Fibrous-Root-Inspired Design and Lithium Storage Applications of a Co-Zn Binary Synergistic Nanoarray System

Ant-nest-like Cu2-xSe@C with biomimetic channels boosts the cycling performance for lithium storage

Controlling the microstructure and composition of electrodes is crucial to enhance their rate capability and cycling stability for lithium storage. Inspired by the highly interconnected network and good mechanical integrity of an ant-nest architecture, herein, a biomimetic strategy is proposed to enhance the electrochemical performance of Cu2-xSe. After facile carbonization and selenization treatments, the 3D Cu-MOF is successfully transformed into the final ant-nest-like Cu2-xSe@C (AN-Cu2-xSe@C). The AN-Cu2-xSe@C is composed of interconnected Cu2-xSe channels with amorphous carbon coated on the outer surface. The 3D interconnected channels within the AN-Cu2-xSe@C provide fast charge transport pathways and enhanced structural integrity to tolerate the large volume fluctuations of Cu2-xSe during cycling. When applied as the anode for lithium storage, the AN-Cu2-xSe@C shows remarkable electrochemical performance with a high capacity of 1452 mA h g-1 after 1200 cycles at 1.0 A g-1 and 879 mA h g-1 after 2500 cycles at 10.0 A g-1, respectively. Mechanism investigations demonstrate that the AN-Cu2-xSe@C experiences complicated conversion-intercalation co-existence reactions upon cycling. The existence of capacitive behaviour (74%) also contributes to the extended cycling performance. Our work offers a new avenue for designing a high performance electrode using the biomimetic concept.

Advanced Matrixes for Binder-Free Nanostructured Electrodes in Lithium-Ion Batteries

Commercial lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), limited by their insufficient reversible capacity, short cyclability, and high cost, are facing ever-growing requirements for further increases in power capability, energy density, lifespan, and flexibility. The presence of insulating and electrochemically inactive binders in commercial LIB electrodes causes uneven active material distribution and poor contact of these materials with substrates, reducing battery performance. Thus, nanostructured electrodes with binder-free designs are developed and have numerous advantages including large surface area, robust adhesion to substrates, high areal/specific capacity, fast electron/ion transfer, and free space for alleviating volume expansion, leading to superior battery performance. Herein, recent progress on different kinds of supporting matrixes including metals, carbonaceous materials, and polymers as well as other substrates for binder-free nanostructured electrodes in LIBs are summarized systematically. Furthermore, the potential applications of these binder-free nanostructured electrodes in practical full-cell-configuration LIBs, in particular fully flexible/stretchable LIBs, are outlined in detail. Finally, the future opportunities and challenges for such full-cell LIBs based on binder-free nanostructured electrodes are discussed.

Structural Reorganization-Based Nanomaterials as Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries: Design, Preparation, and Performance

In recent years, with the growing demand for higher capacity, longer cycling life, and higher power and energy density of lithium ion batteries (LIBs), the traditional insertion-based anodes are increasingly considered out of their depth. Herein, attention is paid to the structural reorganization electrode, which is the general term for conversion-based and alloying-based materials according to their common characteristics during the lithiation/delithiation process. This Review summarizes the recent achievements in improving and understanding the lithium storage performance of conversion-based anodes (especially the most widely studied transition metal oxides like Mn-, Fe-, Co-, Ni-, and Cu-based oxides) and alloying-based anodes (mainly including Si-, Sn-, Ge-, and Sb-based materials). The synthesis schemes, morphological control and reaction mechanism of these materials are also included. Finally, viewpoints about the challenges and feasible improvement measures for future development in this direction are given. The aim of this Review is to shed some light on future electrode design trends of structural reorganization anode materials for LIBs.

Design and synthesis of hierarchical NiO/Ni3V2O8 nanoplatelet arrays with enhanced lithium storage properties

Hierarchical NiO/Ni₃V₂O₈ nanoplatelet arrays (NPAs) grown on Ti foil were prepared as free-standing anodes for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) via a simple one-step hydrothermal approach followed by thermal treatment to enhance Li storage performance. Compared to the bare NiO, the fabricated NiO/Ni₃V₂O₈ NPAs exhibited significantly enhanced electrochemical performances with superior discharge capacity (1169.3 mA h g⁻¹ at 200 mA g⁻¹), excellent cycling stability (570.1 mA h g⁻¹ after 600 cycles at current density of 1000 mA g⁻¹) and remarkable rate capability (427.5 mA h g⁻¹ even at rate of 8000 mA g⁻¹). The excellent electrochemical performances of the NiO/Ni₃V₂O₈ NPAs were mainly attributed to their unique composition and hierarchical structural features, which not only could offer fast Li⁺ diffusion, high surface area and good electrolyte penetration, but also could withstand the volume change. The ex situ XRD analysis revealed that the charge/discharge mechanism of the NiO/Ni₃V₂O₈ NPAs included conversion and intercalation reaction. Such NiO/Ni₃V₂O₈ NPAs manifest great potential as anode materials for LIBs with the advantages of a facile, low-cost approach and outstanding electrochemical performances.

Hierarchical NiO/Ni₃V₂O₈ nanoplatelet arrays (NPAs) grown on Ti foil were prepared as free-standing anodes for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) via a simple one-step hydrothermal approach followed by thermal treatment to enhance Li storage performance.

