Negative Electrode Material For Sodium-ion Batteries Research Articles

Feasibility analysis of replacing lithium-ion battery with sodium ion battery

Since the beginning of the 21st century, the global energy crisis has become a pressing issue, prompting researchers to explore more efficient ways of utilizing energy production and storage technologies in our daily lives. In recent years, there have been major improvements in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) technology, considerably improving living conditions globally. LIBs are currently commonly employed in electric cars. However, the efficient distribution of renewable energy and smart grids raises concerns, along with the long-term availability of lithium resources. The scarcity and rising costs of lithium metal in recent years have been attributed to substantial price fluctuations. Thus, LIBs have made it difficult to meet the increasing demands of both small and medium to large energy storage applications. Due to the readily available properties of sodium metal, it has similar chemical properties to LIBs. To alleviate these challenges, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) can be used as the finest candidates for power supply. In recent years, different materials such as metal oxides and phosphates have been introduced as positive electrode materials for SIBs. The use of selected carbonaceous materials, transition metal oxides, intermetallic compounds, and organic compounds as negative electrode materials for SIBs has also contributed to recent developments. SIB is a promising next-generation replacement, but there are still some challenges in the market acceptance of SIBs. In this research, we summarize and compare the market application status of SIB and lithium iron phosphate (LFP), and propose the future development trajectory of SIB and LFP according to their respective characteristics. This will provide a unique insight into practical application problems and market realities.

Efficient Surface Passivation of Ti-Based Layered Materials by a Nonfluorine Branched Copolymer for Durable and High-Power Sodium-Ion Batteries.

There is a crucial need for low-cost energy storage technology based on abundant sodium ions to realize sustainable development with renewable energy resources. Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is applied as a binder in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Nevertheless, PVDF is also known to suffer from a larger irreversible capacity, especially when PVDF is used as the binder of negative electrode materials. In this research, a poly(acrylonitrile)-grafted poly(vinyl alcohol) copolymer (PVA-g-PAN) is tested as a binder with Ti-based layered oxides as potential negative electrode materials for SIBs. The chemical stability tests of PVDF and PVA-g-PAN contacted with metallic sodium have been conducted, which reveals that PVDF experiences a defluorination process, while PVA-g-PAN demonstrates excellent chemical stability. Composite electrodes with PVA-g-PAN demonstrate superior electrochemical performances when compared with the PVDF binder, allowing improvement for initial CE, higher rate capability, and long cyclability over 1500 cycles. Detailed characterization of electrodes via soft X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy demonstrates that the PVA-g-PAN branched structure allows a more uniform distribution of acetylene black with higher coatability, unlocking enhanced rate performances and efficient passivation of Ti-based oxides without the excessive electrolyte decomposition. These findings open a new way to design practical and durable sodium-ion batteries with a high-power density.

Elucidating the Lithium-Ion Storage Mechanism in Insertion-Available Hard Carbon with Abundant Closed Porosity: Toward a Practical Material for Batteries

