Synergistic effect of antimony-triselenide on addition of conductive hybrid matrix for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

Antimony/antimony-triselenide-based composites embedded in highly conductive titanium carbide and carbon matrices are synthesized by initial heat-treatment followed by a high energy mechanical milling process, are evaluated as potential anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. From density functional theory calculations, the binding energy values between titanium and antimony, and titanium and selenium show different interactions, leading to the formation of novel hybrid composites. The introduction of titanium carbide into antimony-triselenide composites leads to much better cycling performance. An Sb/Sb2Se3–TiC–C (TiC: 10 wt %) electrode, for instance, exhibits a superior reversible charge capacity of 576 mAh g−1 (864 mAh cm−3) after 200 cycles, as well as notable rate capabilities corresponding to a high capacity of 415 mAh g−1—even at a current density of 10 A g−1. These characteristics can be owing to both the highly conductive titanium carbide with carbon matrix, and the mitigation of the stress and strain in the composite electrodes. The developed composite anodes therefore present new and promising candidates for advanced lithium-ion cells.