Fast Electrochemical Reaction Research Articles

Electrospun Multiscale Structured Nanofibers for Lithium‐Based Batteries

Abstract Electrospun is a unique technique for the fabrication of multiscale structured nanofibers (MSNFs), which can be used as functional units for improving the performance of lithium‐based batteries. This review systematically examines how MSNFs, including core–shell, hollow porous, multichannel, wire‐in‐tube, tube‐in‐tube, and hierarchical nanofibers, effectively improve battery performance as components in lithium‐based batteries. The application of aforementioned MSNFs and their chemical modification contributes to the development of lithium‐based batteries with high energy density and enhanced safety when used as electrodes, separators, and electrolytes. Specifically, MSNFs are used to derive electrodes and electrolytes that improve electron/ion transfer rates, increase the utilization ratio of active materials, suppress dendrite growth, and mitigate volume expansion, enabling fast and stable electrochemical reactions at the electrodes. Additionally, MSNFs‐derived separators, which feature more ion transport channels, exceptional mechanical properties, and the capability to inhibit thermal runaway, are also discussed. Finally, the challenges and prospective pathways for electrospun technology in the application of lithium‐based batteries are reviewed.

Highly porous activated carbon derived from plant raw material as high-performance anode for aqueous sodium-ion supercapacitors

High power sodium energy generation devices, such as symmetric and hybrid supercapacitors, have great potential for cheap and green post-lithium applications. However, it is imperative to obtain porous structures with large surfaces and optimized pore size to enhance the electrode sorption property and to ensure fast electrochemical reactions. In this work, we investigated the influence of KOH carbon activation conditions on the morphology, porosity, and electrochemical parameters in aqueous sodium electrolytes. Our activated carbon had a maximum surface area of 1556 m2/g and a notably high mesopore content, this varying from 5 to 19 % of the total pore area. Electrochemical parameters are not only influenced by the total number of pores, but also by the optimal ratio of meso and micro pores. It is shown that in the case of sodium-based electrolytes, mesopores provide good electrode-electrolyte contact, and the capacity is mainly provided by micropores. High operating values of activated carbon in sodium aqueous electrolytes (specific capacity about 78 F/g, energy density 11 W*h/kg and power density 470 W/kg) indicates that the optimal electrode materials for a high-power device are activated carbon with a high content of mesopores obtained by the ratio of C and KOH as 1:4.

2D ZIF-8 derived N-doped porous carbon nanosheets for high-performance Li-Se batteries

Lithium-selenium (Li-Se) batteries have attracted increasing attention because of excellent carbonate electrolyte compatibility, comparable theoretical volumetric specific capacity and high electrical conductivity. However, there are still unavoidable issues such as large volume expansion, rapid capacity decay and slow electrochemical reaction kinetics for practical applications. In this work, we report 2D ZIF-8 derived N-doped porous carbon nanosheets (NPC-NS) as Se host for high-performance Li-Se batteries. The unique 2D structure of Se@NPC-NS facilitates Li+ diffusion and charge transfer, thus the Se@NPC-NS cathode exhibits fast electrochemical reaction kinetics. In addition, the N doping enhances electronic conductivity and porous structure mitigates the volume expansion. As a result, the Se@NPC-NS cathode delivers a high reversible capacity of 585 mAh/g with a capacity retention of 99.1 % at 0.5C (1C = 675 mA g−1) after 225 cycles. Especially after 500 cycles at a high current density of 10C, the Se@NPC-NS cathode still displays a reversible specific capacity of 307 mAh/g with only 0.03 % capacity decay per cycle. This work would shed some light on the 2D carbon host as Se-based cathode for high-rate and long-life performance Li-Se batteries.

A MEMS Electrochemical Angular Accelerometer with Silicon-Based Four-Electrode Structure.