Iron-Doping-Induced Phase Transformation in Dual-Carbon-Confined Cobalt Diselenide Enabling Superior Lithium Storage

Transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) have been investigated as promising anodes for high-performance lithium-ion batteries, but they usually suffer from poor conductivity and large volume variation, thus leading to unsatisfactory performance. Although nanostructure engineering and hybridization with conductive materials have been proposed to address this concern, a better performance toward practical device applications is still highly desired. Herein, we report an iron-doping-induced structural phase transition from pyrite-type (cubic) to marcasite-type (orthorhombic) phases in porous carbon/rGO-coupled CoSe₂. The dual-carbon-confined orthorhombic CoSe₂ ( o-Fe _xCo_{1- x}Se₂@NC@rGO) composites exhibit dramatically enhanced lithium storage performance (920 mAh g^-1 after 1000 cycles at 1.0 A g^-1) over cubic CoSe₂-based composites ( c-CoSe₂@NC@rGO). The combined experimental studies and density functional theory calculations reveal that this doping-induced structural phase transformation strategy could create a favorable electronic structure and ensure a rapid charge transfer. These results demonstrate that the phase-transformation engineering may provide another opportunity in the design of high-performance TMC-based electrodes.

Unraveling the Impact of Ether and Carbonate Electrolytes on the Solid-Electrolyte Interface and the Electrochemical Performances of ZnSe@C Core-Shell Composites as Anodes of Lithium-Ion Batteries

The recognition of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) between the electrode materials and electrolyte is limiting the selection of electrode materials, electrolytes, and further the electrochemical performance of batteries. Herein, we report ZnSe@C core-shell nanocomposites derived from ZIF-8 as anode materials of lithium-ion batteries, the electrochemical performances, and SEI films formed on ZnSe@C in both ether and carbonate electrolytes. It is found that ZnSe@C delivers a reversible capacity of 617.1 mA h·g^-1 after 800 cycles at 1 A·g^-1 in the ether electrolyte, much higher than that in the carbonate electrolyte. Both ex situ X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies reveal that stable SEI films are formed on ZnSe@C in the ether electrolyte while selenium is involved in the formation of SEI films and further dissolved into the carbonate electrolyte because of the concurrent decomposition of electrolytes and insertion of Li⁺ into ZnSe, which differentiates between the cycling performances of ZnSe@C composites in ether and carbonate electrolytes.

Nature-Inspired 2D-Mosaic 3D-Gradient Mesoporous Framework: Bimetal Oxide Dual-Composite Strategy toward Ultrastable and High-Capacity Lithium Storage

In allusion to traditional transition-metal oxide (TMO) anodes for lithium-ion batteries, which face severe volume variation and poor conductivity, herein a bimetal oxide dual-composite strategy based on two-dimensional (2D)-mosaic three-dimensional (3D)-gradient design is proposed. Inspired by natural mosaic dominance phenomena, Zn_1-xCo_xO/ZnCo₂O₄ 2D-mosaic-hybrid mesoporous ultrathin nanosheets serve as building blocks to assemble into a 3D Zn-Co hierarchical framework. Moreover, a series of derivative frameworks with high evolution are controllably synthesized, based on which a facile one-pot synthesis process can be developed. From a component-composite perspective, both Zn_1-xCo_xO and ZnCo₂O₄ provide superior conductivity due to bimetal doping effect, which is verified by density functional theory calculations. From a structure-composite perspective, 2D-mosaic-hybrid mode gives rise to ladder-type buffering and electrochemical synergistic effect, thus realizing mutual stabilization and activation between the mosaic pair, especially for Zn_1-xCo_xO with higher capacity yet higher expansion. Moreover, the inside-out Zn-Co concentration gradient in 3D framework and rich oxygen vacancies further greatly enhance Li storage capability and stability. As a result, a high reversible capacity (1010 mA h g^-1) and areal capacity (1.48 mA h cm^-2) are attained, while ultrastable cyclability is obtained during high-rate and long-term cycles, rending great potential of our 2D-mosaic 3D-gradient design together with facile synthesis.

Facile fabrication of layer-cake-like nano-micro hierarchical structure for high performance Li storage

Layer-cake-like Co₃O₄/C with nano-micro hierarchical structure is prepared via a facile process, for high capacity, stability and tap density of Li storage.

Urchin-like CoO–C micro/nano hierarchical structures as high performance anode materials for Li-ion batteries

Urchin-like microspheres consisting of radial carbon-coated cobalt monoxide nanowires are designed, to fabricate a micro/nano hierarchical structure for efficient Li-storage.

Bottom-up Approach Design, Band Structure, and Lithium Storage Properties of Atomically Thin γ-FeOOH Nanosheets

As a novel class of soft matter, two-dimensional (2D) atomic nanosheet-like crystals have attracted much attention for energy storage devices due to the fact that nearly all of the atoms can be exposed to the electrolyte and involved in redox reactions. Herein, atomically thin γ-FeOOH nanosheets with a thickness of ∼1.5 nm are synthesized in a high yield, and the band and electronic structures of the γ-FeOOH nanosheet are revealed using density-functional theory calculations for the first time. The rationally designed γ-FeOOH@rGO composites with a heterostacking structure are used as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). A high reversible capacity over 850 mAh g(-1) after 100 cycles at 200 mA g(-1) is obtained with excellent rate capability. The remarkable performance is attributed to the ultrathin nature of γ-FeOOH nanosheets and 2D heterostacking structure, which provide the minimized Li(+) diffusion length and buffer zone for volume change. Further investigation on the Li storage electrochemical mechanism of γ-FeOOH@rGO indicates that the charge-discharge processes include both conversion reaction and capacitive behavior. This synergistic effect of conversion reaction and capacitive behavior originating from 2D heterostacking structure casts new light on the development of high-energy anode materials.