Sb Nanoparticles Encapsulated in a Reticular Amorphous Carbon Network for Enhanced Sodium Storage

Design of heterostructured hydrangea-like FeS2/MoS2 encapsulated in nitrogen-doped carbon as high-performance anode for potassium-ion capacitors

The means of structural hybridization such as heterojunction construction and carbon-coating engineering for facilitating charge transfer and electron transport are considered viable strategies to address the challenges associated with the low rate capability and poor cycling stability of sulfide-based anodes in potassium-ion batteries (PIBs). Motivated by these concepts, we have successfully prepared a hydrangea-like bimetallic sulfide heterostructure encapsulated in nitrogen-doped carbon (FMS@NC) using a simple solvothermal method, followed by poly-dopamine wrapping and a one-step sulfidation/carbonization process. When served as an anode for PIBs, this FMS@NC demonstrates a high specific capacity (585 mAh g-1 at 0.05 A/g) and long cycling stability. Synergetic effects of mitigated volume expansions and enhanced conductivity that are responsbile for such high performance have been verified to originate from the heterostructured sulfides and the N-doped carbon matrix. Meanwhile, comprehensive characterization reveals existence of an intercalation-conversion hybrid K-ion storage mechanism in this material. Impressively, a K-ion capacitor with the FMS@NC anode and a commercial activated carbon cathode exhibits a superior energy density of up to 192 Wh kg-1, a high power density, and outstanding cycling stability. This study provides constructive guidance for designing high-performance and durable potassium-ion storage anodes for next-generation energy storage devices.

Core-Shell CoSe2 /WSe2 Heterostructures@Carbon in Porous Carbon Nanosheets as Advanced Anode for Sodium Ion Batteries

Heterojunction, with the advantage of fast charge transfer dynamics, is considered to be an effective strategy to address the low capacity and poor rate capability of anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). As well, carbonaceous materials, as a crucial additive, can effectively ameliorate the ion/electron conductivity of integrated composites, realizing the fast ion transport and charge transfer. Here, motivated by the enhancement effect of carbon and heterojunction on conductivity, it is proposed that the CoSe₂ /WSe₂ heterojunction as inner core is coated by carbon outer shell and uniformly embedded in porous carbon nanosheets (denoted as CoSe₂ /WSe₂ @C/CNs), which is used as anode material for SIBs. Combining with density functional theoretical calculations, it is confirmed that the structure of heterojunction can introduce built-in electric-field, which can accelerate the transportation of Na⁺ and improve the conductivity of electrons. Moreover, the introduction of porous carbon nanosheets (CNs) can provide a channel for the transportation of Na⁺ and avoid the volume expansion during Na⁺ insertion and extraction process. As it is expected, CoSe₂ /WSe₂ @C/CNs anode displays ultrastable specific capacity of 501.9 mA h g^-1 at 0.1 A g^-1 over 200 cycles, and ultrahigh rate capacity of 625 mA h g^-1 at 0.1 A g^-1 after 100 cycles.

Core-Shell Co2VO4/Carbon Composite Anode for Highly Stable and Fast-Charging Sodium-Ion Batteries

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are promising candidates for large-scale energy storage systems due to the abundance and wide distribution of sodium resources. Various solutions have been successfully applied to revolve the large-ion-size-induced battery issues at the mid-to-low current density range. However, the fast-charging properties of SIBs are still in high demand to accommodate the increasing energy needs at large to grid scales. Herein, a core-shell Co₂VO₄/carbon composite anode is designed to tackle the fast-charging problem of SIBs. The synergetic effect from the stable spinel structure of Co₂VO₄, the size of the nanospheres, and the carbon shell provide enhanced Na⁺ ion diffusion and electron transfer rates and outstanding electrochemical performance. With an ultrahigh current density of 5 A g^-1, the Co₂VO₄@C anode achieved a capacity of 135.1 mAh g^-1 and a >98% capacity retention after 2000 cycles through a pseudocapacitive dominant process. This study provides insights for SIB fast-charging material design and other battery systems such as lithium-ion batteries.