This paper presents a MEMS electrochemical angular accelerometer with a silicon-based four-electrode structure, which was made of thousands of interconnected microchannels for electrolyte flow, anodes uniformly coated on structure surfaces and cathodes located on the sidewalls of flow holes. From the perspective of device fabrication, in this study, the previously reported multi-piece assembly was simplified into single-piece integrative manufacturing, effectively addressing the problems of complex assembly and manual alignment. From the perspective of the sensitive structure, in this study, the silicon-based four-electrode structure featuring with complete insulation layers between anodes and cathodes can enable fast electrochemical reactions with improved sensitivities. Numerical simulations were conducted to optimize the geometrical parameters of the silicon-based four-electrode structure, where increases in fluid resistance and cathode area were found to expand working bandwidths and improve device sensitivity, respectively. Then, the silicon-based four-electrode structure was fabricated by conventional MEMS processes, mainly composed of wafer-level bonding and wafer-level etching. As to device characterization, the MEMS electrochemical angular accelerometer with the silicon-based four-electrode structure exhibited a maximum sensitivity of 1458 V/(rad/s2) at 0.01 Hz and a minimum noise level of -164 dB at 1 Hz. Compared with previously reported electrochemical angular accelerometers, the angular accelerometer developed in this study offered higher sensitivities and lower noise levels, indicating strong potential for applications in the field of rotational seismology.

10 μm-Level TiNb2 O7 Secondary Particles for Fast-Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries.

TiNb2 O7 with Wadsley-Roth phase delivers double theoretical specific capacity and similar working potential in comparison to spinel Li4 Ti5 O12 , the commercial high-rate anode material, and thus can enable much higher energy density of lithium-ion batteries. However, the inter-particle resistance within the high-mass-loading TiNb2 O7 electrode would impede the capacity release for practical application, especially under fast-charging conditions. Herein, 10-20 μm-size carbon-coated TiNb2 O7 secondary particle (SP-TiNb2 O7 ) consisting of initial micro-scale TiNb2 O7 particles (MP-TiNb2 O7 ) was fabricated. The high crystallinity of active material could enable fast-charge diffusion and electrochemical reaction rate within particles, and the small number of stacking layers of SP-TiNb2 O7 could reduce the large inter-particle resistance that regular particle electrode often possess and achieve high compaction density of electrodes with high mass loading. The investigation on materials structure and electrochemical reaction kinetics verified the advances of the as-fabricated SP-TiNb2 O7 in achieving superior electrochemical performance. The SP-TiNb2 O7 exhibited high reversible capacity of 292.7 mAh g-1 in the potential range of 1-3 V (Li+ /Li) at 0.1 C, delivering high-capacity release of 94.3 %, and high capacity retention of 86 % at 0.5 C for 250 cycles in half cell configuration. Particularly, the advances of such an anode were verified in practical 5 Ah-level laminated full pouch cell. The as-assembled LiFePO4 ||TiNb2 O7 full cell exhibited a high capacity of 5.08 Ah at high charging rate of 6 C (77.9 % of that at 0.2 C of 6.52 Ah), as well as an ultralow capacity decay rate of 0.0352 % for 250 cycles at 1 C, suggesting the great potential for practical fast-charging lithium-ion batteries.

Carbon-coated hybrid crystals with fast electrochemical reaction kinetics for ultra-stable and high-load sodium-ion batteries

Carbon-coated hybrid crystals with fast electrochemical reaction kinetics for ultra-stable and high-load sodium-ion batteries

FeNi-quantom-dots induced stable interfaces of high loading FeNCN electrode for enhanced sodium storage performance

As a highly reactive anode material with great potential in sodium-ion battery, iron carbodiimide (FeNCN) often suffers from shuttle effect with performance degradation. Therefore, the interface structure of FeNCN is in urgent need for improvement to solve the above problem. In this article, an FeNi-quantum-dot/carbon tube modified separator was used to regulate the interface of FeNCN with high loading (3 mg cm−2). By using this strategy, the FeNCN electrode could present high Na+ storage performance of 410.4 mAh/g after 100 cycles at 2 A/g with capacity retention rate of 99.9 % per cycle. Further analysis showed that FeNi quantum dots could inhibit the shuttle effect of Na2NCN with stable charge/discharge process. They could also facilitate the formation reaction of iron carbodiimide, realizing fast electrochemical reaction kinetics in high loading FeNCN electrode. Consequently, this work exhibits a simple and effective strategy to enhance the Na+ storage performance of iron carbodiimide, which could also inspire insights to other transitional metal-based electrode material systems.