Traditionally, standard lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are composed of a positive electrode made of metal oxides and a negative electrode made of highly crystallized graphite materials. Graphite materials, with a theoretical capacity of 372 mAh g-1, are chosen as the negative electrode because lithium-ion storage in graphite materials involves lithium-ion intercalation/de-intercalation between graphitic interlayers, a characteristic of faradaic reactions. During galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD), long plateau regions at low voltages (e.g., 0-0.1 V (vs. Li+/Li)) resulting from multi-staged ion intercalation/de-intercalation are achieved. The low voltage of this intercalation/de-intercalation reaction contributes to enhancing the nominal voltage of LIBs, leading to a higher energy density of the battery.On the other hand, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have been extensively researched over the past 10 years as alternative to LIBs to compensate for the gradual scarcity of lithium metal resources. Hard carbon (HC) materials, also known as amorphous non-graphitizable carbons, were introduced to be the negative electrode material for SIBs, since most HCs exhibit very similar electrochemical responses in sodium-ion storage as lithium-ion storage in graphite materials.However, when examining the application of HC materials in lithium-ion storage, it becomes apparent that the development has been significantly limited over the past 20 years. Recent research primarily focuses on biomass-derived HCs and heteroatom-doping on these carbons. This type of HC is abundant in heteroatoms (e.g., N, P, and S) inherited from the intrinsic properties of biomass precursors. While high capacities and excellent rate capabilities are claimed for these biomass-derived HCs, the electrochemical responses of lithium-ion storage in these HCs often exhibit capacitive reactions with a completely sloping region on their GCD curves. Consequently, the miscalculation of capacities can be induced by assessing reversible capacities beyond excessively high voltages (> 1.5 V), even reaching 3 V. The appropriate working voltage window for HCs should be lower than 1.5 V to match with the positive electrodes. Thus, if reevaluating these HCs in a normal voltage window, the obtained reversible capacities are relatively small, due to the deficiency of faradaic reactions signified by the plateau region at low voltages on GCD curves. Additionally, very low initial coulombic efficiencies are often obtained for these highly defected and heteroatom-doped HCs, attributed to the vigorous consumption of electrolyte during the SEI layer formation on their defective sites. As a result, in this work, we introduce a straightforward method to fabricate hard carbon microbeads with tunable microporous structures by carbonizing cross-linked phenolic-formaldehyde (PF) resin spheres, produced through microwave-assisted suspension polymerization. The ultimate goal is to transform HC into a practical battery material for the negative electrode in LIBs, which must possess several abilities similar to graphite (i.e., reversible faradaic reactions with an obvious plateau region at low voltages on GCD curves, low surface area to suppress SEI formation, and good cycling stability). Additionally, the lithium-ion storage mechanism in HCs with varying open/closed porosity is carefully elucidated. By probing the porosity of HC with multiple gas (N2, O2, and CO2) adsorptions, a solid correlation between porous properties and electrochemical responses has been successfully established. As displayed in Figure 1, the results indicate that carbon porosity can change with carbonization temperature. With increasing temperatures, open pores are initially transformed into closed pores, and ultimately, non-porous properties are detected. The electrochemical behaviors in these HCs with distinct porosity differ significantly as demonstrated by GCD curves in Figure 2.It has been found that ultra-micro closed pores (<0.7 nm) are capable of providing confined spaces for lithium ions to be inserted/extracted, characterized as faradaic reactions. Therefore, a plateau region at low voltages can be acquired, leading to additional reversible capacities. Unlike some reported methods, such as holding at a constant voltage, charging/discharging at a very small current density, or overcharging to negative voltage regions, these faradaic reactions are easily unlocked at a current density of 50 mA g-1 in a safe voltage window of 0-0.12 V. As a result, the optimized HC delivers a total reversible capacity of 550 mAh g-1 at 50 mA g-1 in the voltage range of 0-1.5 V. The excellent rate capability and cycling stability of optimized HC are also confirmed. Furthermore, by the post-treatment with hydrogen-assisted reduction, the performance is further enhanced, achieving a reversible capacity of 574 mAh g-1 and an initial coulombic efficiency of 75%. These breakthrough outcomes provide valuable insights for the rational design of hard carbon materials. The optimized hard carbon could be a promising candidate for replacing traditional graphite materials in next-generation LIBs. Figure 1

One-pot method synthesis of the multi-morphology Sb2S3 superstructure increasing the sodium storage capacity and expanding the interlayer spacing

Antimony sulfide has become a promising negative electrode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) because its low toxicity, cost and high theoretical specific capacity. But enhancing its electrochemical performance still poses a big challenge. Therefore, the solvothermal method was used to construct the self-assembled flower-like Sb2S3 microspheres into bundles of Sb2S3 nanoneedles and nanorods in situ. The structural characterization shows that the increased (110) interplanar spacing can effectively improve the electrochemical activity. This site is based on micro-nano structure and multi-dimensional synergistic effect, which can effectively improve its sodium storage performance. When Sb2S3 nanoneedles and Sb2S3 microspheres are used as negative electrode materials for SIBs, at current densities of 0.1 A g−1 and 0.05 A g−1, the specific charging capacity is 355.7 mAh g−1 and 790.5 mAh g−1, respectively. This proves its great potential in the industrial production of sodium ion batteries.

Recent Advances on Mixed Metal Sulfides for Advanced Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have drawn enormous attention in the past few years from both academic and industrial battery communities in view of the fascinating advantages of rich abundance and low cost of sodium resources. Among various electrode materials, mixed metal sulfides (MMSs) stand out as promising negative electrode materials for SIBs considering their superior structural and compositional advantages, such as decent electrochemical reversibility, high electronic conductivity, and rich redox reactions. Here, a summary of some recent developments in the rational design and synthesis of various kinds of MMSs with tailorable architectures, structural/compositional complexity, controllable morphologies, and enhanced electrochemical properties is presented. The effect of structural engineering and compositional design of MMSs on the sodium storage properties is highlighted. It is anticipated that further innovative works on the material design of advanced electrodes for batteries can be inspired.

