Super-P Carbon Research Articles

Stabilization of Li[NixMnyCo1-x-y]O2 structure using a mixture of Super-P and vapor-grown carbon fiber as conducting additives

Li[NixMnyCo1-x-y]O2 (NCM) has attracted considerable attention as a cathode material because of its excellent electrochemical performance; however, practical application of NCM is challenging owing to side reactions in the electrolyte and structural changes. In this study, we manufactured NCM electrodes with mixtures of Super-P and vapor-grown carbon fiber (VGCF) as conductive additives at different ratios (Super-P/VGCF=2/8 (S2V8), 5/5 (S5V5), and 8/2 (S8V2)) and investigated the effect of the ratio of the conductive additives on NCM electrode performance. Simply changing the ratio of the conductive additives without modifying the NCM active materials substantially altered the electrochemical performance. Using a Super-P/VGCF mixture at an appropriate ratio (5/5, w/w) forms a conductive network throughout the NCM active materials, improving the electrical conductivity and enabling uniform activation across the range of NCM particles. Consequently, for S5V5, the anisotropic volume changes of the NCM primary particles became uniform, resulting in structural stability of the secondary NCM particles during charging and discharging.

Enhancing the electrochemical properties of TiNb2O7 anodes with SP-CNT binary conductive agents for both liquid and solid state lithium ion batteries.

A high performance oxide composite electrode is obtained with a two-step solid state calcined titanium niobium oxide TiNb2O7 (TNO) anode and super P-carbon nanotube (SP-CNT) binary conductive agents. The solid state synthesized TNO-0.2C (the proportion of CNTs in the binary conductive agent is 20% wt) anode exhibits a high reversible discharge capacity of 278.6 mA h g-1 at 0.5C, a competitive rate capability with reported works that employed wet chemical methods at moderate rates (178.1 mA h g-1 at 10C), and an excellent capacity retention of 92.2% after 200 cycles at 1.5C/1.5C. The enhancement in electrochemical properties of the TNO-0.2C anode is mainly attributed to the combination of the short range and long range conductive agents in the SP-CNT binary conductive system, which guarantees an efficient electronic conductive network. The Li|Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 composite polymer electrolyte (LATPCPEs)|TNO-0.2C solid state batteries are also assembled, which deliver a high initial reversible discharge capacity of 241.3 mA h g-1 at 1C and a good capacity retention rate of 93% after 50 cycles. This work provides an efficient way to improve the electrochemical properties of TNO anodes in lithium ion batteries, especially for solid state batteries.

An electrochemical sensor modified with novel nanohybrid of Super-P carbon black@zeolitic-imidazolate-framework-8 for sensitive detection of carbendazim

A sensitive carbendazim (CBZ) electrochemical sensor was designed by using Super-P carbon (SPCN) black@zeolitic-imidazolate-framework-8 (SPCN@ZIF-8) nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode (SPCN@ZIF-8/GCE). SPCN with pearl-chain nanostructure presented an integrated highly conductive carbon network, which significantly improved the charge transfer efficiency. ZIF-8 nanoparticles possessed high porosity and large specific surface area, which helped to realize the increasement of adsorption ability and accumulation capacity towards CBZ. Moreover, SPCN with excellent conductivity property not only inhibited the agglomeration of ZIF-8 nanoparticles but also compensated the non-conductive property of ZIF-8 nanoparticles. The functional integration of SPCN and ZIF-8 nanoparticles remarkably enhanced the electrochemical detection performance of the SPCN@ZIF-8/GCE sensor towards CBZ. A simple and sensitive CBZ detection could be achieved at the fabricated SPCN@ZIF-8/GCE sensor with low limit of detection of 7.79 nM (CBZ concentration: 0.01–30 μM). Moreover, the fabricated sensor showed good repeatability, reproducibility, and anti-interference performance. When used for the analysis of CBZ in real samples (tomato juice and apple juice), the SPCN@ZIF-8/GCE sensor showed good CBZ detection performance with acceptable recoveries of 99.1%–102.6% and low RSD values of 2.21%–3.27%. This work demonstrated that the SPCN@ZIF-8/GCE sensor may be a promising sensing platform for the rapid and sensitive detection of CBZ residue.

