Anode Material For Batteries Research Articles

Very High-Capacity Li/Na-Ion battery anodes Enabled by Blue phosphorene and boron phosphide vdW heterostructure

The fascinating features of van der Waals heterostructure (vdWH) based electrodes and their potential to overcome the limiting properties of single-material systems have sparked a great deal of scientific attention. In this study, we investigate the potential of a blue phosphorene/boron phosphide (Blue-P/BP) vdWH as an anode material for both lithium-ion (Li-ion) and sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries using first-principles calculations. We suggest that this vdWH could act as an effective anode material for metal-ion batteries, due to their high theoretical capacity and strong binding strength. Intriguingly, the theoretical specific capacity exhibits remarkable values, notably reaching 4510 mAhg−1 for Li and 3849 mAhg−1 for Na, which surpasses all capacities reported in the existing literature. Additionally, electronic structure calculations reveal a significant charge transfer that enhances the metallic characteristics, thereby increasing electrical conductivity. As we delve deeper into the electronic structure and calculate diffusion barriers and pathways, we observe that ionic diffusion (∼0.12/0.11 eV) is notably rapid compared to graphitic anodes (∼0.2 eV). We also found that intercalating Li/Na atoms in the Blue-P/BP vdWH results in low operating potentials of 0.38 V for Li and 0.34 V for Na. This research highlights the substantial enhancement of electrochemical performance of Blue-P/BP vdWH and holds great promise as high-power-density anode materials for Li/Na-ion batteries, facilitating rapid charge and discharge rates.

Biomass-derived hard carbon material for high-capacity sodium-ion battery anode through structure regulation

Economical and environmentally friendly hard carbon materials are attractive options for high-performance sodium-ion battery anode materials. Biomass-derived hard carbon materials have good economic benefits and environmentally friendliness as anode materials for sodium-ion batteries. In this work, we propose a new hard carbon material prepared from agricultural waste olive shells through a simple and environmentally friendly process. The effects of high-temperature treatments and pre-carbonization strategies on the pore structure and graphitization degree of the hard carbon materials were investigated. Combined with electrochemical performance tests, the influence of structural changes on the sodium storage properties of the olive shell-derived hard carbon was revealed. Under the optimized conditions of carbonization temperature and pre-carbonization strategy, the OSHC-Air electrode exhibits excellent sodium storage capacity with 87 % capacity remaining after 1000 cycles at 1000 mA g−1. The assembled PB//OSHC-Air sodium-ion full cell exhibits a high capacity of 216 mAh g−1. Our research provides a potential candidate for commercial anode materials for high-capacity sodium-ion batteries.

Metal-organic framework-derived in situ-grown Cu2Sb@NC octahedra for high-performance stable lithium/sodium storage

Intermetallic compounds are considered a special class of alloy-type anode materials that show great potential for use in lithium/sodium-ion batteries due to their inherent advantages, such as high specific capacity and enhanced safety features. However, their practical application is often impeded by the substantial volume changes that occur during the insertion and extraction of Li+/Na+ ions, leading to capacity decay and reduced service life. To address this challenge, we developed a novel composite material comprising Cu2Sb nanoparticles encapsulated within a N-doped octahedral carbon matrix (Cu2Sb@N-C). This composite structure features a heteroatom-doped conductive network, a three-dimensional carbon framework, and finely dispersed Cu2Sb nanoparticles. Benefiting from the heteroatom-doped conductive network, three-dimensional carbon framework and ultrafine Cu2Sb nanoparticles, they not only provide a penetrating network for the fast transfer of charge carriers and improve the accessibility of ions, but also alleviate the agglomeration and volume expansion of Cu2Sb during cycling. For LIBs, the material exhibited a reversible capacity of 1001.0 mAh/g after 330 cycles at 0.2 A/g, while maintaining a substantial capacity of 565.5 mAh/g after 1000 cycles at 1.0 A/g. In the case of SIBs, the material exhibited a capacity of 375.6 mAh/g after 100 cycles at 0.2 A/g. Post-cycling electrode analyses revealed that the Cu2Sb@N-C anode material retained its structural integrity, demonstrating its ability to withstand the continuous insertion and extraction of Li+/Na+ ions. This research contributes insights into the effective design of innovative high-capacity alloy-based anode materials for advanced secondary batteries.