Bismuth Nanoparticles Anchored on Ti3 C2 Tx MXene Nanosheets for High-Performance Sodium-Ion Batteries

Sodium-ion batteries are promising energy-storage systems, but they are facing huge challenges for developing fast-charging anode materials. Bismuth (Bi)-based anode materials are considered as candidates for fast-charging anodes of sodium-ion batteries due to their excellent rate performance. Herein, we designed a two-dimensional Bi/MXene anode material based on a hydrogen thermal reduction strategy. Benefitting from microstructure advantages, Bi/MXene anodes exhibited an excellent rate capability and superior cycle performance in Na//Bi/MXene half-batteries and Na₃ V₂ (PO₄ )₃ /C//Bi/MXene full-batteries. Moreover, full-batteries can complete a charge/discharge cycle in 7 min and maintain an excellent cycle life (over 7000 cycles). The electrochemical test results showed that Bi/MXene is a promising anode material with fast charge/discharge capability for sodium-ion batteries.

Architectural Engineering Achieves High-Performance Alloying Anodes for Lithium and Sodium Ion Batteries

Tremendous efforts have been dedicated to the development of high-performance electrochemical energy storage devices. The development of lithium- and sodium-ion batteries (LIBs and SIBs) with high energy densities is urgently needed to meet the growing demands for portable electronic devices, electric vehicles, and large-scale smart grids. Anode materials with high theoretical capacities that are based on alloying storage mechanisms are at the forefront of research geared towards high-energy-density LIBs or SIBs. However, they often suffer from severe pulverization and rapid capacity decay due to their huge volume change upon cycling. So far, a wide variety of advanced materials and electrode structures are developed to improve the long-term cyclability of alloying-type materials. This review provides fundamentals of anti-pulverization and cutting-edge concepts that aim to achieve high-performance alloying anodes for LIBs/SIBs from the viewpoint of architectural engineering. The recent progress on the effective strategies of nanostructuring, incorporation of carbon, intermetallics design, and binder engineering is systematically summarized. After that, the relationship between architectural design and electrochemical performance as well as the related charge-storage mechanisms is discussed. Finally, challenges and perspectives of alloying-type anode materials for further development in LIB/SIB applications are proposed.

Impact of CO2 activation on the structure, composition, and performance of Sb/C nanohybrid lithium/sodium-ion battery anodes

Antimony (Sb) has been regarded as one of the most promising anode materials for both lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) and attracted much attention in recent years. Alleviating the volumetric effect of Sb during charge and discharge processes is the key point to promote Sb-based anodes to practical applications. Carbon dioxide (CO2) activation is applied to improve the rate performance of the Sb/C nanohybrid anodes caused by the limited diffusion of Li/Na ions in excessive carbon components. Based on the reaction between CO2 and carbon, CO2 activation can not only reduce the excess carbon content of the Sb/C nanohybrid but also create abundant mesopores inside the carbon matrix, leading to enhanced rate performance. Additionally, CO2 activation is also a fast and facile method, which is perfectly suitable for the fabrication system we proposed. As a result, after CO2 activation, the average capacity of the Sb/C nanohybrid LIB anode is increased by about 18 times (from 9 mA h g-1 to 160 mA h g-1) at a current density of 3300 mA g-1. Moreover, the application of the CO2-activated Sb/C nanohybrid as a SIB anode is also demonstrated, showing good electrochemical performance.

Colloidal chemical bottom-up synthesis routes of pnictogen (As, Sb, Bi) nanostructures with tailored properties and applications: a summary of the state of the art and main insights

Adjusting the colloidal chemistry synthetic parameters for pnictogen nanostructures leads to a fine control of their physical properties and the resulting performance in applications. Image adapted from Slidesgo.com.

Durian-Inspired Design of Bismuth-Antimony Alloy Arrays for Robust Sodium Storage

Sodium-ion batteries have attracted widespread attention for cost-effective and large-scale electric energy storage. However, their practical deployment has been largely retarded by the lack of choice of efficient anode materials featuring large capacity and electrochemical stability and robustness. Herein, we report a durian-inspired design and template-free fabrication of a robust sodium anode based on triangular pyramid arrays of Bi_0.75Sb_0.25 alloy electrodeposited on Cu substrates. The Bi_0.75Sb_0.25 arrays exhibit an appreciable electrochemical robustness for sodium storage, sustaining a reversible capability 335 mAh g^-1 at a high rate of 2.5 A g^-1 and 87% of the initial capacity over 2000 cycles. We further demonstrate the applicability of the Bi_0.75Sb_0.25 array anode in sodium full cells by pairing it with a Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃/C cathode. This full cell achieves a high specific energy of 203 Wh kg^-1 (based on both active electrodes). Such an enhanced performance is attributed to the thorny-durian-like architecture and bimetallic alloy composition. The pyramid tip induces ion enrichment for rapid charge-transfer reaction, while the alloy design reduces the electrode volume swelling for stable Na cycling.