Fabrication of gallic acid electrochemical sensor based on interconnected Super-P carbon black@mesoporous silica nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode

The efficient and accurate detection of gallic acid (GA) is particularly important for human health. Herein, a simple and low-cost ultrasonic-assisted strategy was proposed for the preparation of multifunctional nanocomposite of Super-P carbon black (SPCB) nanoparticles and mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), which was used to modify the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for the fabrication of GA electrochemical sensor (SPCB@MSNs/GCE). SPCB with pearl-chain nanostructure presented an interconnected highly conductive carbon network, which significantly improved the charge transfer efficiency. MSNs with spherical morphology and mesoporous structure exhibited uniform particle dispersion and high active surface area, which remarkably improved the surface accumulation effect of sensing electrode towards GA. Moreover, the excellent electrical conductivity of SPCB compensated for the non-conductive property of MSNs. Under the optimized condition, the electrochemical response of SPCB@MSNs/GCE sensor had a good linear relationship with GA concentration (0.5–10 μM), and the corresponding limit of detection could reach up to 4.911 nM. The fabricated nanohybrid sensor showed good reproducibility, repeatability and anti-interference property. Moreover, the satisfactory GA recoveries and RSD values were achieved for the electrochemical detection of GA in tea samples. This work provides an important reference for the highly sensitive analysis of GA in the field of food safety.

Current collectors based on multiwalled carbon-nanotubes and few-layer graphene for enhancing the conversion process in scalable lithium-sulfur battery

We investigated herein the morphological, structural, and electrochemical features of electrodes using a sulfur (S)-super P carbon (SPC) composite (i.e., S@SPC-73), and including few-layer graphene (FLG), multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), or a mixture of them within the current collector design. Furthermore, we studied the effect of two different electron-conducting agents, that is, SPC and FLG, used in the slurry for the electrode preparation. The supports have high structural crystallinity, while their morphologies are dependent on the type of material used. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) shows a reversible and stable conversion reaction between Li and S with an activation process upon the first cycle leading to the decrease of cell polarization. This activation process is verified by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) with a decrease of the resistance after the first CV scan. Furthermore, CV at increasing scan rates indicates a Li+ diffusion coefficient (D) ranging between 10−9 and 10−7 cm2·s−1 in the various states of charge of the cell, and the highest D value for the electrodes using FLG as electron-conducting agent. Galvanostatic tests performed at constant current of C/5 (1 C = 1675 mA·gS−1) show high initial specific capacity values, which decrease during the initial cycles due to a partial loss of the active material, and subsequently increase due to the activation process. All the electrodes show a Coulombic efficiency higher than 97% upon the initial cycles, and a retention strongly dependent on the electrode formulation. Therefore, this study suggests a careful control of the electrode in terms of current collector design and slurry composition to achieve good electrode morphology, mechanical stability, and promising electrochemical performance in practical Li-S cells.

Different carbon processes for lithium-sulfur batteries

In this work, different carbon modification processes have been employed and the results have been compared with the unmodified Super-P carbon. The active materials were used in respective cathodes materials for Li/S batteries. The electrochemical performance was studied by galvanostatic charge-discharge cycling, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and rate capability. CV measurements showed the modified carbons started out charging and discharging at set voltages, with their peaks broadening as part of the cycling-induced decay. It was found that the carbon processed with nitric acid delivered the highest capacity retention after 100 cycles at C/10. The results indicate that the modification of carbon with nitric acid could be promote the decrease of the shuttle effect.