Enhancing lithium storage performance of Carbon/SiOx composite via coating edge-nitrogen-enriched carbon

Silicon oxide (SiOx) exhibits promising potential as a lithium-ion battery anode. However, its practical application is impeded by low electrical conductivity and significant volumetric expansion. To overcome these limitations, we developed a novel co-precipitation and selectively etching approach that leveraged the nitrogen-retaining effect of ZnNCN to prepare an edge-nitrogen-enriched carbon/SiOx composite (NEC@LC-SiOx). This NEC@LC-SiOx showed enhanced electrical conductivity and reduced volumetric expansion. Our innovative approach effectively prevented excessive decomposition of nitrogen species, resulting in a high nitrogen doping content of 21.67 at.% while maintaining a stable structure and mitigated volume expansion during charging and discharging. Consequently, the prepared NEC@LC-SiOx exhibited excellent performance as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries, demonstrating a high reversible specific capacity of 802 mAh/g and outstanding rate capability. This work presents a novel strategy for designing high-performance SiOx anode materials.

Ligand Stripped Vanadium (III) Trifluoride Nanocrystals with Churros Structure as Novel Anode Material in Lithium Ion Batteries

Ligand Stripped Vanadium (III) Trifluoride Nanocrystals with Churros Structure as Novel Anode Material in Lithium Ion Batteries

Tuning Work Function of Fe2N@C Nanosheets by Co Doping for Enhanced Lithium Storage.

Transition metal nitrides (TMNs) with high theoretical capacity and excellent electrical conductivity have great potential as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), but suffer from poor rate performance due to the slow kinetics. Herein, taking the Fe2N for instance, Co doping is utilized to enhance the work function of Fe2N, which accelerates the charge transfer and strengthens the adsorption of Li+ ions. The Fe2N nanoparticles with various Co dopants are anchoring on the surface of honeycomb porous carbon foam (named Cox-Fe2N@C). Co-doping can enlarge the work function of pristine Fe2N and thereby optimize the charging/discharging kinetics. The work function can be increased from 5.23eV (pristine Fe2N) to 5.67eV for Co0.3-Fe2N@C and 5.56eV for Co0.1-Fe2N@C. As expected, the Co0.1-Fe2N@C electrode exhibits the highest specific capacity (673mA h g-1 at 100mA g-1) and remarkable rate capability (375mA h g-1 at 5000mA g-1), outperforming most reported TMNs electrodes. Therefore, this work provides a promising strategy to design and regulate anode materials for high-performance and even commercially available LIBs.

Suitability of BC6N monolayer as an anode material for K-ions batteries: A first-principles study

Selecting an appropriate anode material is a crucial initial stage in improvement of batteries to achieve optimal performance. This study investigates suitability of BC6NA monolayer as an anode through application of first-principles based DFT. With varying K atom adsorption concentrations, the BC6NA monolayer maintains its metallic behaviors, which is a great asset for battery purposes. A theoretical storage capacity for K-adsorbed BC6NA monolayer of 390.52 mAhg−1 has been presented, which is a significant improvement over graphite, BC6NA, and many other 2D materials. K-ions on the BC6NA monolayer and a reliable diffusion barrier of 0.35 eV point to good diffusivity. Open-circuit voltage (OCV) is moderate and lower than for materials used in traditional anodes. According to our findings, the BC6NA monolayer can serve as an effective host material for K-ions batteries (KIBs). As a result, the current research into the possible anodic use of BC6NA monolayer is beneficial for next experimental work on sodium storage methods for KIBs.

Effective CuO/Cu7S4 nanospheres heterostructures for advanced “rocking-chair” zinc-ion battery

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have attracted considerable attention for energy storage owing to their environmental friendliness and high safety. However, the adverse side reactions and unsatisfactory cycle life brought by Zn-metal anodes limit their large applications. Herein, CuO/Cu7S4 (CSO) heterostructured hollow nanospheres is proposed as an attractive conversion-type Zn-metal-free anode for “rocking-chair” ZIBs. The CSO/graphite self-supporting electrode delivers a high capacity of 271 mAh/g at current density of 0.1 A/g and a superior cyclic stability of 1200 cycles. Based on the excellent electrochemical performance of CSO/graphite electrode, we have constructed a self-powered pressure sensor integrated system using the “rocking-chair” zinc ion battery as the power source, demonstrating significant practicality. This work provides a high-performance conversion type anode material for aqueous multivalent metal ion batteries.

