Recent advances and perspectives of microsized alloying-type porous anode materials in high-performance Li- and Na-ion batteries

Abstract

Alloying materials (e.g., Si, Ge, Sn, Sb, and so on) are promising anode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to their high capacity, suitable working voltage, earth abundance, environmental friendliness, and non-toxicity. Although some important breakthroughs have been reported recently for these materials, their dramatic volume change during alloying/dealloying causes severe pulverization, leading to poor cycling stability and safety risks. Although the nanoengineering of alloys can mitigate the volumetric expansion to some extent, there remain other drawbacks, such as low initial Columbic efficiency and volumetric energy density. Porous microscale alloys comprised of nanoparticles and nanopores inherit micro- and nanoproperties, so that volume expansion during lithiation/sodiation can be better accommodated by the porous structure to consequently release stress and improve the cycling stability. Herein, the recent progress of porous microscale alloying-type anode materials for LIBs and SIBs is reviewed by summarizing the Li and Na storage mechanisms, the challenges associated with different materials, common fabrication methods, and the relationship between the structure and electrochemical properties in LIBs and SIBs. Finally, the prospects of porous microscale alloys are discussed to provide guidance for future research and the commercial development of anode materials for LIBs and SIBs.

Novel Organic Cathode with Conjugated N-Heteroaromatic Structures for High-Performance Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

“…Rechargeable batteries are indispensable energy storage devices in various energy storage technologies. − Lithium-ion batteries are being widely recognized in everyday life because of their huge energy density, portability, and adaptability. − Nevertheless, their rapid development was restricted by limited Li resources, high relative prices, and safety issues. − Therefore, there is an urgent need to find new types of batteries to tackle the problems listed above. Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) not only possess excellent security and theoretical specific capacity but also have a low production cost, which are ideal for the widespread use of energy storage devices. − As a part of AZIBs, the cathode has a significant role.…”

Superstructure Control of Anionic Redox Behavior in Manganese-Based Cathode Materials for Li-Ion Batteries

“…Electrochemical energy storage and conversion provides an effective way to solve energy and environmental issues. − As the state-of-the-art energy storage device at present, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely applied in hybrid power devices, electric vehicles, and other portable electronic products, and the application prospect in the field of energy storage is also considerable. − As the cathode electrode material with the highest specific capacity and energy density in the intercalation system, Li-rich manganese-based layered oxides (LRMOs) , have been studied and modified since formally proposed by Thackeray in 2004, which is one of the most promising next-generation LIBs cathode materials …”

Tuning N-Species of Graphitic Carbon Nitride for High-Performance Anode in Sodium Ion Battery

“…With a two-dimensional graphene-like structure, g-C 3 N 4 (CN) is considered as a potential anode in alkali metal ion batteries. − However, g-C 3 N 4 often shows extremely low discharge specific capacity and unsatisfactory cycle performance in battery testing. , For instance, Yang et al found that pure g-C 3 N 4 displayed a low initial discharge capacity (139.4 mAh g –1 ) and a poor cyclic life with 10% capacity retention over seven cycles in lithium ion battery (LIB) . Therefore, g-C 3 N 4 is used as a support or substrate frequently. − Previous theoretical studies thought that the low electrochemical activity of g-C 3 N 4 resulted from poor electronic conductivity and broken crystal structure after metal ion intercalation, and pyridinic-N and graphitic-N were related to enhanced discharge capacities and unsatisfactory cycling performances. − …”