High-performance Anode For Sodium-ion Batteries Research Articles

Alkali-induced 3D crinkled porous Ti3C2 MXene architectures coupled with NiCoP bimetallic phosphide nanoparticles as anodes for high-performance sodium-ion batteries

Coupling NiCoP bimetallic phosphide nanoparticles with alkali-induced 3D crinkled Ti3C2 effectively enhances the structural stability and improved reaction kinetics of anodes for SIBs.

Yolk–shell N-doped carbon coated FeS2nanocages as a high-performance anode for sodium-ion batteries

Rationally designed yolk–shell structured N-doped carbon coated FeS2nanocages demonstrate superior high-rate and long-term cycling performance as anode materials for sodium-ion batteries.

Turbostratic carbon-localised FeS2 nanocrystals as anodes for high-performance sodium-ion batteries.

Low-cost metal sulfides are promising anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs); however, they suffer from sluggish kinetics and large volume expansion upon cycling. Here, a strategy to grow FeS2 on turbostratic carbon (t-carbon) assisted by chemical interactions between Fe and C electrons was realized via a simple and scalable mechanical alloying (MA) approach with a trace amount of CNTs. The structural change in CNTs synchronized with the in situ growth of FeS2 on the transformed t-carbon during the MA process, forming localised FeS2 nanocrystals wrapped in the frameworks of t-carbon. This intertwined structure within a grain consisted of chemical bonding by electronic hybridization between FeS2 and its adjacent carbon layer, resulting in enhanced structural stability upon cycling. Moreover, the localised FeS2 nanocrystals with an ultrasmall diameter of 10 nm encapsulated in the nanoframeworks of t-carbon could effectively shorten the diffusion paths of electrons/ions and withstand the volume expansion. The as-synthesized FeS2-C hybrid composite electrode exhibited a pseudocapacitive diffusion behavior with high specific capacity, good cycling stability, and remarkable rate capability. This strategy is a facile, scalable, and low-cost route toward high-performance metal sulfide anode materials for the commercial utilization of SIBs.

Experimental design and theoretical calculation for sulfur-doped carbon nanofibers as a high performance sodium-ion battery anode

S-doped carbon nanofibers derived from bacterial cellulose with interlinked networks and pores were facilely prepared in a sustainable approach. This product presents a high Na-ion storage capacity and excellent rate performances.

NiSe2 nanooctahedra as anodes for high-performance sodium-ion batteries

Octahedral NiSe2 was fabricated by a facile hydrothermal method. It showed excellent Na ion storage performance when used as an anode material for sodium-ion batteries.

Scalable synthesis of FeS2 nanoparticles encapsulated into N-doped carbon nanosheets as a high-performance sodium-ion battery anode.

Pyrite (FeS2) has been considered as one of the most potential anode materials for sodium ion batteries (SIBs) due to its low cost, environmentally friendly features and high theoretical capacity. However, the huge volume changes during a charge/discharge process and poor conductivity of FeS2 hindered its practical applications. Herein, we propose a facile scalable approach to prepare nanostructured FeS2 embedded in an N-doped carbon nanosheet composite (FeS2/CNS) via a combined template method and a solid state sulfuration method. N-Doped carbon nanosheets are believed to alleviate the volume variation and enhance the conductivity of an electrode, and the nanoscale particle size with an average diameter of 50-80 nm can shorten the ion-diffusion paths during a sodiation/desodiation process. As a result, the FeS2/CNS electrode exhibits high specific capacity (812 mA h g-1 at 0.1 A g-1), long cycling life (77.2% capacity retention after 350 cycles at 1 A g-1) and excellent rate capability (400 mA h g-1 at 5 A g-1) when tested as an anode material for SIBs. The results demonstrate the potential applications of FeS2/CNS in SIBs with low-cost, high power density and long cycling life.

A comparative study of pomegranate Sb@C yolk-shell microspheres as Li and Na-ion battery anodes.

