Solid Solution Metal Chalcogenides for Sodium‐Ion Batteries: The Recent Advances as Anodes

Abstract

The sodium‐ion battery (SIB) has attracted ever growing attention as a promising alternative of the lithium‐ion battery (LIB). Constructing appropriate anode materials is critical for speeding up the application of SIB. This review aims at guiding anode design from the material's perspective, and specifically focusing on solid solution metal chalcogenide anode. The sodium ion storage mechanisms of a solid solution metal chalcogenide anode is overviewed on basis of the elements it is composed of, and discusses how the solid solution character alters the electrochemical performances through diffusion and surface‐controlled processes. In addition, by classifying solid solution metal chalcogenide as cation and anion, their recent applications are updated, and understanding the roles of guest elements in improving the electrochemical behaviors of a solid solution metal chalcogenide is carried out. After that, discussion of possible strategies to further optimize these anode materials in the future, flowing from crystal structure design to morphology control and finally to the intimacy improvement between conductive matrix and solid solution metal chalcogenide are also provided.

An exquisite branch–leaf shaped metal sulfoselenide composite endowing an ultrastable sodium-storage lifespan over 10 000 cycles

“…5–7 Apart from that, a relatively cheaper and more lightweight aluminum foil can commonly serve as the current collector in an SIB system to effectively avert overcharge behavior from the source in consideration of the inert characteristics of aluminum with sodium, whereas copper is currently indispensable in LIBs because of the high chemical reactivity of Li to Al. 8 Some inherent deficiencies of Na + ( e.g. larger diameter and heavier atomic mass), nevertheless, induce a substantial volumetric effect and reaction kinetic hysteresis of many host materials upon cycling.…”

“…; X = S and Se) have been shown to possess more competitive theoretical capacity relative to carbonaceous materials on account of multi-electron redox reactions, a faster charge-transfer rate than conventional oxide counterparts associated with the easily broken M–S or M–Se bond, as well as a smaller volume change than a metal alloy. 8,10–15 In particular, cobalt sulfide (CoS 2 ), a prospective anode candidate supported by a four-electron reaction mechanism, has shown a considerable emergence of interest in all kinds of energy-storage fields, and which exhibits controllable structure features, rich redox sites, and flexible valence adjustability. 16,17 But in the meanwhile, like other chalcogenides, CoS 2 reserving Na + via both intercalation and conversion mechanisms inevitably brings along some critical issues of inferior intrinsic conductivity and large voltage pulverization induced by detrimental volume expansion.…”

“…22,23 Meanwhile, the replacement of a matrix element by a guest element can contribute to the modulation of electronic structure, the expansion of interlayer spacing and the enhancement of electrochemical activity, thus providing remarkably improved ion-transport kinetics. 8 In light of this, the partial replacement of S with anionic Se in a metal chalcogenide by fabricating S 2− x Se x interlayer ligands can also prominently improve electronic conductivity and ion migration rates since Se itself possesses a higher conductivity (10 −4 S m −1 ) and larger radius than the S element. 19,24 More interestingly, introducing guest Se element into parent metal sulfides to obtain multi-anion chalcogenides can be easily realized through a selenization treatment using Se powder as a precursor.…”

Self-assembled monodisperse FeSe2 microflowers as an advanced anode material for sodium ion batteries

“…11,12 It is essential to probe and design novel structures for highperformance anode materials for SIBs. [13][14][15][16][17][18] Transition metal selenides (TMSes) have superior theoretical specic capacity and excellent electronic conductivity, and have attracted extensive attention as anode materials of SIBs. [19][20][21][22] For example, Zhang et al fabricated CoSe 2 /WSe 2 @C/CN heterostructures as anodes for SIBs, which could achieve a remarkable cyclic stability of 277 mA h g À1 at 0.5 A g À1 aer 200 cycles.…”

“…11,12 It is essential to probe and design novel structures for high-performance anode materials for SIBs. 13–18…”