Ultrasensitive determination of diquat using a novel nanohybrid sensor based on Super-P nanoparticles dispersed palygorskite nanofibers

The excessive diquat (DQ) residue poses a serious hazard to the ecological environment and human health. Herein, a simple, low-cost, and scalable ultrasonication-assisted strategy was proposed to fabricate the composite of Super-P carbon black nanoparticles dispersed palygorskite (Pal) nanofiber, which was employed to construct an electrochemical sensor for DQ determination. The Pal/Super-P/GCE sensor exhibited ultrasensitive determination performance with a low detection limit (0.1514 nM) and high sensitivity (44.141 μA μM−1) in the linear DQ concentration range of 0.00050–1.0 μM. The recoveries of the constructed sensor ranged from 95.6 % to 100.3 % when applied to detect DQ in river water, potato, and cucumber. The above enhanced DQ detection performance was primarily due to the synergistic effect of Pal and Super-P. Pal with high adsorption ability and excellent biocompatibility could provide numerous attachment sites for DQ adsorption due to the superior ion-exchange property and plentiful Si-OH on its surface. Super-P with pearl-chain like structure contributed to forming an interconnected conductive network, thus facilitating the homogeneous dispersion of Pal and compensated for the poor conductivity of Pal. This study provides a valuable reference in developing clay-based nanocomposite via ultrasonication-assisted strategy to achieve the application of electrochemical sensor at the ultra-trace levels detection of pesticides.

High Performance Lithium Battery Anodes from Non-Water Based Graphene

High performance lithium battery anode plates were made from processed arc discharge graphene. Arc discharge graphene has been produced from glow electrolytic thermal arc discharging of graphite rods [1-3], different from graphene or reduced graphene prepared through other means [4-11], because it maintains high crystallinity and planar characteristics of graphite marked by low ID/IG and XRD peak (2θ = 26 ⁰C). Arc discharge Graphene was sonicated in NMP for hours until fully exfoliated and able to film coat without impediments on the rougher side of the electrode copper film. Sonicated Graphene was dried in the vacuum oven. Anode plates were prepared by homogenizing the sonicated graphene in PVDF saturated NMP (0.53% NMP; 4% superP carbon black; and 2.25wt% PVDF) for 1 hr. The anode slurry was coated on the copper plates using automatic doctor blade film coater at a speed of 100mm/min. Anode plates were dried at 80 ⁰C for and cured for 120 ⁰C for 2 hrs in vacuum oven. Coin cells of NMC//HGR were made and tested in CT2001A. The capacity of the anode cycled at 1C was ~1083mAhg-1. This very high capacity of the graphene anode represents 188.3% increase over nominal graphite anodes, and one of the highest reported in published literature.

Utilization of Hard Carbon As a Substitute for Graphite As Efficient Lithium Battery Anode Material

Lithium battery anode plates were made from sugar processed into hard carbon by high temperature carbonization in an autoclave. Sucrose was dissolved in water at 60 ⁰C, mixed thereafter with naphthalene. The hard carbon is purifies with HCl and distilled water. Nano-hard carbons1,2 are 3-dimensional and notably larger than the 2-dimensional graphenes3-5. Anode plates were prepared by homogenizing the sonicated graphene in PVDF saturated NMP (0.53% NMP; 4% super-P carbon black; and 2.25wt% PVDF) for 1 hr. The anode slurry was coated on the copper plates using automatic doctor blade film coater at a speed of 100mm/min. Anode plates were dried at 80 ⁰C for and cured for 120 ⁰C for 2 hrs and 24 hrs respectively, in vacuum oven. Coin cells of NMC//HC were made and tested in CT2001A. The capacity of 48 µm thick and 28.2 g/m2 anode cycled at 1C was ~49.70 mAhg-1, which is a replaceable anode material for lithium-ion batteries to 67 µm thick and 33.9 g/m2 graphite anode with a capacity of 60.62 mAhg-1.

