skip to main content


Title: Thermally fabricated cobalt telluride in nitrogen-rich carbon dodecahedra as high-rate potassium and sodium ion battery anodes
Cobalt telluride anchored to nitrogen-rich carbon dodecahedra (CoTe@NCD) was synthesized by simultaneous pyrolysis-tellurium melt impregnation of ZIF-67 MOFs. The purely thermal method involved no secondary chemicals and no waste byproducts. The result is a microstructure consisting of nanoscale 86 wt% CoTe intermetallic nanoparticles contained within a thin N-rich carbon matrix. During electrochemical cycling, the 21 nm average diameter CoTe provides short diffusion paths for Na + /K + ions, which in conjunction with the electrically conducting carbon matrix allow for rapid potassiation or sodiation. As potassium ion battery (PIB and KIB) and sodium ion battery (NIB and SIB) anodes, CoTe@NCD demonstrates attractive reversible capacity, promising cycling stability, and state-of-the-art rate performance. For example, as a KIB anode, the CoTe@NCD electrode exhibits a reversible capacity of 380 mA h g −1 at 50 mA g −1 and a fast charge capacity of 136 mA h g −1 at 1000 mA g −1 . As a NIB anode, it also displays excellent rate capability achieving 620 mA h g −1 at 50 mA g −1 and 345 mA h g −1 at 1000 mA g −1 .  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1911905
NSF-PAR ID:
10354201
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Sustainable Energy & Fuels
Volume:
6
Issue:
15
ISSN:
2398-4902
Page Range / eLocation ID:
3582 to 3590
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. null (Ed.)
    Sodium metal battery (SMB, NMB) anodes can become dendritic due to an electrochemically unstable native Na-based solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Herein Li-ion activated tin sulfide graphene nanocomposite membrane (A-SnS–G) is employed as an artificial SEI layer, allowing cyclability of record-thin 100 μm Na metal foils. The thin Na metal is prepared by a self-designed metallurgical rolling protocol. A-SnS–G is initially placed onto the polypropylene (PP) separator but becomes in situ transferred onto the Na metal surface. Symmetric metal cells protected by A-SnS–G achieve low-overpotential extended high-rate cycling in a standard carbonate electrolyte (EC : DEC = 1 : 1, 5% FEC). Accumulated capacity of 1000 mA h cm −2 is obtained after 500 cycles at 4 mA cm −2 , with accumulated capacity-to-foil capacity (A/F) ratio of 90.9. This is among the most favorable cycle life, accumulated capacity, and anode utilization combinations reported. Protection by non-activated SnS–G membrane yields significantly worse cycling, albeit still superior to the baseline unprotected sodium. Post-mortem and dedicated light optical analysis indicate that metal swelling, dendrite growth and dead metal formation is extensive for the unprotected sample, but is suppressed with A-SnS–G. Per XPS, post-100 cycles near-surface structure of A-SnS–G is rich in metallic Sn alloys and inorganic carbonate salts. Even after 300 cycles, Li-based SEI components ROCO 2 -Li, Li 2 CO 3 and LiF are detected with A-SnS–G. As a proof of principle, an SMB with a high mass loading (6 mg cm −2 ) NVP cathode and a A-SnS–G protected anode delivered extended cyclability, achieving 74 mA h g −1 after 400 cycles at 0.4C. 
    more » « less
  2. Abstract

    Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a promising electrode material for reversible lithium storage. However, the poor electronic conductivity, sluggish diffusivity, and intrinsic kinetics limit hinder its fast lithium storage capability. Here we present that the oxygen‐deficient TiO2hierarchical spheres can address the issues for high capacity, long‐term lithium‐ion battery anode. First‐principles calculations show that introducing oxygen vacancies to anatase TiO2can reduce the bandgap, thus improving the electronic conductivity and further the lithium storage properties of TiO2. By annealing TiO2/H2Ti5O11⋅3H2O hierarchical spheres precursor in nitrogen, accompanying with the phase transfer process, the growth of TiO2crystallites is restricted due to the generation of residual carbon species, resulting in a well maintained hierarchical spherical structure. Rich oxygen vacancies are generated in the oxygen‐deficient environment and evidenced by EPR, XPS, and UV‐Vis spectra, which enable the TiO2hierarchical spheres reduced bandgap. The oxygen vacancies in the as‐obtained TiO2hierarchical spheres together with the high structural integrity of the hierarchical spheres gives rise to superior lithium storage properties including a high specific capacity of 282 mAh g−1at 200 mA g−1, and long‐term cycling stability with a capacity retention of 85.2 % at 4 A g−1over 10000 cycles.