Binder-Free Electrodes for Advanced Sodium-Ion Batteries

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have recently emerged as one of the favored contenders for use in medium and large-scale stationary energy storage owing to the abundance of the resources required to fabricate them, their low cost, and the fact that have properties similar to equivalent Li batteries. However, their development also faces challenges such as poor cycling stability and unsatisfying rate performance. In traditional electrodes, binders are commonly used to integrate individual active materials with conductive additives. Unfortunately, binders are generally electrochemically inactive and insulating, which reduces the overall energy density and leads to poor cycling stability. Therefore, binder-free electrodes provide great opportunity for high-performance SIBs in terms of both improved electronic conductivity and electrochemical reaction reversibility. This Progress Report provides an overview of the recent progress in binder-free electrodes for SIBs. It focuses on the current challenges of binder-free electrodes and provides an outlook for their future in energy conversion and storage.

Sb2S3 Nanoparticles Anchored or Encapsulated by the Sulfur-Doped Carbon Sheet for High-Performance Supercapacitors

The specific capacitance and energy density of antimony trisulfide (Sb₂S₃)@carbon supercapacitors (SCs) have been limited and are in need of significant improvement. In this work, Sb₂S₃ nanoparticles were selectively encapsulated or anchored in a sulfur-doped carbon (S-carbon) sheet depending on the use of microwave-assisted synthesis. The microwave-triggered Sb₂S₃ nanoparticle growth resulted in core-shell hierarchical spherical particles of uniform diameter assembled with Sb₂S₃ as the core and an encapsulated S-carbon layer as the shell (Sb₂S₃-M@S-C). Without the microwave mediation, the other nanostructure was found to comprise fine Sb₂S₃ nanoparticles widely anchored in the S-carbon sheet (Sb₂S₃-P@S-C). Structural and morphological analyses confirmed the presence of encapsulated and anchored Sb₂S₃ nanoparticles in the carbon. These two materials exhibited higher specific capacitance values of 1179 (0 to +1.0 V) and 1380 F·g^-1 (-0.8 to 0 V) at a current density of 1 A·g^-1, respectively, than those previously reported for Sb₂S₃ nanomaterials in considerable SCs. Furthermore, both materials exhibited outstanding reversible capacitance and cycle stability when used as SC electrodes while retaining over 98% of the capacitance after 10 000 cycles, which indicates their long-term stability. Furthermore, a hybrid Sb₂S₃-M@S-C/Sb₂S₃-P@S-C device was designed, which delivers a remarkable energy density of 49 W·h·kg^-1 at a power density of 2.5 kW·kg^-1 with long-term cycle stability (94% over 10 000 cycles) and is comparable to SCs in the recent literature. Finally, a light-emitting diode (LED) panel comprising 32 LEDs was powered using three pencil-type hybrid SCs in series.

Enhancing the Electrochemical Performance of SbTe Bimetallic Anodes for High-Performance Sodium-Ion Batteries: Roles of the Binder and Carbon Support Matrix

Synergism between the alloy materials and the carbon support matrix, in conjunction with the binder and electrolyte additives, is of utmost importance when developing sodium-ion batteries as viable replacements for lithium-ion batteries. In this study, we demonstrate the importance of the binder and carbon support matrix in enhancing the stabilities, cyclabilities, and capacity retentions of bimetallic anodes in sodium-ion batteries. SbTe electrodes containing 20%, 30%, and 40% carbon were fabricated with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) binders, and electrochemically evaluated at a current rate of 100 mA g⁻¹ using electrolytes with 0%, 2%, and 5% added fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC). The electrodes with the PVDF binder in cells with 5% FEC added to the electrolyte showed capacity retentions that increased with increasing carbon percentage, delivering reversible capacities of 34, 69, and 168 mAh g⁻¹ with 20%, 30%, and 40% carbon; these electrodes retained 8.1%, 17.4%, and 44.8% of their respective capacities after 100 cycles. However, electrodes composed of the PAA binder in cells with 5% FEC added to the electrolyte delivered reversible capacities of 408, 373, and 341 mAh g⁻¹ with 20%, 30%, and 40% carbon; 93.5%, 93.4%, and 94.4% of their respective capacities were retained after 100 cycles. The carbon support matrix plays a significant role in improving the stability, cyclability, and capacity retention of the electrode. However, when the tradeoff between capacity and cyclability associated with carbon percentage is considered, the binder plays a significantly more prominent role in achieving high capacities, high cyclabilities, and enhanced retention rates.

