Boosting Sodium Storage in TiF3/Carbon Core/Sheath Nanofibers through an Efficient Mixed‐Conducting Network

Abstract

AbstractSodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are considered to be promising energy storage devices for large‐scale grid storage application due to the vast earth‐abundance and low cost of sodium‐containing precursors. Designing and fabricating a highly efficient anode is one of the keys to improve the electrochemical performance of SIBs. Recently, fluoride‐based materials are found to show an exceptional anode function with high theoretical specific capacity, based on open‐framework structure enabling Na insertion and also exhibiting improved safety. However, fluoride‐based materials suffer from sluggish kinetics and poor capacity retention essentially due to low electric conductivity. Here, an efficient mixed‐conducting network offering fast pathways is proposed to address these issues. This network relies on titanium fluoride⊂carbon (TiF3⊂C) core/sheath nanofibers that are prepared via electrospinning. Such highly interconnected electrodes exhibit an enhanced and faster sodium storage performance. Carbon sheath nanofibers are key to an efficient ion‐ and electron‐conducting network that enable Na+/e− transfer to reach the nanosized TiF3. In addition, in‐situ‐converted Ti and NaF particles embedded in the carbon matrix allow high reversible interfacial storage. As a result, the TiF3⊂C core/sheath electrode exhibits a high capacity of 161 mAh g−1 at a high current density of 1000 mA g−1 over 2000 cycles.