A facile in situ synthesis of SiC&Si@CNT composite 3D frameworks as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Boosting the lithium storage performance of Na2Li2Ti6O14 anodes by g-C3N4 modification

Na2Li2Ti6O14 particles were prepared by a simple solid-state process, and then g-C3N4-coated Na2Li2Ti6O14 composites were constructed by a facile solution route for the first time. The g-C3N4-coated Na2Li2Ti6O14 multicomponent composites because of their unique architecture as negative materials for Li-ion batteries can be expected to exhibit a significantly improved cycling stability and reversible capacity even at high rates. g-C3N4 (5 wt%)-coated Na2Li2Ti6O14 shows a discharge (charge) capacity of 184.4 (184.3) mA h g-1 at 500 mA g-1 after 100 cycles, which is larger than that of pristine Na2Li2Ti6O14 with a discharge (charge) capacity of 122.8 (122.0) mA h g-1. The use of g-C3N4 with a carbon framework containing abundant nitrogen provides more active sites and surface defects for redox reactions and Li-ion transport. The g-C3N4 coating decreases the impedance between the electrolyte and Na2Li2Ti6O14 and enhances the charge transfer, ionic conductivity and diffusion ability of Li ions of Na2Li2Ti6O14. This work offers an efficient way to design high-performance Na2Li2Ti6O14-based materials for advanced lithium ion battery, and g-C3N4 (5 wt%)-coated Na2Li2Ti6O14 shows an enormous potential as a negative material for next generation Li-ion batteries with excellent performance.

A novel 3D porous pseudographite/Si/Ni composite anode material fabricated by a facile method

A novel 3D porous pseudographite/Si/Ni (PG/Si/Ni) composite was prepared by a facile low-temperature calcination method using saturable starch and NiCl₂·6H₂O as precursors. The pseudographite matrix of PG/Si/Ni was obtained from the reaction between starch and NiCl₂·6H₂O during the calcination process. Compared to the C/Si electrode, the PG/Si/Ni electrode delivers a high reversible specific capacity of 659.66 mA h g^-1 at a current density of 1 A g^-1 even after 2000 cycles. In addition, the PG/Si/Ni electrode shows superior rate performance and still maintains a high specific capacity of 1324.01 mA h g^-1 when the cycle current density returns to 0.1 A g^-1. The porous pseudographite structure is able to improve Li⁺ diffusion efficiency, reduce pulverization and lead to the formation of stable SEI layers during the cycling process. Therefore, these results suggest that the 3D porous pseudographite/Si/Ni composite is a promising novel anode material. Besides, the low-temperature synthesis method of the pseudographite matrix can be applied for further modification of carbon-based Si anode materials.

Mn2O3/Al2O3 cathode material derived from a metal–organic framework with enhanced cycling performance for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are considered to be potential candidates for large-scale energy storage due to their high capacity, low cost, high safety and environmental friendliness.

Covalent Bonding of Si Nanoparticles on Graphite Nanosheets as Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries Using Diazonium Chemistry

Silicon/carbon (Si/C) composite has been proven to be an effective method of enhancing the electrochemical performance of Si-based anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the practical application of Si/C materials in LIBs is difficult because of the weak interaction between Si and C. In this study, we applied two-step diazotization reactions to modify graphite nanosheets (GNs) and Si nanoparticles (Si NPs), yielding a stable Si–Ar–GNs composite. Owing to aryl (Ar) group bonding, Si NPs were dispersed well on the GNs. The as-prepared Si–Ar–GNs composite delivered an initial reversible capacity of 1174.7 mAh·g⁻¹ at a current density of 100 mAh·g⁻¹. Moreover, capacity remained at 727.3 mAh·g⁻¹ after 100 cycles, showing improved cycling performance. This synthesis strategy can be extended to prepare other Si/C anode materials of LIBs.