Alloy-based nanostructure anodes have the privilege of alleviating the challenges of large volume expansion and improving the cycling stability and rate performance for high energy lithium- and sodium-ion batteries (LIBs and SIBs). Yet, they face the dilemma of worsening the parasitic reactions at the electrode-electrolyte interface and low packing density for the fabrication of practical electrodes. Here, pomegranate Sb@C yolk-shell microspheres were developed as a high-performance anode for LIBs and SIBs with controlled interfacial properties and enhanced packing density. Although the same yolk-shell nanostructure (primary particle size, porosity) and three-dimensional architecture alleviated the volume change induced stress and swelling in both batteries, the SIBs show 99% capacity retention over 200 cycles, much better than the 78% capacity retention of the LIBs. The comparative electrochemical study and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterization revealed that the different SEIs, besides the distinct phase transition mechanism, played a critical role in the divergent cycling performance.

An iron oxyborate Fe3BO5 material as a high-performance anode for lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries.

An Fe3BO5 anode material synthesized by reducing Fe3BO6 was comprehensively studied for use in both lithium- and sodium-ion batteries. As a lithium-ion battery anode, the obtained Fe3BO5 displays a high initial reversible capacity of 654.7 mA h g-1 (with a coulombic efficiency of 75%) at a current density of 0.1 A g-1 and a favorable cycling performance, with a capacity of 544.6 mA h g-1 at 0.4 A g-1 after 400 cycles. As a sodium-ion battery anode, Fe3BO5 displays initial discharge/charge capacities of 644.6 and 433.6 mA h g-1 at a current density of 0.1 A g-1. Besides this, Fe3BO5 exhibits a stable reversible capacity of about 380 mA h g-1 at 0.4 A g-1 during the first 100 cycles and an excellent rate performance with a high capacity of 304.5 mA h g-1, even at a current density of as large as 4 A g-1. Kinetics analysis shows that the significance in high Na+ capacitive contribution at a high rate should account for the excellent rate performance. The excellent electrochemical properties demonstrate that the Fe3BO5 material could be an effective and promising anode candidate for both lithium- and sodium-ion batteries.

F-Doped NaTi2(PO4)3/C Nanocomposite as a High-Performance Anode for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

We are presenting a sol-gel method for building novel nanostructures made of nanosized F-doped Na1-2 xTi2(PO4)3- xF x (NTP-F x, x = 0, 0.02, 0.05, and 0.10) particles embedded in three-dimensional (3D) carbon matrices (NTP-F x/C). This technique combines advantages of both zero-dimensional materials and 3D-carbon networks. Proper fluorine doping stabilizes the NTP structure and greatly enhances ion/electron transportation, leading to superhigh-rate electrochemical performance and ultralong cycle life. The composite electrode delivers high specific capacities of 121, 115, 112.2, 110.1, 107.7, 103.1, 85.8, and 62.5 mA h g-1 at 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 30 C, respectively. It retains an unbelievable ∼70% capacity after a thousand cycles at a rate as high as 10 C. Electroanalytical results reveal that fluorine doping significantly enhances Na+ diffusion kinetics. Meanwhile, density functional theory calculations demonstrate F-doped NTPs' own outstanding electrochemical properties, which is due to the enhanced intrinsic ionic/electronic conductivity. The results show that anion doping is an efficient way to make high-performance NTP anodes for sodium-ion batteries.

Antimony Nanorod Encapsulated in Cross-Linked Carbon for High-Performance Sodium Ion Battery Anodes.