Full Potential Catalysis of Co0.4Ni1.6P-V/CNT with Phosphorus Vacancies for Li2S1-2 Deposition/Decomposition and S8/Li2Sn (3 ≤ n ≤ 8) Conversion in Li-S Batteries.

The slow kinetics of polysulfide conversions hinders the commercial progress of Li-S batteries. The introduction of high-efficiency catalysts accelerates heterogeneous reactions and enhances the utilization of S. The full potential of the Co0.4Ni1.6P-V/CNT-modified separator catalyzes the all-process reactions of the S electrode and increases the rates and cycling lives of the batteries. The two-site synergistic effect of Co0.4Ni1.6P-V/CNT regulates the catalytic activity, and the phosphorus vacancies enrich the active sites. The higher electron density at the Co and Ni double sites increases chemisorption of the Co0.4Ni1.6P-V/CNT on Li2Sn (1 ≤ n ≤ 4), stretches and breaks the Li-S and Ni-S bonds during Li2S decomposition, and reduces the energy barrier for Li2S decomposition. The cyclic voltammograms of the asymmetric batteries demonstrated that Co0.4Ni1.6P-V/CNT also catalyzed the Li2Sn ⇌ S8 (3 ≤ n ≤ 8) reaction, realizing the full catalytic potential of the Li-S batteries. Increased Li+ diffusion/migration in the Co0.4Ni1.6P-V/CNT-modified separator ensured fast electrochemical reactions. The excellent catalytic effect of Co0.4Ni1.6P-V/CNT provided smaller polarization and superior rate performance, which led to high discharge specific capacities of 1511.9, 1172.6, 1006.0, 881.0, and 785.7 mA h g-1 at current densities of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, and 2 mA cm-2 with sulfur loadings of 7.98 mg cm-2, respectively. This approach involving simple crystal modulation and introduction of defects provides a new way to achieve the full catalytic potential of Li-S batteries.

CuMnO2 nanosheets for high performance aqueous Zn-ion batteries

Zinc-ion batteries based on aqueous electrolytes have great advantages over organic ones. Here, CuMnO2 nanosheets with a thickness of about 10 nm have been prepared by a hydrothermal method assisted by nitrilotriacetic acid. Benefiting from its layered structure and unique two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets, the as-prepared CuMnO2 nanosheets are a good host for fast zinc ion transport, high capacity, and reversible electrochemical reactions, as well as excellent cycling stability. Specifically, a zinc storage capacity of 299.1 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1 and stable cycling (189.9 mAh g−1 after 300 cycles), fast diffusion kinetics of Zn-ions (1.52 × 10−13 cm2 s−1), and good rate capabilities (78 mAh g−1 even at 2.0 A g−1) are achieved. This work suggests a potential candidate cathode for zinc-ion batteries.

Nanoarchitectonics of nest-like Co3O4 nanowires embedded nitrogen-doped graphene aerogel as electrochemical sensing platform for Pb2+ and Cd2+ trace detection

Nano Co3O4 embedded nitrogen-doped graphene aerogel (Co3O4@NGA) was directly prepared by one-pot hydrothermal synthesis method with ammonia water acting as both precipitant of Co3O4 and nitrogen source of nitrogen-doped graphene aerogel (NGA). This novel method leaved out the calcination process which was necessary for most methods to prepare Co3O4 nanomaterials. The effects of hydrothermal temperature on both morphologies and Pb2+/Cd2+ electrochemical detection performances of Co3O4@NGA were explored. As the hydrothermal temperature rising from 140 °C to 200 °C, the shapes of Co3O4 changed from nanoparticles to nanowires and then to nanoflowers, and nest-like Co3O4 nanowires were architected on NGA sheets at 180 °C. The electrochemical sensor based on the optimized Co3O4@NGA-180 exhibited low limit of detection (LOD) for Pb2+ (7.2 nM) and Cd2+ (10.06 nM) and high sensitivity for Pb2+ (10.51 μA·μM−1) and Cd2+ (8.053 μA·μM−1). The excellent performances were attributed to the synergistic effect of Co3O4 nanowires and porous NGA, which leaded to the fast electrochemical reaction rate in the detection process. Moreover, the Co3O4@NGA-180/GCE sensor had excellent selectivity, repeatability and stability, and could be used to detect traces of Pb2+ and Cd2+ in real water sample.