Effects of carbon on electrochemical performance of red phosphorus (P) and carbon composite as anode for sodium ion batteries

Red phosphorus/graphite (P/G) and red phosphorus/carbon nanotube (P/CNT) composites were prepared by ball milling red phosphorus with CNTs and graphite, respectively. The electrochemical results show superior electrochemical performances of the P/G and P/CNT composites compared with that of the reference sample milled with Super-P carbon. After 70 cycles, the P/G and P/CNT composites remained 771.6 and 431.7 mA h g−1, with 68 % and 50 % capacity retention, respectively. With increasing the milling time (20 h), CNTs were cut into short pieces and then broken into carbon rings and sheets which were well mixed with red phosphorus. The morphology of the P/CNT composite can buffer the large volume changes from alloying and de-alloying during cycling, resulting in the enhanced cycling stability.

Ion and electron-conducting additive effect on Li-ion charge storage performance of CuFe2O4/SiO2 composite aerogel anode

Series of Li2O loaded CuFe2O4/SiO2 composite aerogels were prepared using a sol-gel process followed by a supercritical drying method. The physical and chemical properties of as-prepared aerogels were studied using different characterization techniques. Based on alternating current (AC) impedance analysis, the best conducting 5 wt% Li2O loaded CuFe2O4/SiO2 composite aerogel with conductivity σ = 2.4 × 10−9 S cm−1 is studied as anode for lithium-ion battery application. The best conducting composite aerogel provides a reversible Li-storage capacity of 605 mA h g−1 at 100 mA g−1 current density, which is more than the three-fold improved specific capacity of CuFe2O4/SiO2 having 182 mA h g−1. The addition of Li2O increases the charge carrier concentration and mobility of lithium-ions in the CuFe2O4/SiO2 composite aerogel matrix. Further, the Li-storage performance of 5 wt% Li2O loaded CuFe2O4/SiO2 composite aerogel is improved by increasing the electron-conducting super-P carbon (SPC) blending ratio from 70: 20: 10 to 40: 50: 10 between active material: SPC: binder during electrode preparation. It delivers a reversible specific capacity of 880 mA h g−1 at 100 mA g−1 current density, and it reaches 98% coulombic efficiency over 50-cycles. The specific capacity and cyclability of Li2O loaded CuFe2O4/SiO2 aerogel are highly dependent on electrical conductivity. The improved electrochemical performance of CuFe2O4/SiO2 aerogel is obtained through the combined effects of Li-ion concentration (Li2O addition) as well as electron conducting (SPC) carbon additives.

Use of carbon coating on LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 cathode material for enhanced performances of lithium-ion batteries

Ni-rich cathode is one of the promising candidate for high-energy lithium-ion batteries. In this work, we prepare the different super-P carbon black amounts [0.1 (SPB 0.1 wt%), 0.3 (SPB 0.3 wt%), 0.5 (SPB 0.5 wt%) and 0.7 wt% (SPB 0.7 wt%)] of carbon coated LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) cathodes and their electrochemical performances are investigated. Carbon coating does not change the crystal structure and morphology of NCM811. Among the coated NCM811, the SPB 0.5 wt% NCM811 delivers the excellent cyclability (87.8% after 80 cycles) and rate capability (86.5% at 2 C) compared to those of pristine NCM811. It is ascribed to that the carbon coating not only increase the Li ion and electron transfer as well as protect the NCM811 cathode materials from side reaction at the electrolyte/NCM811 interface. Therefore, we can conclude that the appropriate amount of carbon coating can be regarded as an effective approach for Ni-rich NCM cathode.