Antimony- (Sb) based materials have been considered as one of promising anodes for sodium ion batteries (SIBs) owing to their high theoretical capacities and appropriate sodium inserting potentials. So far, the reported energy density and cycling stability of the Sb-based anodes for SIBs are quite limited and need to be significantly improved. Here, we develop a novel Sb/C hybrid encapsulating the Sb nanorods into highly conductive N and S codoped carbon (Sb@(N, S-C)) frameworks. As an anode for SIBs, the Sb@(N, S-C) hybrid maintains high reversible capacities of 621.1 mAh g-1 at 100 mA g-1 after 150 cycles, and 390.8 mAh g-1 at 1 A g-1 after 1000 cycles. At higher current densities of 2, 5, and 10 A g-1, the Sb@(N, S-C) hybrid also can display high reversible capacities of 534.4, 430.8, and 374.7 mAh g-1, respectively. Such impressive sodium storage properties are mainly attributed to the unique cross-linked carbon networks providing highly conductive frameworks for fast transfer of ions and electrons, alleviating the volume expansion and preventing the agglomeration of Sb nanorods during the cycling.

Enhanced electronic conductivity and sodium-ion adsorption in N/S co-doped ordered mesoporous carbon for high-performance sodium-ion battery anode

The unique interconnected mesoporous structure and high specific surface area facilitate the diffusion and absorption of Na+, making ordered mesoporous carbon a promising candidate for the anode of sodium-ion batteries. However, low electronic conductivity and scanty defects cause unsatisfied sodium storage capacity. Heteroatoms doping is regarded as an efficient strategy to modify the physicochemical properties of carbonaceous materials and in this work, nitrogen and sulfur are simultaneously doped into the framework of ordered mesoporous carbon via a one-step thermal treatment. The N/S co-doped samples possess an enhanced electronic conductivity, rich defects, and improved Na+ adsorption capability, realizing a superior capacity of 419 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 after 150 cycles and retaining 220 mA h g−1 at 5 A g−1 even after 3000 cycles. As a consequence, the facile synthetic route and excellent sodium storage properties make N/S co-doped ordered mesoporous carbon show great prospect for the application of sodium-ion batteries anode material.

Heteroatom-doped hierarchically porous carbons derived from cucumber stem as high-performance anodes for sodium-ion batteries

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are regarded as one of the most promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for large-scale energy stationary applications due to the abundant reserve of sodium. However, it is still challenging to develop low-cost and high-performance anode materials for SIBs. Herein, heteroatom-doped hard carbons with hierarchically porous and disordered structures are prepared via pyrolysis of natural biomass cucumber stem. The electrochemical performances of the biomass carbon are significantly influenced by the carbonization temperatures due to the different microstructures and heteroatomic contents. The biomass carbon carbonized at 1000 °C delivers the highest reversible capacity of 337.9 mAh g−1 while used as the anode material for SIBs. Furthermore, the biomass carbon achieves a sheet-like morphology with macroscopically open structure after the hydrothermal activation of KOH. It is worth noting that the activated carbon exhibits a high reversible capacity (458.6 mAh g−1), an excellent rate capability (102.6 mAh g−1 at 10 A g−1) and a cycling stability (198.6 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1 over 500 cycles). The enhanced electrochemical properties of the activated carbon can be attributed to the larger surface area and highly developed nanopores, which could significantly facilitate the transport and storage of sodium ions.

Manipulating Local Chemistry of Phosphorus for High-Performance Sodium Ion Battery Anode Applications

The manipulation of the chemical environment of P by forming phosphorus-titania–carbon (P–TiO2–C) composite leads to a high-performance anode material with a reversible capacity of 1147 mA h g–1 at a current density of 100 mA g–1, a high rate capacity retention of 81.5% for charging/discharging rate increasing from 100 to 1000 mA g–1, and a good cycle stability (540 mA h g–1 at a current density of 1 A g–1 is maintained after 100 cycles). The excellent electrochemical properties of the composite anode originate from the changed chemical states of both TiO2 and P, providing an effective strategy in designing high-performance sodium ion battery anode materials.

Electrospun Kraft Lignin/Cellulose Acetate-Derived Nanocarbon Network as an Anode for High-Performance Sodium-Ion Batteries.