Designed Nanoarchitectures by Electrostatic Spray Deposition for Energy Storage

The development of advanced electrode materials for various energy-storage systems, especially the fabrication of designed structures and morphologies of electrode materials, has attracted intense interest in both the academic and industrial fields. Among the various synthesis methods, electrostatic spray deposition (ESD) is a simple but versatile approach, by which materials can be fabricated with various morphologies, such as granular, dense, and porous, in an easily controllable manner. Herein, motivated by the rapid advancements of the given technology, a comprehensive introduction of ESD is provided, with emphasis on the kinds of materials and the types of morphology that can be obtained, along with the important control parameters. The progress on electrode materials, which are applied in a great variety of energy-storage systems, such as Li-ion batteries, Na-ion batteries, supercapacitors, Li-S batteries, and Li-O₂ batteries, prepared by ESD is also summarized. How the specific morphologies designed by ESD improve the electrochemical performance for different types of electrode materials is also discussed. The aim is to promote the collaborative efforts among different communities to optimize and develop the ESD technique and to explore advanced electrode materials for energy storage.

Encapsulating Silica/Antimony into Porous Electrospun Carbon Nanofibers with Robust Structure Stability for High-Efficiency Lithium Storage

To address the volume-change-induced pulverization problems of electrode materials, we propose a "silica reinforcement" concept, following which silica-reinforced carbon nanofibers with encapsulated Sb nanoparticles (denoted as SiO₂/Sb@CNFs) are fabricated via an electrospinning method. In this composite structure, insulating silica fillers not only reinforce the overall structure but also contribute to additional lithium storage capacity; encapsulation of Sb nanoparticles into the carbon-silica matrices efficiently buffers the volume changes during Li-Sb alloying-dealloying processes upon cycling and alleviates the mechanical stress; the porous carbon nanofiber framework allows for fast charge transfer and electrolyte diffusion. These advantageous characteristics synergistically contribute to the superior lithium storage performance of SiO₂/Sb@CNF electrodes, which demonstrate excellent cycling stability and rate capability, delivering reversible discharge capacities of 700 mA h/g at 200 mA/g, 572 mA h/g at 500 mA/g, and 468 mA h/g at 1000 mA/g each after 400 cycles. Ex situ as well as in situ TEM measurements confirm that the structural integrity of silica-reinforced Sb@CNF electrodes can efficiently withstand the mechanical stress induced by the volume changes. Notably, the SiO₂/Sb@CNF//LiCoO₂ full cell delivers high reversible capacities of ∼400 mA h/g after 800 cycles at 500 mA/g and ∼336 mA h/g after 500 cycles at 1000 mA/g.

Mesoporous Hollow Sb/ZnS@C Core-Shell Heterostructures as Anodes for High-Performance Sodium-Ion Batteries

Combining the advantage of metal, metal sulfide, and carbon, mesoporous hollow core-shell Sb/ZnS@C hybrid heterostructures composed of Sb/ZnS inner core and carbon outer shell are rationally designed based on a robust template of ZnS nanosphere, as anodes for high-performance sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). A partial cation exchange reaction based on the solubility difference between Sb₂ S₃ and ZnS can transform mesoporous ZnS to Sb₂ S₃ /ZnS heterostructure. To get a stable structure, a thin contiguous resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) layer is introduced on the surface of Sb₂ S₃ /ZnS heterostructure. The effectively protective carbon layer from RF can be designed as the reducing agent to convert Sb₂ S₃ to metallic Sb to obtain core-shell Sb/ZnS@C hybrid heterostructures. Simultaneously, the carbon outer shell is beneficial to the charge transfer kinetics, and can maintain the structure stability during the repeated sodiation/desodiation process. Owing to its unique stable architecture and synergistic effects between the components, the core-shell porous Sb/ZnS@C hybrid heterostructure SIB anode shows a high reversible capacity, good rate capability, and excellent cycling stability by turning the optimized voltage range. This novel strategy to prepare carbon-layer-protected metal/metal sulfide core-shell heterostructure can be further extended to design other novel nanostructured systems for high-performance energy storage devices.

Thermal annealing assisted synthesis of Sb@C yolk–shell microspheres for sodium-ion batteries

The interior space of the Sb@C yolk–shell structure has a significant influence on the electrochemical performance of the electrode material.

