One of the major challenges for designing high-capacity anode materials is to combine both Coulombic efficiency and cycling stability. Herein, nano/micro-structured Si/C composites are designed and synthesized to address this challenge by decreasing the specific surface area and improving the tap density of Si/C materials. An ultrahigh initial Coulombic efficiency of 91.2 % could be achieved due to a proper particle size, low specific surface area, and optimized structure. The nano/micro-structured Si/C anodes exhibit excellent cycling stability with 96.5 % capacity retention after 100 cycles under a current density of 0.2 A g⁻¹.

Rechargeable magnesium batteries have attracted recent research attention because of abundant raw materials and their relatively low-price and high-safety characteristics. However, the sluggish kinetics of the intercalated Mg²⁺ ions in the electrode materials originates from the high polarizing ability of the Mg²⁺ ion and hinders its electrochemical properties. Here we report a facile approach to improve the electrochemical energy storage capability of the Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ electrode in a Mg battery system by the synergy between Mg²⁺ and Li⁺ ions. By tuning the hybrid electrolyte of Mg²⁺ and Li⁺ ions, both the reversible capacity and the kinetic properties of large Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ nanoparticles attain remarkable improvement.

Rechargeable magnesium batteries have attracted recent research attention because of abundant raw materials and their relatively low-price and high-safety characteristics. However, the sluggish kinetics of the intercalated Mg²⁺ ions in the electrode materials originates from the high polarizing ability of the Mg²⁺ ion and hinders its electrochemical properties. Here we report a facile approach to improve the electrochemical energy storage capability of the Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ electrode in a Mg battery system by the synergy between Mg²⁺ and Li⁺ ions. By tuning the hybrid electrolyte of Mg²⁺ and Li⁺ ions, both the reversible capacity and the kinetic properties of large Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ nanoparticles attain remarkable improvement.

Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ nanoparticles (LTO NPs) with different particle sizes were synthesized by a simple sol–gel progress. The effect of LTO particle size on the electrochemical behavior in Mg secondary batteries was investigated. Results showed that magnesium storage behaviors in LTO are strongly size dependent. The Mg²⁺ electrochemical insertion into LTO becomes notable only when the particle size is below 40 nm. Moreover, the theoretical maximum capacity of LTO can be reached in crystallite sizes less than 10 nm. LTO NPs with 7–8 nm in size exhibited a substantial reversible capacity of 175 mA h g⁻¹ and outstanding cycling stability, maintaining 95 % capacity retention after 500 cycles. This result indicates that the LTO NPs with average particle size of 7–8 nm have high potential for use in high-rate and durable Mg secondary batteries. These results provide insight into how confining particles to nanosize will be critical to the preparation of suitable electrode materials for Mg secondary batteries.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) represent the state-of-the-art technology in rechargeable energy-storage devices and they currently occupy the prime position in the marketplace for powering an increasingly diverse range of applications. However, the fast development of these applications has led to increasing demands being placed on advanced LIBs in terms of higher energy/power densities and longer life cycles. For LIBs to meet these requirements, researchers have focused on active electrode materials, owing to their crucial roles in the electrochemical performance of batteries. For anode materials, compounds based on Group IVA (Si, Ge, and Sn) elements represent one of the directions in the development of high-capacity anodes. Although these compounds have many significant advantages when used as anode materials for LIBs, there are still some critical problems to be solved before they can meet the high requirements for practical applications. In this Focus Review, we summarize a series of rational designs for Group IVA-based anode materials, in terms of their chemical compositions and structures, that could address these problems, that is, huge volume variations during cycling, unstable surfaces/interfaces, and invalidation of transport pathways for electrons upon cycling. These designs should at least include one of the following structural benefits: 1) Contain a sufficient number of voids to accommodate the volume variations during cycling; 2) adopt a “plum-pudding”-like structure to limit the volume variations during cycling; 3) facilitate an efficient and permanent transport pathway for electrons and lithium ions; or 4) show stable surfaces/interfaces to stabilize the in situ formed SEI layers.