Bidirectional Construction of 3D Flexible Ti3C2Tx MXene Films for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Capacitors

Lithium-ion capacitors (LICs) are considered ideal devices, which bridge the energy and power density gap between lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and supercapacitors (SCs). However, the mismatched kinetics between the cathode and anode remains an obstacle to the development of LICs. Herein, an anode with excellent flexibility and fast electrochemical reaction kinetics is designed for advanced LICs by coupling highly conductive single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with the bidirectionally designed Ti3C2Tx MXene (KTi3C2-O). In such a composite (KTi3C2-O/CNTs), the bidirectional design of Ti3C2Tx MXene based on the interlayers of K+ ions intercalation and interfaces of −O terminal groups modification will increase the interlayer distance, provide more active sites, and improve Li+ ions storage capacity; the introduction of CNTs forming a three-dimensional (3D) interpenetrating structure with KTi3C2-O can alleviate Ti3C2Tx MXene interlayer stacking and offer fast charge transfer kinetics. When evaluated as a self-supported anode of LIC, the LIC displays a high power density of 15.63 kW kg–1, a high energy density of 138.89 Wh kg–1, and an exceptional capacity retention of 77.75% over 10 000 cycles at 5 A g–1. Such a bidirectional construction strategy based on interlayer and interfacial modification provides new ideas for the design of such two-dimensional (2D) materials that can be applied in advanced energy storage devices.

A simple and green self-conversion method to construct silicon hollow spheres for high-performance Li-ion battery anodes

Silicon (Si) anode has garnered attention as a potential replacement for high energy density lithium-ion battery anodes. Its commercial application, however, is still hindered by the issues of rapid capacity attenuation due to large volume change during (de)lithiation process, complex preparation process, and high cost. In this work, a simple and green strategy was proposed to fabricate carbon-coated hollow porous silicon spheres (Hp-Si@C) by a self-conversion method and subsequent magnesiothermic reduction. The synthesis of Hp-Si@C by this method used inexpensive tetraethyl orthosilicate precursors and did not involve the use of additional sacrificial template, complicated CVD and toxic hydrofluoric acid, which was simple, inexpensive, green and scalable. NaCl was introduced as a heat scavenger to avoid the formation of SiC and maintain the hollow morphology of the precursor. The electrochemical behaviors of Hp-Si@C were investigated by in situ electrochemical characterization. The structure of Hp-Si@C defined fast ion transport routes and provided expansion space during lithiation process, endowing it with stable cycling performance and fast electrochemical reaction kinetics. Hp-Si@C had a delithiation capacity of 1228 mAh g−1 with a capacity retention of 69% at 2 A g−1, and a rate capacity of 865 mAh g−1 at 10 A g−1.

