Ultrahigh Storage Capacity of Alkali Metal Ions in Hexagonal Metal Borides with Orderly Multilayered Growth Mechanism

The global energy shortage and the gradual depletion of lithium resources have become increasingly prominent. Improving the energy density of lithium-based secondary batteries and developing other high-performance alkali-metal secondary batteries have become the research focus. In this study, two-di...

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Main Authors: Jiaxin Jiang, Hongyan Guo, Ning Lu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Nanomaterials
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/12/886
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author Jiaxin Jiang
Hongyan Guo
Ning Lu
author_facet Jiaxin Jiang
Hongyan Guo
Ning Lu
author_sort Jiaxin Jiang
collection DOAJ
description The global energy shortage and the gradual depletion of lithium resources have become increasingly prominent. Improving the energy density of lithium-based secondary batteries and developing other high-performance alkali-metal secondary batteries have become the research focus. In this study, two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal metal borides (<i>h</i>-MBenes) are investigated as ordered alkali metal adsorption substrates for alkali-metal-based battery anode materials using density functional theory (DFT). Twelve thermodynamically stable <i>h</i>-MBenes are screened out from thirty-three structures, and their excellent stability and metallic electronic characteristics are confirmed. The ordered multilayered growth in alkali metal adsorption is found to depend on two factors: low lattice mismatching and dynamic matching of the work function. In particular, Mg/Al/V-based <i>h</i>-MBenes exhibit excellent lithium lattice matching (<3.35% mismatch), enabling layer-by-layer hexagonal (001) Li growth for ≥5 layers. They have ultrahigh lithium capacities (2170–3818 mAh·g<sup>−1</sup>), low migration barriers (0.01–0.05 eV), and low voltages (0.003–0.714 V). Mg/Y-based <i>h</i>-MBenes enable three Na layers’ adsorption with a capacity of 1717/605 mAh·g<sup>−1</sup>, and Al<sub>2</sub>B<sub>2</sub> achieves a 472 mAh·g<sup>−1</sup> potassium storage capacity, respectively. Due to the orderly multilayered growth mechanism, Mg/Al/V-based <i>h</i>-MBenes show great potential as high-safety and ultrahigh-capacity alkali-metal battery anode materials.
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spelling doaj-art-f8729f1d9e8c4cc4ad5e5b464791e3b92025-08-20T03:27:25ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912025-06-01151288610.3390/nano15120886Ultrahigh Storage Capacity of Alkali Metal Ions in Hexagonal Metal Borides with Orderly Multilayered Growth MechanismJiaxin Jiang0Hongyan Guo1Ning Lu2Department of Physics, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, ChinaDepartment of Physics, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, ChinaDepartment of Physics, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, ChinaThe global energy shortage and the gradual depletion of lithium resources have become increasingly prominent. Improving the energy density of lithium-based secondary batteries and developing other high-performance alkali-metal secondary batteries have become the research focus. In this study, two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal metal borides (<i>h</i>-MBenes) are investigated as ordered alkali metal adsorption substrates for alkali-metal-based battery anode materials using density functional theory (DFT). Twelve thermodynamically stable <i>h</i>-MBenes are screened out from thirty-three structures, and their excellent stability and metallic electronic characteristics are confirmed. The ordered multilayered growth in alkali metal adsorption is found to depend on two factors: low lattice mismatching and dynamic matching of the work function. In particular, Mg/Al/V-based <i>h</i>-MBenes exhibit excellent lithium lattice matching (<3.35% mismatch), enabling layer-by-layer hexagonal (001) Li growth for ≥5 layers. They have ultrahigh lithium capacities (2170–3818 mAh·g<sup>−1</sup>), low migration barriers (0.01–0.05 eV), and low voltages (0.003–0.714 V). Mg/Y-based <i>h</i>-MBenes enable three Na layers’ adsorption with a capacity of 1717/605 mAh·g<sup>−1</sup>, and Al<sub>2</sub>B<sub>2</sub> achieves a 472 mAh·g<sup>−1</sup> potassium storage capacity, respectively. Due to the orderly multilayered growth mechanism, Mg/Al/V-based <i>h</i>-MBenes show great potential as high-safety and ultrahigh-capacity alkali-metal battery anode materials.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/12/886<i>h</i>-MBenessecondary batteriesanodeDFT
spellingShingle Jiaxin Jiang
Hongyan Guo
Ning Lu
Ultrahigh Storage Capacity of Alkali Metal Ions in Hexagonal Metal Borides with Orderly Multilayered Growth Mechanism
Nanomaterials
<i>h</i>-MBenes
secondary batteries
anode
DFT
title Ultrahigh Storage Capacity of Alkali Metal Ions in Hexagonal Metal Borides with Orderly Multilayered Growth Mechanism
title_full Ultrahigh Storage Capacity of Alkali Metal Ions in Hexagonal Metal Borides with Orderly Multilayered Growth Mechanism
title_fullStr Ultrahigh Storage Capacity of Alkali Metal Ions in Hexagonal Metal Borides with Orderly Multilayered Growth Mechanism
title_full_unstemmed Ultrahigh Storage Capacity of Alkali Metal Ions in Hexagonal Metal Borides with Orderly Multilayered Growth Mechanism
title_short Ultrahigh Storage Capacity of Alkali Metal Ions in Hexagonal Metal Borides with Orderly Multilayered Growth Mechanism
title_sort ultrahigh storage capacity of alkali metal ions in hexagonal metal borides with orderly multilayered growth mechanism
topic <i>h</i>-MBenes
secondary batteries
anode
DFT
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/12/886
work_keys_str_mv AT jiaxinjiang ultrahighstoragecapacityofalkalimetalionsinhexagonalmetalborideswithorderlymultilayeredgrowthmechanism
AT hongyanguo ultrahighstoragecapacityofalkalimetalionsinhexagonalmetalborideswithorderlymultilayeredgrowthmechanism
AT ninglu ultrahighstoragecapacityofalkalimetalionsinhexagonalmetalborideswithorderlymultilayeredgrowthmechanism