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Aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) are emerging as a highly promising alternative technology for grid-scale applications where high safety, environmental-friendliness, and high specific capacities are needed. It remains a significant challenge, however, to develop a cathode with a high rate capability and long-term cycling stability. Here, we demonstrate diffusion-controlled behavior in the intercalation of zinc ions into highly porous, Mn 4+ -rich, and low-band-gap Ni x Mn 3−x O 4 nano-particles with a carbon matrix formed in situ (with the composite denoted as Ni x Mn 3−x O 4 @C, x = 1), which exhibits superior rate capability (139.7 and 98.5 mA h g −1 at 50 and 1200 mA g −1 , respectively) and outstanding cycling stability (128.8 mA h g −1 remaining at 400 mA g −1 after 850 cycles). Based on the obtained experimental results and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, cation-site Ni substitution combined with a sufficient doping concentration can decrease the band gap and effectively improve the electronic conductivity in the crystal. Furthermore, the amorphous carbon shell and highly porous Mn 4+ -rich structure lead to fast electron transport and short Zn 2+ diffusion paths in a mild aqueous electrolyte. This study provides an example of a technique to optimize cathode materials for high-performance rechargeable ZIBs and design advanced intercalation-type materials for other energy storage devices. 

The development of low-cost, high-performance anode materials for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) is imperative to meet the ever-increasing demands for advanced power sources. Here we report our findings on the design, synthesis, and characterization of a new cation-disordered ZnSiP 2 anode. When tested in LIBs, the disordered phase of ZnSiP 2 demonstrates faster reaction kinetics and higher energy efficiency than the cation-ordered phase of ZnSiP 2 . The superior performance is attributed to the greater electronic and ionic conductivity and better tolerance against volume variation during cycling, as confirmed by theoretical calculations and experimental measurements. Moreover, the cation-disordered ZnSiP 2 /C composite exhibits excellent cycle stability and superior rate capability. The performance surpasses all reported multi-phase anodes studied. Further, a number of the cation-disordered phases in the Zn(Cu)–Si–P family with a wide range of cation ratios show similar performance, achieving large specific capacities and high first-cycle coulombic efficiency while maintaining desirable working potentials for enhanced safety. 

Si‐based anodes with a stiff diamond structure usually suffer from sluggish lithiation/delithiation reaction due to low Li‐ion and electronic conductivity. Here, a novel ternary compound ZnSi₂P₃with a cation‐disordered sphalerite structure, prepared by a facile mechanochemical method, is reported, demonstrating faster Li‐ion and electron transport and greater tolerance to volume change during cycling than the existing Si‐based anodes. A composite electrode consisting of ZnSi₂P₃and carbon achieves a high initial Coulombic efficiency (92%) and excellent rate capability (950 mAh g⁻¹at 10 A g⁻¹) while maintaining superior cycling stability (1955 mAh g⁻¹after 500 cycles at 300 mA g⁻¹), surpassing the performance of most Si‐ and P‐based anodes ever reported. The remarkable electrochemical performance is attributed to the sphalerite structure that allows fast ion and electron transport and the reversible Li‐storage mechanism involving intercalation and conversion reactions. Moreover, the cation‐disordered sphalerite structure is flexible to ionic substitutions, allowing extension to a family of Zn(Cu)Si_2+xP₃solid solution anodes (x= 0, 2, 5, 10) with large capacity, high initial Coulombic efficiency, and tunable working potentials, representing attractive anode candidates for next‐generation, high‐performance, and low‐cost Li‐ion batteries.