An innovative nanocarbon network material was synthesized from electrospun kraft lignin and cellulose acetate blend nanofibers after carbonization at 1000 °C in a nitrogen atmosphere, and its electrochemical performance was evaluated as an anode material in sodium-ion batteries. Apart from its unique network architecture, introduced carbon material possesses high oxygen content of 13.26%, wide interplanar spacing of 0.384 nm, and large specific surface area of 540.95 m2·g-1. The electrochemical test results demonstrate that this new nanocarbon network structure delivers a reversible capacity of 340 mA h·g-1 at a current density of 50 mA·g-1 after 200 cycles and exhibits a high rate capacity by delivering a capacity of 103 mA h·g-1 at an increased current density of 400 mA·g-1. The present work rendered an innovative approach for preparing nanocarbon materials for energy-storage applications and could open up new avenues for novel nanocarbon fabrication from green and environmentally friendly raw materials.

Carbon-enhanced centrifugally-spun SnSb/carbon microfiber composite as advanced anode material for sodium-ion battery

Antimony tin (SnSb) based materials have become increasingly attractive as a potential anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) owing to their prominent merit of high capacity. However, cyclic stability and rate capability of SnSb anodes are currently hindered by their large volume change during repeated cycling, which results in severe capacity fading. Herein, we introduce carbon-coated centrifugally-spun SnSb@carbon microfiber (CMF) composites as high-performance anodes for SIBs that can maintain their structural stability during repeated charge-discharge cycles. The centrifugal spinning method was performed to fabricate SnSb@CMFs due to its high speed, low cost, and large-scale fabrication features. More importantly, extra carbon coating by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has been demonstrated as an effective method to improve the capacity retention and Coulombic efficiency of the SnSb@CMF anode. Electrochemical test results indicated that the as-prepared SnSb@CMF@C anode could deliver a large reversible capacity of 798 mA h∙g−1 at the 20th cycle as well as a high capacity retention of 86.8% and excellent Coulombic efficiency of 98.1% at the 100th cycle. It is, therefore, demonstrated that SnSb@CMF@C composite is a promising anode material candidate for future high-performance SIBs.

Sn-C bonding riveted SnSe nanoplates vertically grown on nitrogen-doped carbon nanobelts for high-performance sodium-ion battery anodes

SnSe is a promising anode material in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to its high theoretical capacity (780 mA h g−1) and natural abundance. Herein, we report SnSe nanoplates vertically grown on nitrogen-doped carbon (SnSe/NC) with strong Sn-C bonding for high-performance anode in SIBs, which are synthesized by a facial cation-exchange strategy. The vertically grown SnSe nanoplates with large interplanar spacing (0.58 nm), strong electronic coupling of Sn-C bonding between SnSe and NC facilitate the fast electron/ion transfer, enabling high pseudocapacitive Na-ion storage and enhanced power capability. Density functional theory calculations demonstrate that the presence of N heteroatoms in NC matrix has a pivotal influence on the formation of Sn-C bonding to stabilize the SnSe/NC structure. Moreover, the SnSe nanoplates of SnSe/NC exhibits low interlayer Na+ diffusion barrier (0.1 eV) and low energy barrier (0.14 eV/uc) from discharged product to pristine SnSe/NC, implying the fast Na+ diffusion capability and good reversibility. Consequently, the SnSe/NC exhibits large capacities of 723 and 88 mA h g−1 at 0.025 and 20 A g−1, respectively, and 82% capacity retention for over 200 cycles at 2 A g−1, boosting promising applications in high-performance SIBs.