Advanced Nanostructured Anode Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries

Sodium-ion batteries (NIBs), due to the advantages of low cost and relatively high safety, have attracted widespread attention all over the world, making them a promising candidate for large-scale energy storage systems. However, the inherent lower energy density to lithium-ion batteries is the issue that should be further investigated and optimized. Toward the grid-level energy storage applications, designing and discovering appropriate anode materials for NIBs are of great concern. Although many efforts on the improvements and innovations are achieved, several challenges still limit the current requirements of the large-scale application, including low energy/power densities, moderate cycle performance, and the low initial Coulombic efficiency. Advanced nanostructured strategies for anode materials can significantly improve ion or electron transport kinetic performance enhancing the electrochemical properties of battery systems. Herein, this Review intends to provide a comprehensive summary on the progress of nanostructured anode materials for NIBs, where representative examples and corresponding storage mechanisms are discussed. Meanwhile, the potential directions to obtain high-performance anode materials of NIBs are also proposed, which provide references for the further development of advanced anode materials for NIBs.

Bio-inspired spider-web-like membranes with a hierarchical structure for high performance lithium/sodium ion battery electrodes: the case of 3D freestanding and binder-free bismuth/CNF anodes

High gravimetric energy density and volumetric energy density energy storage devices are highly desirable due to the rapid development of electric vehicles, and portable and wearable electronic equipment. Electrospinning is a promising technology for preparing freestanding electrodes with high gravimetric and volumetric energy density. However, the energy density of the traditional electrospun electrodes is restricted by the low mass loading of active materials (e.g. 20%-30 wt%). Herein, a biomimetic strategy inspired by the phenomenon of the sticky spider web is demonstrated as a high performance anode, which simultaneously improves the gravimetric and volumetric energy density. Freestanding carbon nanofiber (CNF) membranes containing over 50 wt% of bismuth were prepared by electrospinning and subsequent thermal treatment. Membranes consisting of CNF network structures bonded tightly with active Bi cluster materials, resulting in excellent mechanical protection and a fast charge transport path, which are difficult to achieve simultaneously. The composite membrane delivers high reversible capacity (483 mA h g^-1 at 100 mA g^-1 after 200 cycles) and high rate performance (242 mA h g^-1 at 1 A g^-1) as a lithium-ion battery anode. For use as a sodium ion battery, the composite membrane also shows a high reversible specific capacity of 346 mA h g^-1 and outstanding cycling performance (186 mA h g^-1 at 50 mA g^-1 after 100 cycles). This work offers a simple, low cost and eco-friendly method for fabricating free-standing and binder-free composite electrodes with high loading used in LIBs and SIBs.

Antimony Anchored with Nitrogen-Doping Porous Carbon as a High-Performance Anode Material for Na-Ion Batteries

Antimony represents a class of unique functional materials in sodium-ion batteries with high theoretical capacity (660 mA h g^-1). The utilization of carbonaceous materials as a buffer layer has been considered an effective approach to alleviate rapid capacity fading. Herein, the antimony/nitrogen-doping porous carbon (Sb/NPC) composite with polyaniline nanosheets as a carbon source has been successfully achieved. In addition, our strategy involves three processes, a tunable organic polyreaction, a thermal annealing process, and a cost-effective reduction reaction. The as-prepared Sb/NPC electrode demonstrates a great reversible capacity of 529.6 mA h g^-1 and an outstanding cycling stability with 97.2% capacity retention after 100 cycles at 100 mA g^-1. Even at 1600 mA g^-1, a superior rate capacity of 357 mA h g^-1 can be retained. Those remarkable electrochemical performances can be ascribed to the introduction of a hierarchical porous NPC material to which tiny Sb nanoparticles of about 30 nm were well-wrapped to buffer volume expansion and improve conductivity.

Synergistic effect of cross-linked carbon nanosheet frameworks and Sb on the enhancement of sodium storage performances

Cross-linked carbon nanosheets (CCNFs) are employed to anchor Sb nanoparticles to improve the sodium storage performances, and the synergistic effect of cross-linked carbon nanosheet frameworks and Sb is investigated.

Synthesis of ZnSb@C microflower composites and their enhanced electrochemical performance for lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries

Benefiting from their special flower-like porous structure, ZnSb@C composites exhibit better electrochemical performance than ZnSb–C composites.

