Electroactive organics as promising anode materials for rechargeable lithium ion and sodium ion batteries

Abstract

Electroactive organics have attracted significant attention as electrode materials for next-generation rechargeable batteries because of their structural diversity, molecular adjustability, abundance, flexibility, environmental friendliness and low cost. To date, a large number of organic materials have been applied in a variety of energy storage devices. However, the inherent problems of organic materials, such as their dissolution in electrolytes and low electronic conductivity, have restricted the development of organic electrodes. In order to solve these problems, many groups have carried out research and remarkable progress has been made. Nevertheless, most reviews of organic electrodes have focused on the positive electrode rather than the negative electrode. This review first provides an overview of the recent work on organic anodes for Li- and Na-ion batteries. Six categories of organic anodes are summarized and discussed. Many of the key factors that influence the electrochemical performance of organic anodes are highlighted and their prospects and remaining challenges are evaluated.