Cu2+ regulates high-performance Fe2O3 nanospheres (Fe1−xCuxO1.5-δ (x = 0.33, 0.4, 0.5)) sulfur loaded matrix to improve the electrochemical performance of lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur batteries are considered as promising energy storage systems owing to rather high theoretical specific capacity (1675 mAh.g−1) and low cost. Nevertheless, the practical prospect is always limited owing to some short-comings, such as sulfur insulation, volume alternation and shuttle effect. To solve these problems, Cu2+ regulated Fe2O3 nanospheres (Fe1−xCuxO1.5-δ) as high-performance matrixes for sulfur composite cathodes of lithium-sulfur batteries are constructed via a facile hydrothermal method. It indicates that Cu2+ regulation can increase the lattice size and exhibit uniform nanospheres micromorphology with less serious agglomeration. Moreover, as sulfur loading material can realize the joint effect on the physical and chemical confinement and some dissociate excess Cu2+ with sulfur also can directly compose some Cu-S structures, further stabilizing the structure of sulfur composite cathode. In addition, Fe0.6Cu0.4O1.5-δ/S composite cathode with sulfur loading mass ratio to 1:3 has fast electrochemical reaction kinetics with the low charge transfer resistance (25.54 Ω) and the high lithium-ion transfer efficiency (DLi+=2.59 ×10−12 cm2·s−1) and the initial specific discharge capacities and ideal capacity retention accompanied by a charge and discharge voltage platform with small fluctuation.

Progress on carbon for electrochemical capacitors

AbstractElectrochemical capacitors bridge the energy gap between conventional dielectric capacitors and batteries. The energy storage mechanism relies on purely physical electrical double‐layer charging (EDL) and the faradaic process involving fast electrochemical redox reactions. These processes are strongly influenced by the surface area, porosity, electrical conductivity of the electrode materials, and the operating potential window of the electrolyte used. Carbonaceous materials play enormous roles in delivering outstanding electrochemical performance in electrochemical supercapacitors (ESCs) due to attractive material features suitable for high charge storage and release. However, due to the purely EDL‐based charge storage mechanism in only carbon‐based ESCs, the achievable energy density is low and hardly meets the high energy density demanding applications. Therefore, various carbon structures such as activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and so on are designed and integrated with other hetero atoms or combined with transition metal oxides and polymer components to induce the pseudo‐capacitive contributions via the electrochemical faradaic reaction. Thus, promoting the electrochemical performance of ESC based on the hybrid/composite material attributed to synergistic capacitances from EDLC and pseudocapacitance. Therefore, this review overviews the general perspective of the ESCs based on nanocarbons with various forms trending the progressive research contributions in developing high‐performance ESCs.

Micrometer-scale single crystalline particles of niobium titanium oxide enabling an Ah-level pouch cell with superior fast-charging capability.

Wadsley-Roth phase niobium titanium oxide (TiNb2O7) is widely regarded as a promising anode candidate for fast-charging lithium-ion batteries due to its safe working potential and doubled capacity in comparison to the commercial fast-charging anode material (lithium titanium oxide, Li4Ti5O12). Although good fast charge/discharge performance was shown for nanostructured TiNb2O7, the small size would cause the low electrode compensation density and energy density of batteries, as well as parasitic reactions. Fundamental understanding of the electrochemical lithium insertion/extraction process and the structural evolution for the micrometer-scale single crystalline TiNb2O7 (MSC-TiNb2O7) could provide insights to understand its inherent properties and possibility for fast-charging application. Here, we revealed the highly reversible structural evolution of the MSC-TiNb2O7 during the lithiation/delithiation processes. Interestingly, an ion-conductive lithium niobate interphase was in situ formed on the MSC-TiNb2O7 surface during the formation cycle, which could facilitate fast ion diffusion on the material surface and support fast electrochemical reaction kinetics. Experimentally, the MSC-TiNb2O7 delivered a high reversible capacity of 291.9 mA h g-1 at 0.5C with a high initial Coulombic efficiency (>95%), and showed superb rate capability with a reasonable capacity of 55.6 mA h g-1 under a high current density of 40C. An Ah-level pouch cell with a lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) cathode exhibited 91.5% capacity retention at 3C charging rate, which revealed the significant role of high crystallinity and in situ formation of an ion conductive nano-interphase in realizing fast charging capability of practical TiNb2O7-based lithium-ion batteries.

