Cabbage-like CoO/Ti₃C₂ with high cycling stability in lithium-ion storage

Cobalt monoxide (CoO) has attracted much attention due to its high theoretical capacity and long cycling life in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the intrinsic CoO anode has poor conductivity and experiences large volume changes during cycling. The use of the proper carbide materials and morphological modification can overcome some of the barriers. In this work, few-layer Ti₃C₂ is used to fabricate the cabbage-like CoO/Ti₃C₂ composite by a one-step hydrothermal process, and the electrochemical properties of samples are evaluated systematically. The composite has a cabbage roll structure with a diameter of 2–7 μm assembled on folded nanosheets with a lateral dimension of 1–2 μm. The interlayer spacing is 0.1–0.5 μm and the Ti₃C₂ mass ratio is less than 9 %. The cabbage-like CoO/Ti₃C₂ electrode shows a high original specific capacity of 980.5 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.5 C. After 1000 cycles, the reversible discharging capacity is still 598.1 mAh g⁻¹ besides a good capacity retention ratio of 93.2 %. Compared with CoO and CoO/rGO, the cabbage-like CoO/Ti₃C₂ has a faster ion transport rate and robust skeleton, leading to excellent cycling stability. The simple fabrication strategy and materials with outstanding cycling stability have large potential in the development of next-generation LIBs. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.