Sb2S3-rGO for high-performance sodium-ion battery anodes on Al and Cu foil current collector

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have recently drawn great interest as an alternative due to their lower cost compare to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). As in the practical application in LIBs manufacturing, Cu and Al foils are generally used as the current collectors for the anode and cathode of SIBs respectively. The concern for amorphous Li-Al alloy formation at ∼0.2 V is the main reason for selecting a different metallic (i.e. Cu) current collector. However, it is not the case for the SIBs since Na-Al alloys are formed at much lower potentials. In this paper, we demonstrate that the electrochemistry of SIBs allows an Al current collector to be used for the SIB anode without any adverse effect. The cell performance using a high capacity Sb2S3-reduced graphene oxide (Sb2S3-rGO) composite anode is undistinguishable between the use of Cu and Al current collectors. The reversible storage of Na+ in this Sb2S3-rGO composite is evaluated on both Cu-foil and Al-foil current collectors and comparable results are obtained: high desodiation specific capacities of ∼555 mAh g−1 (on Al-foil current collector) and 537 mAh g−1 (on Cu-foil current collector) for 70 cycles at 100 mA g−1. Therefore, the Al current collector can replace Cu in SIBs, which simplifies the construction of SIB cells and reduces the material cost in SIB production.

Rationally designed carbon coated ZnSnS3 nano cubes as high-performance anode for advanced sodium-ion batteries

Metal sulfides have gradually gained attention as preferable anode materials in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to their high theoretical capacities. In this work, we report for the first time the synthesis of carbon coated ZnSnS3 nanocubes (ZnSnS3@C NCs) as high-performance anode material for SIBs. The outer carbon coating surrounding the ZnSnS3 active material not only enhances the electronic conductivity of the anode but also increases the electrode reaction active sites. Thus, it can greatly improve the reversible capacity as well as homogenize the repeated volume changes of the active material and decrease the mechanical stress caused during the prolonged charge/discharge process, which could finally enable an enhanced electrode stability. Electrochemical test results demonstrated that the introduced ZnSnS3@C NC anode is capable of delivering a high reversible capacity of 661.4 mAh g−1 at a current density of 100 mA g−1 after 250 cycles (with capacity retention of 97.1%) and demonstrating a stable Coulombic efficiency of over 99%. To the best of our knowledge, both the reversible capacity and cycling stability performance introduced in this work are so far the best among metallic sulfur-based anodes and are even superior to some recently reported SnS2-based anodes.

ZnWO4 nanosheets anchored into reduced graphene oxide as anode materials for enhanced sodium-ion storage performance

Sodium ion batteries (SIBs) have been considered a potential candidate for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) to enable remarkable improvement in future new-style energy storage systems, but the development of the SIBs with excellent sodium storage performance still retain major challenge. ZnWO4/reduced graphene oxide (ZnWO4/RGO) nanocomposites were prepared via hydrothermal and used as an anode for sodium ion batteries for the first time, showing a higher discharge capacity and better rate capability as compared to plain ZnWO4 nanosheets. The significant enhancement in performance may be ascribed to the unique nanomaterials with good electronic and ionic conductivity, superior structure flexibility and fast diffusion kinetics. This work could provide a promising route to construct novel materials as a highly attractive zinc-based anode for high performance SIBs.

Triconstituent co-assembly to hierarchically porous carbons as high-performance anodes for sodium-ion batteries

Abstract Hierarchically porous carbons were prepared through triconstituent co-assembly of resols, oligomer silicates from tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and triblock copolymer F127 template, followed by carbonization and removal of silica. The as-prepared carbons possess abundant micropores and two kinds of mesopore with sizes of 3.7 and 6.3 nm. Upon the electrochemical testing against sodium, the hierarchically porous carbon electrodes exhibit sloping voltage profile during the first charge and subsequent cycles with superior electrochemical performance, delivering a reversible capacity of 180 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 after 200 cycles, which is much higher than 120 mAh g−1 of the hierarchically porous carbon electrode without the addition of TEOS during the synthesis. The improved electrochemical performance may be ascribed to the combined contribution from the finer graphitic domain, higher degree of structural disorder, more abundant surface functional groups and most importantly, interconnected hierarchically mesoporous structure.