In-situ encapsulating ultrafine CoFe2O4 nanoparticle into porous N-doped carbon nanofiber membrane as self-standing anode for enhanced lithium storage performance

The ultrasmall CoFe2O4 nanoparticles in situ encapsulated in porous N-doped carbon nanofibers membranes (CFO@PNCFM) with different pore structures have been prepared by electrospinning and subsequent carbonization. When immediately used as self-standing anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the optimized CFO@PNCFM exhibits superior lithium storage properties with high rate capability (476.5 mAh g−1 at 2 A g−1) and long stable cycle life (755.8 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1 after 200 cycles). The outstanding electrochemical performance may be mainly ascribed to the synergistic effect of special 3D conductive porous carbon nanofibers (PCNFs) network and ultrafine CoFe2O4 nanoparticles in energy storage, which can significantly enhance the utilization efficiency of electroactive materials and improve the charge-transport kinetics. Moreover, the CoFe2O4 nanoparticles bonded closely to PCNFs through strong metal-oxygen bridges, which promote the electron capture and transfer from PCNFs to CoFe2O4, and thus achieving fast electrochemical reaction kinetics. Meanwhile, the porous structure can not only alleviate the volume change during charge/discharge cycles, but also supply numerous active sites for lithium storage, resulting in a high reversible capacity as well as good cycle stability and rate performance.

Ultrahigh areal capacity silicon anodes realized via manipulating electrode structure

High areal capacity is critical towards the practical application of silicon anodes for high-energy lithium ion batteries. Herein, a free-standing silicon-graphene (3D-Si/G) anode with ultrahigh areal capacity is proposed by manipulating electrode structure using 3D-printing. For the 3D-Si/G electrodes with the circle-grid pattern, electrode thickness and printed filament spacing can be precisely constructed and adjusted by controlling a computer program. In this configuration, the tailored free space between and inside the filaments are enough to withstand volume fluctuation of silicon anodes, which significantly improves the structure stability and integrity of electrodes and endows the great accessibility to lithium ions transport in thick electrodes. Furthermore, the unique edge-coaxial and internal-disordered structure in printed filaments greatly enhances the electrode mechanical stability. Simultaneously, the graphene framework with excellent electron-ion transport characteristic ensures fast electrochemical reaction kinetics and low electrochemical polarization in thick electrodes. Therefore, the optimized 3D-Si/G electrode achieves a favorable cycle stability with 8.5 mAh cm −2 after 70 cycles (capacity retention of 75.4%). And the 3D-Si/G thick electrode with four layers achieves a reversible ultrahigh areal capacity of 16.2 mAh cm −2 . More importantly, the easy ink preparation and controllable printing process provide broad prospects for the commercial application of silicon anodes.

(General Student Poster Award Winner - 1st Place) Nitrogen-Doped and Phosphorus-Doped Carbon Fiber Ultramicroelectrodes As Electrochemical Sensors for Detection of Hydrogen Peroxide

Ultramicroelectrodes (UMEs) are generally defined as electrodes with sizes ≤25 µm. UMEs can be prepared by several methods including by sealing a conductive filament like thin metal wire or a single carbon fiber in a glass capillary. The small size of UMEs makes them useful as probes for measuring electroactive species in confined spaces (for example, inside living cells, etc.), and also enables very effective mass transport, resulting in rapid achievement of steady-state response and facilitating measurement of fast electrochemical reactions. Application of UMEs often requires modification of the electrode surface to improve the selectivity and the sensitivity towards the target analyte. Surface modification methods are time-consuming and may require expensive equipment. Previous research in our group demonstrated that a simple soft nitriding method could be employed to introduce surface nitrogen on carbon fiber (CF). The technique improved electrochemical response of CF-UMEs towards hydrogen peroxide (a reactive oxygen species that has been related to various malignancies and disorders) and, in separate experiments, also enabled deposition of electroactive metal nanoparticles on the UME surface. Since the presence of phosphorus heteroatoms on carbon electrodes has been shown to impart similar benefits, here we investigate a simple phosphorus doping strategy to make P-doped CF-UMEs. We compare their properties towards the electrocatalytic reduction of H2O2 to both N-doped CF-UMEs and unmodified CF-UMEs.

