (∼120 mAh g−1 even at 10 C-rate) at room temperature. Combined with the electrolyte with low de-solvation energy using 1,3-dioxolane as the solvent, the LFP/MXene/KB electrode displays a good low-temperature tolerant performance. Only a weak IR drop can be detected, and about 133 mAh g−1 discharge capacity can be maintained at −40 °C and 0.1 C-rate. Both of these provide a practical guidance for the design of LFP with outstanding rate and low-temperature performances.