Nanoarchitectonics of Laser Induced MAX 3D-Printed Electrode for Photo-Electrocatalysis and Energy Storage Application with Long Cyclic Durability of 100 000 Cycles

Abstract

3D printing, a rapidly expanding domain of additive manufacturing, enables the fabrication of intricate 3D structures with adjustable fabrication parameters and scalability. Nonetheless, post-fabrication, 3D-printed materials often require an activation step to eliminate non-conductive polymers, a process traditionally achieved through chemical, thermal, or electrochemical methods. These conventional activation techniques, however, suffer from inefficiency and inconsistent results. In this study, a novel chemical-free activation method employing laser treatment is introduced. This innovative technique effectively activates 3D-printed electrodes, which are then evaluated for their photo and electrochemical performance against traditional solvent-activated counterparts. The method not only precisely ablates surplus non-conductive polymers but also exposes and activates the underlying electroactive materials. The 3D-printed electrodes, processed with this single-step laser approach, exhibit a notably low overpotential of ≈505 mV at a current density of −10 mA cm−2 under an illumination wavelength of 365 nm. These electrodes also demonstrate exceptional durability, maintaining stability through >100 000 cycles in energy storage applications. By amalgamating 3D printing with laser processing, the creation of electrodes with complex structures and customizable properties is enabled. This synergy paves the way for streamlined production of such devices in the field of energy conversion and storage.