Electrochemical characterization of non-stoichiometric Cu2S x cathode for lithium batteries

Preparation of a Ni3Sn2 alloy-type anode embedded in carbon nanofibers by electrospinning for lithium-ion batteries

Ni3Sn2 intermetallic alloy encapsulated in a carbon nanofiber matrix (Ni3Sn2@CNF) was obtained by electrospinning. The Ni3Sn2@CNF anode produced a high initial discharge capacity of ∼1300 mA h g−1, later retaining ∼350 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles.

3D Hierarchical Nanocrystalline CuS Cathode for Lithium Batteries

Conductive and flexible CuS films with unique hierarchical nanocrystalline branches directly grown on three-dimensional (3D) porous Cu foam were fabricated using an easy and facile solution processing method without a binder and conductive agent for the first time. The synthesis procedure is quick and does not require complex routes. The structure and morphology of the as-deposited CuS/Cu films were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and transmission electron spectroscopy, respectively. Pure crystalline hexagonal structured CuS without impurities were obtained for the most saturated S solution. Electrochemical testing of CuS/Cu foam electrodes showed a reasonable capacity of 450 mAh·g⁻¹ at 0.1 C and excellent cyclability, which might be attributed to the unique 3D structure of the current collector and hierarchical nanocrystalline branches that provide fast diffusion and a large surface area.