Graphene Flake-Based Electrodes for High-Energy and Power Lithium-Ion Semi-flexible Rechargeable Batteries

Developing devices and related materials for storing and producing electricity is a key issue to meet the global energy demand. Low-cost and high-performance energy-storage devices are important for sustainable energy utilization. Recently, lithium-ion battery (LIB) is emerging as a promising power source for high-performance electronics. However, their technological drawbacks have hindered the development of LIB with improved specific capacity, stable cyclic and coulombic efficiency for portable electronics application, due to the lack of availability of reliable electrode materials that provided superior electrochemical properties. As a solution to this problem, we herein demonstrated two types of few-layered graphene produced by Fenton reaction (FG) and Hummers method (HG) used for the fabrication of electrodes on flexi copper and aluminum foils in two different ways. Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4 or LFP) mixed with super-P carbon black (SP) and fabricated cathode, FG and HG, respectively, blended with SP and fabricated two anodes, by carefully balancing the cell composition of the anode and cathode. An optimal cell performance in terms of specific capacity and stable cyclability depends on the fabrication method of electrodes and their chemical composition. The FG electrodes showed a specific capacity of 186 mAh g−1 at 150 mA g−1 charge/discharge (C/D) current rate while HG showed a specific capacity of 195mAh g−1 at same C/D rate without capacity decay during 30 cycles and an excellent cycling stability was also observed when HG was used in cathode with SP in the same ratio at 150, 300 and 450 mA g−1 C/D rate in full LIB.

Principle understanding towards synthesizing Fe/N decorated carbon catalysts with pyridinic-N enriched and agglomeration-free features for lithium-oxygen batteries.

Metal-N-decorated carbon catalysts are cheap and effective alternatives for replacing the high-priced Pt-based ones in activating the reduction of oxygen for metal–air or fuel cells. The preparation of such heterogeneous catalysts often requires complex synthesis processes, including harsh acid treatment, secondary pyrolysis processes, etching, etc., to make the heteroatoms evenly dispersed in the carbon substrates to obtain enhanced activities. Through combined experimental characterizations, we found that by precise control of the precursors added, a Fe/N uniformly distributed, agglomeration-free Fe/N decorated Super-P carbon material (FNDSP) can be easily obtained by a one-pot synthesis process with distinctly higher pyridinic-N content and elevated catalytic activity. An insight into this phenomenon was carefully demonstrated and also verified in Li–O2 batteries, which delivered a high discharging platform of 2.85 V and can be fully discharged with a capacity of 5811.5 mA h gcarbon+catalyst−1 at the cut-off voltage of 2.5 V by the low-cost Super-P modified catalyst.

Tin-Decorated Reduced Graphene Oxide and NaLi0.2Ni0.25Mn0.75O as Electrode Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

A tin-decorated reduced graphene oxide, originally developed for lithium-ion batteries, has been investigated as an anode in sodium-ion batteries. The composite has been synthetized through microwave reduction of poly acrylic acid functionalized graphene oxide and a tin oxide organic precursor. The final product morphology reveals a composite in which Sn and SnO2 nanoparticles are homogenously distributed into the reduced graphene oxide matrix. The XRD confirms the initial simultaneous presence of Sn and SnO2 particles. SnRGO electrodes, prepared using Super-P carbon as conducting additive and Pattex PL50 as aqueous binder, were investigated in a sodium metal cell. The Sn-RGO showed a high irreversible first cycle capacity: only 52% of the first cycle discharge capacity was recovered in the following charge cycle. After three cycles, a stable SEI layer was developed and the cell began to work reversibly: the practical reversible capability of the material was 170 mA·h·g−1. Subsequently, a material of formula NaLi0.2Ni0.25Mn0.75Oδ was synthesized by solid-state chemistry. It was found that the cathode showed a high degree of crystallization with hexagonal P2-structure, space group P63/mmc. The material was electrochemically characterized in sodium cell: the discharge-specific capacity increased with cycling, reaching at the end of the fifth cycle a capacity of 82 mA·h·g−1. After testing as a secondary cathode in a sodium metal cell, NaLi0.2Ni0.25Mn0.75Oδ was coupled with SnRGO anode to form a sodium-ion cell. The electrochemical characterization allowed confirmation that the battery was able to reversibly cycle sodium ions. The cell’s power response was evaluated by discharging the SIB at different rates. At the lower discharge rate, the anode capacity approached the rated value (170 mA·h·g−1). By increasing the discharge current, the capacity decreased but the decline was not so pronounced: the anode discharged about 80% of the rated capacity at 1 C rate and more than 50% at 5 C rate.