Advances of TiO2 as Negative Electrode Materials for Sodium‐Ion Batteries

AbstractTiO2 is a naturally abundant material with versatile polymorphs, which has been investigated in various fields, such as photocatalysis, electrochromic devices, lithium‐ion batteries, amongst others. Due to the similar (but not identical) chemistry between lithium and sodium, TiO2 is considered as an interesting potential negative electrode material for sodium ion batteries (SIBs) and is being investigated in fundamental studies for potential applications. The recent advances of TiO2 as negative electrode materials for SIBs are reviewed herein. Different electrochemical behaviors of TiO2 toward lithium and sodium are introduced. The (de)sodiation mechanism and physical parameters influencing the electrochemical performance are discussed. In addition, the strategies to improve the kinetic behavior, cycling stability, and coulombic efficiency of TiO2 negative electrode material for SIBs are reviewed. Beyond the great improvement of its electrochemical performance achieved, other challenges of TiO2 negative electrode material for SIBs remain. These challenges need to be addressed through a comprehensive understanding of its electrochemical behavior in SIBs. This review will be beneficial to the advancement of TiO2 for SIBs and other applications.

V2O5·nH2O nanosheets and multi-walled carbon nanotube composite as a negative electrode for sodium-ion batteries

Two dimensional (2D) transition metal oxides and chalcogenides demonstrate a promising performance in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) application. In this study, we investigated the use of a composite of freeze dried V2O5·nH2O nanosheets and multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) as a negative electrode material for SIBs. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) results indicated that a reversible sodium-ion insertion/deinsertion into the composite electrode can be obtained in the potential window of 0.1–2.5 V vs. Na+/Na. The composite electrodes delivered sodium storage capacities of 140 and 45 mAh g−1 under applied current densities of 20 and 100 mA g−1, respectively. The pause test during constant current measurement showed a raise in the open circuit potential (OCP) of about 0.46 V, and a charge capacity loss of ∼10%. These values are comparable with those reported for hard carbon electrodes. For comparison, electrodes of freeze dried V2O5·nH2O nanosheets were prepared and tested for SIBs application. The results showed that the MWCNT plays a significant role in the electrochemical performance of the composite material.

Tailored Transition Metal Oxide Spheres Using Versatile Polymer-Template for Sodium-Ion Battery Cathodes

Transition metal oxides have been studied as positive- and negative-electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). In this study, we report the strategic synthesis methods of tailored cathode materials for high performance SIBs using external-stimuli responsive polymer particles and water-in-oil system. The primary particles consisting of the polymer and metal precursors are fabricated by introduction of various metal ions and polar molecules into the three-dimensional cross-linked polymer spheres in aqueous solution. The assembled secondary metal oxide spheres with tailored structures were prepared by water-in-oil system and heat treatment in high purity oxygen. When tested in an electrochemical Na-half cell, the tailored transition metal oxide spheres exhibit good Na storage capabilities.

Trash to Treasure: From Harmful Algal Blooms to High-Performance Electrodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are frequently reported around the globe. HABs are typically caused by the so-called blue-green algae in eutrophic waters. These fast-growing HABs could be a good source for biomass. Unlike terrestrial plants, they need no land or soil. If HABs could be harvested on a large scale, it could not only possible to mitigate the issue of HABs but also provide a source of biomass. Herein, we demonstrate a facile procedure for converting the HABs into a promising high-performance negative-electrode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). The carbon material derived from blue-green algae demonstrated promising electrochemical performance in reversible sodium storage. The algae used in this work was collected directly from Lake Erie during the algal blooms that affected 500 000 residents in Toledo in 2014. The carbon, derived from the freshly collected HABs by calcination in argon without any additional purification process, delivered a highly stable reversible specific capacity (∼230 mAh/g at a testing current of 20 mA/g) with nearly 100% Columbic efficiency in sodium storage. Impressive rate performance was achieved with a capacity of ∼135 mAh/g even after the testing current was increased fivefold. This proof of concept provides a promising route for mitigating the issue of HABs as "trash" and for generating high-capacity, low-cost electrodes for SIBs as "treasure".

Carbonized common filter paper decorated with Sn@C nanospheres as additive-free electrodes for sodium-ion batteries

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are, arguably, one of the most promising candidates for post-lithium ion battery era. The success of sodium-ion batteries is dependent on electrode materials developed. We reported here the facile preparation of carbonized filter paper decorated with Sn@C nanospheres as negative electrode materials for SIBs. The carbonized filter paper decorated with Sn@C nanospheres were obtained by in-situ carbonization of the cellulose paper fibers and the reduction of SnO2 to metallic Sn which were encapsulated with carbon sheaths by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Particularly, both the carbon sheaths and the encapsulated Sn cores are spherical. The formation mechanism of the spherical Sn@C nanospheres was proposed based on unique properties of molten tin with high surface tension forming spherical droplets. The carbonized filter paper decorated with Sn@C nanospheres in the form of slices can be directly assembled into electrochemical cells without any further treatment or additives. Higher capacities and better Coulombic efficiencies than that of bare carbonized filter paper were achieved. The mechanism of capacity fading was investigated systematically by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and post-test analysis. This understanding will be helpful to design better Sn based electrodes for SIBs.