Novel hybrid binder mixture tailored to enhance the electrochemical performance of SbTe bi-metallic anode for sodium ion batteries

Ga2Te3-Based Composite Anodes for High-Performance Sodium-Ion Batteries

Recently, metal chalcogenides have received considerable attention as prospective anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) because of their high theoretical capacities based on their alloying or conversion reactions. Herein, we demonstrate a gallium(III) telluride (Ga₂Te₃)-based ternary composite (Ga₂Te₃-TiO₂-C) synthesized via a simple high-energy ball mill as a great candidate SIB anode material for the first time. The electrochemical performance, as well as the phase transition mechanism of Ga₂Te₃ during sodiation/desodiation, is investigated. Furthermore, the effect of C content on the performance of Ga₂Te₃-TiO₂-C is studied using various electrochemical analyses. As a result, Ga₂Te₃-TiO₂-C with an optimum carbon content of 10% (Ga₂Te₃-TiO₂-C(10%)) exhibited a specific capacity of 437 mAh·g^-1 after 300 cycles at 100 mA·g^-1 and a high-rate capability (capacity retention of 96% at 10 A·g^-1 relative to 0.1 A·g^-1). The good electrochemical properties of Ga₂Te₃-TiO₂-C(10%) benefited from the presence of the TiO₂-C hybrid buffering matrix, which improved the mechanical integrity and electrical conductivity of the electrode. This research opens a new direction for the improvement of high-performance advanced SIB anodes with a simple synthesis process.

In Situ Electrochemical Derivation of Sodium-Tin Alloy as Sodium-Ion Energy Storage Devices Anode with Overall Electrochemical Characteristics

Inspired by the fermentation of multiple small bread embryos to form large bread embryos, in this study, the expansion of tin foil inlaid with sodium rings in the process of repeated sodium inlaid and removal was utilized to maximum extent to realize the formation of sodium-tin alloy anode and the improvement of sodium storage characteristics. The special design of Sn foil inlaid with Na ring realized the in-situ electrochemical formation of fluffy porous sodium-tin alloy, effectively alleviated the volume expansion and shrinkage of non-electrochemical active Sn metal, and inhibited the generation of sodium dendrites. The abundance of sodium ions provided by the Na metal ring compensated for the active sodium components consumed during the repeated formation of SEI. When sodium-tin alloy in situ derived by Sn foil inlaid with Na ring was used as negative electrodes matched with SCDC and Na0.91MnO2 hexagonal tablets (NMO HTs) positive electrodes, the as-assembled sodium-ion energy storage devices present high specific capacity and excellent cycle stability.

Binders for sodium-ion batteries: progress, challenges and strategies

Binders as a bridge in electrodes can bring various components together thus guaranteeing the integrity of electrodes and electronic contact during battery cycling. In this review, we summarize the recent progress of traditional binders and novel binders in the different electrodes of SIBs. The challenges faced by binders in terms of bond strength, wettability, thermal stability, conductivity, cost, and environment are also discussed in details. Correspondingly, the designing principle and advanced strategies of future research on SIB binders are also provided. Moreover, a general conclusion and perspective on the development of binder design for SIBs in the future are presented.

Simultaneous two-color X-ray absorption spectroscopy using Laue crystals at an inverse-compton scattering X-ray facility

X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is an element-selective technique that provides electronic and structural information of materials and reveals the essential mechanisms of the reactions involved. However, the technique is typically conducted at synchrotrons and usually only probes one element at a time. In this paper, a simultaneous two-color XAS setup at a laboratory-scale synchrotron facility is proposed based on inverse Compton scattering (ICS) at the Munich Compact Light Source (MuCLS), which is based on inverse Compton scattering (ICS). The setup utilizes two silicon crystals in a Laue geometry. A proof-of-principle experiment is presented where both silver (Ag) and palladium (Pd) K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectra were simultaneously measured. The simplicity of the setup facilitates its migration to other ICS facilities or maybe to other X-ray sources (e.g. a bending-magnet beamline). Such a setup has the potential to study reaction mechanisms and synergistic effects of chemical systems containing multiple elements of interest, such as a bimetallic catalyst system.