Multifaceted insights into pentagonal BeP2 monolayer: From electrochemical to mechanical resilience for alkali-ion batteries using DFT

Herein, we elucidated the properties of a pentagonal BeP2 monolayer, emphasizing its robust dynamic, thermal, and mechanical stabilities, as well as its promising electrochemical characteristics. Combining density functional theory (DFT) with a thermodynamic energy decomposition scheme, we identified BeP2 as a potentially excellent 2D material for energy storage devices. It is characterized by large lattice parameters and semi-metallic behavior, exhibiting a zero density of states (DOS) at the Fermi level. It demonstrates favorable open-circuit voltages, low metal ion migration barriers, and negligible structural modifications for Na and K ions. The specific capacities of Li/Na/K reached remarkable values, surpassing those of most previously reported monolayers. Emerging ion battery technology necessitates solid, directly comparable data to establish an optimized standard organic solvent electrolyte. With this objective in mind, we systematically investigated systems combining two Li/Na/K salts with three different alkyl carbonate solvents. Furthermore, we proposed a defect in BeP2 to explore all possible avenues for sustaining the pentagonal BeP2 monolayer (supplementary Fig. S5 and S6). In summary, our findings strongly indicate that the pentagonal BeP2 monolayer holds considerable promise as an anode material for sodium-ion batteries (NIBs) and potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) owing to its high electrochemical and mechanical sustainability and excellent compatibility with electrolytes.

Bio-Inspired Self-Healing Silicon Anodes: Harnessing Tea Polyphenols to Enhance Lithium-Ion Battery Performance.

This study introduces an anode material for lithium-ion batteries, achieved by integrating tea polyphenols (TP) with the widely utilized polyacrylic acid (PAA) binder. The composite material capitalizes on the intrinsic self-healing properties of TP, enhancing the anode's durability and adhesiveness without the need for additional organic synthesis. The incorporation of TP has been demonstrated to significantly elevate ionic conductivity and expedite lithium ion diffusion, thereby reducing interfacial resistance and decelerating the rate of capacity fade due to electrolyte decomposition and silicon particle expansion. Employing a comprehensive analytical toolkit, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, peel strength measurements, and density functional theory calculations, we elucidated the physicochemical properties of the Si@PAA-TP anode. The anode's electrochemical performance was systematically assessed through galvanostatic charge-discharge, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, with scanning electron microscopy providing insights into postcycling mechanical property alterations. This research advances a cost-effective, high-performance adhesive strategy for silicon anodes and contributes to the development.

Electrolyte-Salts Regulated Hydrogen-Bonding Configuration and Interphase Formation Achieving Highly Stable Anode for Rechargeable Aqueous Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Hydrogen evolution reactions that cause the alkalization of aqueous electrolytes generally frustrate the structural stability and cycling performance of NaTi2(PO4)3/C anode material for rechargeable aqueous sodium-ion batteries (ASIBs). Herein, a novel highly concentrated electrolyte with a large hydrogen-evolution overpotential and hydroxide-capture ability is rationally established by incorporating a bifunctional Mg(Ac)2 additive into a concentrated NaAc aqueous solution. The highly concentrated electrolyte salts (4m NaAc+3m Mg(Ac)2) favor regulation on hydrogen-bonding configurations and kinetically shift the hydrogen evolution potential to a lower value of -1.37 V (vs Ag/AgCl). The Mg(Ac)2 additive plays particular roles in spontaneously capturing hydroxide ions generated during hydrogen evolution reactions on anode surfaces and simultaneously forming a protective Mg(OH)2-like interphase. As a result, the unique electrolyte significantly improves the structural stability and cycling performance of NaTi2(PO4)3/C anode (94.8% capacity retention after 100 cycles at 100 mA·g-1). The effect of salt concentration on hydrogen bonding configurations of aqueous electrolytes is investigated with Raman spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. The interphase is identified by coupling EDS mapping, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. This work provides a new strategy for improving the cycling stability of aqueous sodium-ion batteries.

Facile One-Pot Synthesis of Fe3O4 Nanoparticles Composited with Reduced Graphene Oxide as Fast-Chargeable Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

To address the rapidly growing demand for high performance of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the development of high-capacity anode materials should focus on the practical perspective of a facile synthetic process. In this work, iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) in situ grown on the surface of reduced graphene oxide (rGO), denoted as Fe3O4 NPs@rGO, were prepared through a facile one-pot synthesis under the wet-colloidal conditions. The synthesized Fe3O4 NPs showed that uniform Fe3O4 NPs, with a size of around 9 nm, were distributed on the rGO surfaces. When applied as an anode material for LIBs, the Fe3O4 NPs@rGO anode revealed a high reversible capacity of 1191 mAh g-1 at 1.0 A g-1 after 200 cycles. It also exhibited excellent rate performance, achieving 608 mAh g-1 at a current density of 5.0 A g-1 over 500 cycles, with improved electronic and ionic conductivities due to the rGO template. This suggested that practically available anode materials can be developed through our one-pot synthesis by in situ growing the Fe3O4 NPs.