Utilization of Hard Carbon As a Substitute for Graphite As Efficient Lithium Battery Anode Material

Lithium battery anode plates were made from sugar processed into hard carbon by high temperature carbonization in an autoclave. Sucrose was dissolved in water at 60 ⁰C, mixed thereafter with naphthalene. The hard carbon is purifies with HCl and distilled water. Nano-hard carbons1,2 are 3-dimensional and notably larger than the 2-dimensional graphenes3-5. Anode plates were prepared by homogenizing the sonicated graphene in PVDF saturated NMP (0.53% NMP; 4% super-P carbon black; and 2.25wt% PVDF) for 1 hr. The anode slurry was coated on the copper plates using automatic doctor blade film coater at a speed of 100mm/min. Anode plates were dried at 80 ⁰C for and cured for 120 ⁰C for 2 hrs and 24 hrs respectively, in vacuum oven. Coin cells of NMC//HC were made and tested in CT2001A. The capacity of 48 µm thick and 28.2 g/m2 anode cycled at 1C was ~49.70 mAhg-1, which is a replaceable anode material for lithium-ion batteries to 67 µm thick and 33.9 g/m2 graphite anode with a capacity of 60.62 mAhg-1.

Three-Dimensional Reconstruction and Analysis of All-Solid Li-Ion Battery Electrode Using Synchrotron Transmission X-ray Microscopy Tomography.

A synchrotron transmission X-ray microscopy tomography system with a spatial resolution of 58.2 nm at the Advanced Photon Source was employed to obtain three-dimensional morphological data of all-solid Li-ion battery electrodes. The three-phase electrode was fabricated from a 47:47:6 (wt %) mixture of Li(Ni1/3Mn1/3Co1/3)O2 as active material, Li1.3Ti1.7Al0.3(PO4)3 as Li-ion conductor, and Super-P carbon as electron conductor. The geometric analysis show that particle-based all-solid Li-ion battery has serious contact interface problem which significantly impact the Li-ion transport and intercalation reaction in the electrode, leading to low capacity, poor rate capability and cycle life.

Characterization of Dynamic Morphology Change of Tin Anode Electrode during (de)Lithiation Processes Using in-Operando Transmission X-Ray Microscopy

During the last decade, many research efforts have been made to develop alloy-type anode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIBs), because of their much higher storage capacity compared to graphite (372 mAh/g) (1). Sn is one of the alloy-type materials and it has theoretical capacity of 994 mAh/g (for the charged Li4.4Sn phase) (2). Sn is also non-toxic, abundant and inexpensive. However, the major challenge in the development of Sn anode is the high volume change (about 300%) involved in the reaction scheme, which could result in particle fracture and electrode delamination from the current collector, thereby leading to rapid loss of specific capacity(2). Therefore, it is essential to understand the dynamic morphology change of Sn electrode in LIB cycling processes. To this end, several in-situ studies have conducted to investigate the morphology change of Sn electrode. For instance, Ebner et al. used X-ray tomography to visualize and quantify the origins and evolution of electrochemical and mechanical degradation of tin oxide electrode(3). Sun et al. used in-situ synchrotron radiography to investigate the lithiation and delithiation mechanisms of multiple Sn particles in a customized flat radiography cell(4). Wang et al. studied the microstructural evolutions of a Sn electrode using in-situ synchrotron X-ray nanotomography(5). However, the dynamic morphology change of Sn particles in the size range between 1 µm and 10 µm has not been investigated. In this study, we investigated the morphology evolution of Sn electrode made of smaller particles (~5 µm in diameter) via in-operando Synchrotron transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM). In addition, we also studied effects of particle size and original morphology on the dynamic morphology change during (de)lithiation processes. To investigate the morphological evolution of Sn particles, anode electrode was fabricated from a 25:45:30 (weight%) mixture of Sn, super-P carbon black, and PVDF. The slurry was coated on carbon paper and the electrolyte utilized was 1M LiPF6 in EC/DEC solution. The Sn electrode, separator and Li counter electrode were assembled in standard 2016 coin cell with holes on both sides sealed by Kapton tapes. A synchrotron TXM with a spatial resolution of 40 nm was employed to obtain morphological data of the electrodes. The TXM temporarily located at the Beamline 8-BM-B of Advanced Photon Source is operated by the National Synchrotron Light Source-II (NSLS-II) through a NSLS-II transition program. The 2D in-operando TXM images were used to visualize and quantify morphology change of Sn particles during (de)lithiation processes. As shown in Fig. 1, volume expansion of Sn particles are more likely to take place at the surface with larger curvature, infiltrating from outside to the inside. The morphology change of Sn particles with different sizes start and end at almost the same time. Acknowledgments: This work was supported by US National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1335850. Figure 1. Morphology change of several Sn particles during a 0.1 C lithiation process at different time steps.

