Structural and electrochemical properties of Na0.72CoO2 as cathode material for sodium-ion batteries

Electrochemistry at Krakowian research institutions

The electrochemistry research team activity from Poland is marked by significant increase in the last 20 years. The joining of European Community in 2004 gives an impulse for the development of Polish science. The development of electrochemistry has been stimulated by cooperation with industry and the establishment of technology transfer centers, technology parks, business incubators, etc. and the mostly by simplified international collaborations. Five research institutions from Krakow reports work in the field of electrochemistry. The achievements of all teams are briefly described.

Na3V2(PO4)3: an advanced cathode for sodium-ion batteries

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are considered to be the most promising electrochemical energy storage devices for large-scale grid and electric vehicle applications due to the advantages of resource abundance and cost-effectiveness. The electrochemical performance of SIBs largely relies on the intrinsic chemical properties of the cathodic materials. Among the various cathodes, rhombohedral Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP), a typical sodium super ionic conductor (NASICON) compound, is very popular owing to its high Na+ mobility and firm structural stability. However, the relatively low electronic conductivity makes the theoretical capacity of NVP cathodes unviable even at low rates, not to mention the high rate of charging/discharging. This is a major drawback of NVPs, limiting their future large-scale applications. Herein, a comprehensive review of the recent progresses made in NVP fabrication has been presented, mainly including the strategies of developing NVP/carbon hybrid materials and elemental doping to improve the electronic conductivity of NVP cathodes and designing 3D porous architectures to enhance Na-ion transportation. Moreover, the application of NVP cathodic materials in Na-ion full batteries is summarized, too. Finally, some remarks are made on the challenges and perspectives for the future development of NVP cathodes.

Na+/Vacancy Disordered P2-Na0.67Co1-xTixO2: High-Energy and High-Power Cathode Materials for Sodium Ion Batteries

Although sodium ion batteries (NIBs) have gained wide interest, their poor energy density poses a serious challenge for their practical applications. Therefore, high-energy-density cathode materials are required for NIBs to enable the utilization of a large amount of reversible Na ions. This study presents a P2-type Na_0.67Co_1-xTi_xO₂ (x < 0.2) cathode with an extended potential range higher than 4.4 V to present a high specific capacity of 166 mAh g^-1. A group of P2-type cathodes containing various amounts of Ti is prepared using a facile synthetic method. These cathodes show different behaviors of the Na⁺/vacancy ordering. Na_0.67CoO₂ suffers severe capacity loss at high voltages due to irreversible structure changes causing serious polarization, while the Ti-substituted cathodes have long credible cycleability as well as high energy. In particular, Na_0.67Co_0.90Ti_0.10O₂ exhibits excellent capacity retention (115 mAh g^-1) even after 100 cycles, whereas Na_0.67CoO₂ exhibits negligible capacity retention (<10 mAh g^-1) at 4.5 V cutoff conditions. Na_0.67Co_0.90Ti_0.10O₂ also exhibits outstanding rate capabilities of 108 mAh g^-1 at a current density of 1000 mA g^-1 (7.4 C). Increased sodium diffusion kinetics from mitigated Na⁺/vacancy ordering, which allows high Na⁺ utilization, are investigated to find in detail the mechanism of the improvement by combining systematic analyses comprising TEM, in situ XRD, and electrochemical methods.

Tunable Electrochemistry via Controlling Lattice Water in Layered Oxides of Sodium-Ion Batteries

Layered oxides based on abundant elements have been extensively studied as cathodes of sodium-ion batteries. Among them, birnessite-type sodium manganese oxide containing lattice water meets the low-cost and high-performance requirement for stationary batteries. Herein, we for the first time present the controllable states of lattice water via adjusting the cutoff voltages, effectively enhancing the reversible capacity, cycling stability, and rate ability of the materials. The current investigation not only highlights the significance of intercalated lattice water for reversible Na (de)insertion of birnessite as well as other similar compounds, but also opens up new opportunities for advanced cathode materials for sodium storage.