CuO Quantum Dots Embedded in Carbon Nanofibers as Binder-Free Anode for Sodium Ion Batteries with Enhanced Properties

The design of sodium ion batteries is proposed based on the use of flexible membrane composed of ultrasmall transition metal oxides. In this paper, the preparation of CuO quantum dots (≈2 nm) delicately embedded in carbon nanofibers (denoted as 2-CuO@C) with a thin film via a feasible electrospinning method is reported. The CuO content can be controlled by altering the synthetic conditions and is optimized to 54 wt%. As binder-free anode for sodium ion batteries, 2-CuO@C delivers an initial reversible capacity of 528 mA h g^-1 at the current density of 100 mA g^-1 , an exceptional rate capability of 250 mA h g^-1 at 5000 mA g^-1 , and an ultra-stable capacity of 401 mA h g^-1 after 500 cycles at 500 mA g^-1 . The enhancement of electrochemical performance is attributed to the unique structure of 2-CuO@C, which offers a variety of advantages: highly conductive carbon matrix suppressing agglomeration of CuO grains, interconnected nanofibers ensuring short transport length for electrons, well-dispersed CuO quantum dots leading to highly utilization rate, and good mechanical properties resulting in strong electrode integrity.

Freestanding, Hydrophilic Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Foams for Highly Compressible All Solid-State Supercapacitors

Freestanding and highly compressible nitrogen-doped carbon foam (NCF) with excellent hydrophilicity and good electrochemical properties is prepared. Based on NCF electrodes, a high-performance all solid-state symmetric supercapacitor device is fabricated with native, full compressibility, and excellent mechanical stability, addressing two major problems in the current technology.

In Situ Binding Sb Nanospheres on Graphene via Oxygen Bonds as Superior Anode for Ultrafast Sodium-Ion Batteries

Graphene incorporation should be one effective strategy to develop advanced electrode materials for a sodium-ion battery (SIB). Herein, the micro/nanostructural Sb/graphene composite (Sb-O-G) is successfully prepared with the uniform Sb nanospheres (∼100 nm) bound on the graphene via oxygen bonds. It is revealed that the in-situ-constructed oxygen bonds play a significant role on enhancing Na-storage properties, especially the ultrafast charge/discharge capability. The oxygen-bond-enhanced Sb-O-G composite can deliver a high capacity of 220 mAh/g at an ultrahigh current density of 12 A/g, which is obviously superior to the similar Sb/G composite (130 mAh/g at 10 A/g) just without Sb-O-C bonds. It also exhibits the highest Na-storage capacity compared to Sb/G and pure Sb nanoparticles as well as the best cycling performance. More importantly, this Sb-O-G anode achieves ultrafast (120 C) energy storage in SIB full cells, which have already been shown to power a 26-bulb array and calculator. All of these superior performances originate from the structural stability of Sb-O-C bonds during Na uptake/release, which has been verified by ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies and infrared spectroscopies.

Tracking Sodium-Antimonide Phase Transformations in Sodium-Ion Anodes: Insights from Operando Pair Distribution Function Analysis and Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy

Operando pair distribution function (PDF) analysis and ex situ (23)Na magic-angle spinning solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS ssNMR) spectroscopy are used to gain insight into the alloying mechanism of high-capacity antimony anodes for sodium-ion batteries. Subtraction of the PDF of crystalline NaxSb phases from the total PDF, an approach constrained by chemical phase information gained from (23)Na ssNMR in reference to relevant model compounds, identifies two previously uncharacterized intermediate species formed electrochemically; a-Na(3-x)Sb (x ≈ 0.4-0.5), a structure locally similar to crystalline Na3Sb (c-Na3Sb) but with significant numbers of sodium vacancies and a limited correlation length, and a-Na(1.7)Sb, a highly amorphous structure featuring some Sb-Sb bonding. The first sodiation breaks down the crystalline antimony to form first a-Na(3-x)Sb and, finally, crystalline Na3Sb. Desodiation results in the formation of an electrode formed of a composite of crystalline and amorphous antimony networks. We link the different reactivity of these networks to a series of sequential sodiation reactions manifesting as a cascade of processes observed in the electrochemical profile of subsequent cycles. The amorphous network reacts at higher voltages reforming a-Na(1.7)Sb, then a-Na(3-x)Sb, whereas lower potentials are required for the sodiation of crystalline antimony, which reacts to form a-Na(3-x)Sb without the formation of a-Na(1.7)Sb. a-Na(3-x)Sb is converted to crystalline Na3Sb at the end of the second discharge. We find no evidence of formation of NaSb. Variable temperature (23)Na NMR experiments reveal significant sodium mobility within c-Na3Sb; this is a possible contributing factor to the excellent rate performance of Sb anodes.