Cycling Performance of Lithium Iron Sulphate in the Presence of Binders and Carbon Additives

Fe-based high voltage positive electrode material Li2Fe(SO4)2 has shown consistent cycling only in experimental Swagelok cell configurations.[1, 2] In order for it to be practically viable, knowledge of its interaction with commercially used additives in the coating process is lacking. Thus, this work seeks to study the cycling performance of Li2Fe(SO4)2in a half cell configuration with different types of binders and carbon based additives as a step towards commercial utilisation of the material. Flourinated binder polvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and non-fluorinated binder polyacrylonitrile (PAN) were both evaluated and shown to perform similarly. The long term cycling at low C-rates was found to be consistent for the systems with and without binder. However, at high C-rates a significant fall in capacity of nearly 60% was observed for the system with binders in comparison to the system without binder. Li2Fe(SO4)2 being polyanionic has poor electronic conductivity and requires carbon coating to enhance performance. This study investigates the effects of amorphous Super-P Carbon, Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes and Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes when ball-milled with the electrode material. The carbon-coated material was then subjected to galvanostatic charge discharge tests over multiple cycles and at different charging rates. This study on the effect of binders and carbon additives lays the foundation for future work on an all-iron lithium battery and is a step forward in commercialising sulphate based cathode materials. [1] M. Reynaud, M. Ati, B. C. Melot, M. T. Sougrati, G. Rousse, J.-N. Chotard, et al., "Li2Fe(SO4)2 as a 3.83 V positive electrode material," Electrochemistry Communications, vol. 21, pp. 77-80, 2012. [2] L. Lander, M. Reynaud, G. Rousse, M. T. Sougrati, C. Laberty-Robert, R. J. Messinger, et al., "Synthesis and electrochemical performance of the orthorhombic Li2Fe (SO4) 2 polymorph for Li-ion batteries," Chemistry of Materials, vol. 26, pp. 4178-4189, 2014. Figure 1

MgFe2O4 hollow microboxes derived from metal-organic-frameworks as anode material for sodium-ion batteries

Metal-organic-frameworks (MOFs) Prussian blue microcubes are used as the self-sacrificial templates to fabricate hollow MgFe2O4 microboxes via the process of hydrolysis, ion exchange and subsequent calcination. This hollow and porous architecture provides efficient sodium ion diffusion pathway and sufficient space to accommodate the volume expansion during the insertion/extraction of Na+. Obtained MgFe2O4 microboxes exhibit a good capacity of 406mAhg−1 at a current density of 50mAg−1 and maintain a reversible capacity of 135mAhg−1 after 150 cycles when evaluated as an anode material for sodium-ion batteries. With the increase of the amount of Super-P carbon black, the rate performance and conductivity of the MgFe2O4 microboxes electrode can be improved.