Tuning the electrochemical performance of a biphenylene coated metal as the anode for K+-ion batteries

The researchers employed density functional theory (DFT) computations to assess suitability of BP-biphenylene (b-BP) monolayers for application in potassium-ion battery systems. In their evaluations, the researchers considered various factors, like adsorption energy (Ead) of the b-BP monolayer with adsorbed potassium adatoms, in addition to diffusion energy barrier (Ebar) and storage capacity and of potassium ions on this surface. The results indicated that the b-BP monolayer has significantly higher potassium-ion storage capacities, reaching 1026 mAh/g, compared to typical graphite anodes and other carbon materials. The Ebar for potassium ions on the b-BP monolayer was determined to be 0.22 eV. Furthermore, anticipated open-circuit voltage (OCV) values for this material were found to lie within acceptable range of 0.25–1.2 V, making it suitable for use as an anode. These research findings underscore the potential of the b-BP monolayer as an appropriate anode material for potassium-ion battery (KIBs) applications.

Colloidal Synthesis and Analysis of CNT-Cu2S for Stability and Capacity Increase Alleviation in Sodium-Ion Storage.

With the growing interest in energy storage, significant research has focused on finding suitable anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). While developing high-capacity nanosized metal sulfides, issues like low stability and rapid initial capacity decline are common. Instead of maintaining steady capacity, they also tend to exhibit an increase in discharge capacity as cycling continues. We introduce CNT-Cu2S, featuring Cu2S nanoplates integrated onto the surface of MWCNTs, and assess its electrochemical properties for SIBs. Cu2S initially exhibited a rapid decrease in capacity and then showed increased capacity. In contrast, CNT-Cu2S demonstrated a stable capacity of 344.8 mAh g-1 at 2.0 A g-1 over 800 cycles, close to the theoretical capacity with capacitive behavior. This paper carried out analysis using data from in situ EIS and overpotential data from GITT to explain the different outcomes between the Cu2S and CNT-Cu2S experiments. These results show that CNT-Cu2S is a suitable anode material for SIBs.

Evaluation of various properties of ribbons of Mg-9%Al-3%Ca-based anode material for magnesium batteries produced by single-roll rapid solidification

Evaluation of various properties of ribbons of Mg-9%Al-3%Ca-based anode material for magnesium batteries produced by single-roll rapid solidification

Biomass derived 3D N, P co-doped porous carbon incorporated with Ni-Cu bimetallic phosphide: Synergistic effect of Ni-Cu boosting Na+ storage performance

Transition metal phosphides (TMPs) as promising anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to their amazing properties such as high theoretical specific capacity, various bond types and good electrical conductivity. However, TMPs are still facing poor cycling stability and unsatisfactory specific capacity, which restrict their practical application. Herein, NixCu3-xP incorporated in biomass derived 3D N, P co-doped porous carbon (NixCu3-xP-NPC) is constructed as SIB anode and the electrochemical behaviors with various Ni/Cu ratios are explored. The synergistic effect of Ni-Cu in NixCu3-xP is approved by the resulting investigation, and density functional theory (DFT) calculation further confirmed its important influence in enhancing electronic conductivity and boosting Na+ storage. Evidently, the optimum synergistic effect was observed when Ni0.15Cu2.85P/NPC is utilized for SIB anode. It exhibits a reversible specific capacity of 663 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles at 0.2 A g−1, long cycling stability (467 mAh g−1 after 1000 cycles at 1.0 A g−1), and excellent rate capability (432 mAh g−1 at 2.0 A g−1). The ex-situ X-ray diffraction and ex-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy verify the combined conversion mechanism of Ni and Cu during sodiation/desodiation processes, which is greatly favorable for high specific capacity and cycling stability.

Efficient Synthesis of Flower-Ball Structured CuFeS2 as Advanced Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries Across Wide Temperature Ranges.