     
    more » « less
  3. null (Ed.)
    Both electronic and ionic conductivities are of high importance to the performance of anode materials for Li-ion batteries. Many large capacity anode materials (such as Ge) do not have sufficiently high electronic and ionic conductivities required for high-rate cycling. Here, we report a novel ternary compound, copper germanium phosphide (CuGe 2 P 3 ), as a high-rate anode. Being synthesized via a facile and scalable mechanochemistry method, CuGe 2 P 3 has a cation-disordered sphalerite structure and offers higher ionic and electronic conductivities and better tolerance to volume change during cycling than Ge, as confirmed by first principles calculations and experimental characterization, including high-resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction, HRTEM, SAED, XPS and Raman spectroscopy. Furthermore, the results suggest that CuGe 2 P 3 has a reversible Li-storage mechanism of conversion reaction. When composited with graphite by virtue of a two-stage ball-milling process, the yolk–shell structure of the amorphous carbon-coated CuGe 2 P 3 nanocomposite (CuGe 2 P 3 /C@Graphene) delivers a high initial coulombic efficiency (91%), a superior cycling stability (1312 mA h g −1 capacity after 600 cycles at 0.2 A g −1 and 876 mA h g −1 capacity after 1600 cycles at 2 A g −1 ), and an excellent rate capability (386 mA h g −1 capacity at 30 A g −1 ), surpassing most Ge-based anodes reported to date. Moreover, a series of cation-disordered new phases in the Cu(Zn)–Ge–P family with various cation ratios offer similar Li-storage properties, achieving high reversible capacities with high initial coulombic efficiencies and desirable redox chemistry with improved safety. 
    more » « less
  4. Deriving battery grade materials from natural sources is a key element to establishing sustainable energy storage technologies. In this work, we present the use of avocado peels as a sustainable source for conversion into hard carbon-based anodes for sodium ion batteries. The avocado peels are simply washed and dried then proceeded to a high temperature conversion step. Materials characterization reveals conversion of the avocado peels in high purity, highly porous hard carbon powders. When prepared as anode materials they show to the capability to reversibly store and release sodium ions. The hard carbon-based electrodes exhibit excellent cycling performance, namely, a reversible capacity of 352.55 mAh g−1at 0.05 A g−1, rate capability up to 86 mAh g−1at 3500 mA g−1, capacity retention of >90%, and 99.9% coulombic efficiencies after 500 cycles. Cyclic voltammetry studies indicated that the storage process was diffusion-limited, with diffusion coefficient of 8.62 × 10−8cm2s−1. This study demonstrates avocado derived hard carbon as a sustainable source that can provide excellent electrochemical and battery performance as anodes in sodium ion batteries.

     
    more » « less
  5. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) may be a promising alternative for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) because it offers a unique layered crystal structure with a large and tunable distance between layers. This enables the anticipated excellent rate and cycling stability because they can promote the reversible lithium ion intercalation and de-intercalation without huge volume change which consequently prevents the pulverization of active materials during repeated charge and discharge processes. Herein, we prepared hierarchical MoS 2 –carbon (MoS 2 –C) microspheres via a continuous and scalable ultrasonic nebulization assisted route. The structure, composition, and electrochemical properties are investigated in detail. The MoS 2 –C microspheres consist of few-layer MoS 2 nanosheets bridged by carbon, which separates the exfoliated MoS 2 layers and prevents their aggregation and restacking, thus leading to improved kinetic, enhanced conductivity and structural integrity. The novel architecture offers additional merits such as overall large size and high packing density, which promotes their practical applications. The MoS 2 –C microspheres have been demonstrated with excellent electrochemical performances in terms of low resistance, high capacity even at large current density, stable cycling performance, etc. The electrodes exhibited 800 mA h g −1 at 1000 mA g −1 over 170 cycles. At a higher current density of 3200 mA g −1 , a capacity of 730 mA h g −1 can be also maintained. The MoS 2 –C microspheres are practically applicable not only because of the continuous and large scale synthesis via the current strategy, but also the possess a robust and integrated architecture which ensures the excellent electrochemical properties. 
    more » « less