Conjugated poly(2-aminothiazole) hollow nanospheres as a high-performance anode for alkali-metal ion storage

Conjugated polymer compounds are promising anode materials for rechargeable alkali-metal-ion batteries because of their high storage capacity, low resource dependence and tailorable electrochemical properties. In this work, we report the electrochemical storage of alkali-metal ions in conjugated poly(2-aminothiazole) (P2AT) nanostructures. The P2AT was prepared via a simple oxidation polymerization process. It features hollow spheric morphology and a conjugated polymer skeketon, which contribute to more exposed area for ion migration, adsorption and storage, and higher electronic/ionic conductivity. Experimental and theoretical calculation results verify that the conjugated thiazole rings in the polymer serve as active sites for metal-ion storage. Being applied as the electrode materials for Li-ion battery, the polymer enables fast electrochemical redox reaction versus Li to deliver a high reversible capacity of 533 mAh g−1 and a high Coulombic efficiency (CE) of ∼100%, and retain 90% of the capacity after 1000 cycles. The P2AT polymer also demonstrates favorable potassium-ion storage performance to ensure its use in rechargeable K-ion battery. This work offers insights on exploration of new energy storage materials for high-energy rechargeable alkali-metal-ion batteries with improved sustainability.

Enhancing the lithium storage performance of α-Ni(OH)2 with Zn2+ doping

Flower-like Zn 2+ doped α -Ni(OH) 2 samples were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method. The Zn 2+ doped α -Ni(OH) 2 sample with Zn 2+ /Ni 2+ molar ratio of 45% (45-ZN) exhibits much-improved cycling stability, high-rate capability, and electrochemical reaction kinetics due to the unique flower-like nanostructures and the synergetic effect between Ni 2+ and Zn 2+ . • Zn 2+ doped α -Ni(OH) 2 was prepared by homogeneous precipitation method. • The Zn 2+ doped α -Ni(OH) 2 was evaluated as an anode material for LIBs. • Zn 2+ doping effectively enhanced the cycling stability and high-rate capability. • The Zn 2+ doped α -Ni(OH) 2 exhibited an obvious pseudocapacitive behavior. To enhance the lithium storage performance of α -Ni(OH) 2 , different amount of Zn 2+ (with Zn 2+ /Ni 2+ molar ratio of 0 %, 15 %, 30 %, 45 %, and 60 %, respectively) was introduced into the lattice of α -Ni(OH) 2 samples by a facile hydrothermal method. The influence of Zn 2+ doping on the microstructure and lithium storage performance of α -Ni(OH) 2 was investigated in detail. The results demonstrate that with the increase of Zn 2+ /Ni 2+ molar ratio, the microstructure of the as-prepared samples transforms from an urchin-like morphology to flower-like morphology, accompanied by the phase structure transforming from pure-phase α -Ni(OH) 2 to mixed-phase α -Ni(OH) 2 /Zn(OH) 2 . Electrochemical characterizations reveal that Zn 2+ doping can effectively enhance the lithium storage performance of α -Ni(OH) 2 . In particular, the Zn 2+ doped α -Ni(OH) 2 with Zn 2+ /Ni 2+ molar ratio of 45 % (45-ZN) exhibits superior cycling stability (maintaining a reversible capacity of 713 mA h g −1 at a current density of 0.5 A/g after 50 cycles), outstanding high-rate capability (delivering a high specific capacity of 485 mA h g −1 at 2.0 A/g), and fast electrochemical reaction kinetics. GITT analysis demonstrates that the lithium ions diffusion coefficient of the 45-ZN varies in the range of 10 −10 –10 −12 cm 2 s −1 , higher than that (10 −10 –10 −13 cm 2 s −1 ) of pure α -Ni(OH) 2 . In addition, the 45-ZN sample presents an obvious pseudocapacitance behavior during the discharging/charging process. The synergetic effect between Ni 2+ and Zn 2+ can account for the improved electrochemical performance of the Zn 2+ doped α -Ni(OH) 2 . The work provides clues for the preparation and performance optimization of α -Ni(OH) 2 as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries from the aspect of metal ions doping.