Transition metal sulfides stand as potential anode candidates for lithium-ion batteries offering high capacity, redox reversibility, and safety. However, cycling-induced volume variations and slow kinetics hinder their application. Here, CuFeS2 with a flower-ball nanosheet structure is synthesized via a hydrothermal method, enhancing electrolyte infiltration, Li+ transport, and cycle life. CuFeS2 exhibits a large initial discharge specific capacity of 532.4 mAh g-1 at 500 mA g-1 with 95.7% initial Coulombic efficiency, retaining an impressive 90.5% (481.6 mAh g-1) of its initial capacity after 300 cycles. Remarkably, at 2000 mA g-1 for 700 cycles, it maintains a high specific capacity of 487.1 mAh g-1 with an 89.4% capacity retention rate. Moreover, it maintains excellent reversibility at both high temperature (60 °C) and low temperature (-25 °C) and demonstrates excellent electrochemical performance even under high loading conditions. Consequently, CuFeS2 holds immense promise as a lithium-ion battery anode material, offering fast charging, safety, high capacity, and long life.

Synthesis and electrochemical performance of novel high-entropy spinel oxide (FeCoMgCrLi)3O4

High-entropy oxides (HEOs) are attractive options for anode materials in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) because of their impressive specific capacity and structural stability. The multi-element composition of HEOs endows them with diverse physicochemical properties. However, the role of different elements in the energy storage mechanism remains unclear, and the limited number of successfully synthesized high-entropy oxide systems currently hinders further development. Therefore, developing HEOs with different compositions and studying their electrochemical properties is of great significance. Using the glycine-nitrate solution combustion synthesis (SCS) method, we produced two new High Entropy Oxides (HEOs), namely (FeCoMgCr)3O4 and (FeCoMgCrLi)3O4, and assessed their electrochemical performance as LIBs anode materials. The studies indicate that the inclusion of lithium significantly enhances the lithium storing capabilities of the material system. Specifically, after undergoing two hundred cycles at a current density of 200 mA/g, (FeCoMgCrLi)3O4 exhibited a specific capacity of 658 mAh/g, which was considerably greater than the specific capacity of (FeCoMgCr)3O4, which was 306.9 mAh/g. This work enriches the spinel-type high-entropy oxide systems and proposes a new design strategy for HEOs as LIBs anode materials.

Sustainable Synthesis of a Carbon-Supported Magnetite Nanocomposite Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Transition metal oxide magnetite (Fe3O4) is recognized as a potential anode material for lithium-ion batteries owing to its high theoretical specific capacity, modest voltage output, and eco-friendly character. It is a challenging task to engineer high-performance composite materials by effectively dispersing Fe3O4 crystals with limited sizes in a well-designed supporting framework following sustainable approaches. In this work, the naturally abundant plant products sodium lignosulfonate (Lig) and sodium cellulose (CMC) were selected to coprecipitate with Fe3+ ions under mild hydrothermal conditions. The Fe-Lig/CMC intermediate sediment with an optimized microstructure can be directly converted to the Lig/CMC-derived carbon matrix-supported Fe3O4 nanocomposite sample (Fe3O4@LigC/CC). Compared with the controlled Fe3O4@LigC material, the Fe3O4@LigC/CC nanocomposite provides superior electrochemical performance in the anode, which has inspiring specific capacities of 820.6 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles under a current rate of 100 mA·g−1 and 750.5 mAh g−1 after 250 cycles, as well as more exciting rate capabilities. The biomimetic sample design and synthesis protocol closely follow the criteria of green chemistry and can be further developed in wider scenarios.

Manipulating Electrolyte Interface Chemistry Enables High-Performance TiO2 Anode for Sodium-Ion Batteries

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has emerged as a candidate anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, their applications still face challenges of poor rate performance and low initial coulomb efficiency (ICE), which are induced by the unstable solid-electrolyte interface (SEI) and sluggish Na+ diffusion kinetics in conventional ester-based electrolytes. Herein, inspired by the electrode/electrolyte interfacial chemistry, tetrahydrofuran (THF) is exploited to construct an advanced electrolyte and reveal the relationship between the improved electrochemical performance and the derived SEI film on TiO2 anode. The robust and homogeneously distributed F-rich SEI film formed in THF electrolyte favors fast interfacial charge transfer dynamics and excellent interfacial stability. As a result, the THF electrolyte endows the TiO2 anode with greatly improved ICE (64.5%), exceptional rate capabilities (186 mAh g−1 at 5.0 A g−1), and remarkable cycling stability. This study elucidates the control of interfacial chemistry by rational electrolyte design and offers insights into the development of high-performance and long-lifetime TiO2 anode.