An unusual wurtzite phase of Cu₂ZnGeSe₄ (CZGSe) has been discovered and its corresponding nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized by using a facile hot-injection solution-phase synthesis method. Moreover, the formation mechanism of this new phase of CZGSe, instead of the typically observed stannite structure, has been investigated in detail, which indicates that wurtzite CZGSe, which represents the kinetic phase, could be prepared by using a kinetic growth process without phase transformation into the thermodynamically stable stannite structure during the colloidal synthesis. In addition, the potential of wurtzite CZGSe as a thermoelectric material is demonstrated by characterizing the thermoelectric properties of as-synthesized wurtzite CZGSe NCs. This work allows for a rational manipulation of the NCs with a desired crystal structure through adjusting the thermodynamics and kinetics without using any additives and, because of its simplicity and versatility, it may be extended to the phase-controlled synthesis of other chalcogenide NCs.

Li-S-Batterien gelten aufgrund ihrer hohen theoretischen Energiedichte bei guter Kosteneffizienz als attraktive Kandidaten für die nächste Generation von wiederaufladbaren Lithiumbatterien. Dieser Aufsatz gibt einen Überblick über die noch junge Geschichte dieses Batterietyps. Wir diskutieren zentrale elektrochemische Eigenschaften wie die elektrochemische Aktivität und die Bildung und Auflösung von Polysulfiden. Aktuelle Forschungen betreffen die Schwefel- Kathode, die Li-Anode, den Elektrolyten sowie neue Bautypen wie Li-S-Batterien mit Li-freier metallischer Anode. Die Konstruktion von leitfähigen mikroporösen Kohlenstoffmaterialien mit eingeschlossenen S-Molekülen bietet eine vielversprechende Strategie für zukünftige Batterien mit verbesserter Zyklenstabilität.

With the increasing demand for efficient and economic energy storage, Li-S batteries have become attractive candidates for the next-generation high-energy rechargeable Li batteries because of their high theoretical energy density and cost effectiveness. Starting from a brief history of Li-S batteries, this Review introduces the electrochemistry of Li-S batteries, and discusses issues resulting from the electrochemistry, such as the electroactivity and the polysulfide dissolution. To address these critical issues, recent advances in Li-S batteries are summarized, including the S cathode, Li anode, electrolyte, and new designs of Li-S batteries with a metallic Li-free anode. Constructing S molecules confined in the conductive microporous carbon materials to improve the cyclability of Li-S batteries serves as a prospective strategy for the industry in the future.

One-dimensional (1D) hierarchical porous carbon fibers (HPCFs) have been prepared by controlled carbonization of alginic acid fibers and investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms, and electrochemical tests toward lithium storage. The as-obtained HPCFs consist of a 3D network of nanosized carbon particles with diameters less than 10 nm and exhibit a hierarchical porous architecture composed of both micropores and mesopores. Electrochemical measurements show that HPCFs exhibit excellent rate capability and capacity retention compared with commercial graphite when employed as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. At the discharge/charge rate of 45 C, the reversible capacity of HPCFs is still as high as 80 mA h g⁻¹ even after 1500 cycles, which is about five times larger than that of commercial graphite anode. The much improved electrochemical performances could be attributed to the nanosized building blocks, the hierarchical porous structure, and the 1D morphology of HPCFs.

Carbon-coated Fe₃O₄ nanospindles are synthesized by partial reduction of monodispersed hematite nanospindles with carbon coatings, and investigated with scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electrochemical experiments. The Fe₃O₄C nanospindles show high reversible capacity (∼745 mA h g⁻¹ at C/5 and ∼600 mA h g⁻¹ at C/2), high coulombic efficiency in the first cycle, as well as significantly enhanced cycling performance and high rate capability compared with bare hematite spindles and commercial magnetite particles. The improvements can be attributed to the uniform and continuous carbon coating layers, which have several functions, including: i) maintaining the integrity of particles, ii) increasing the electronic conductivity of electrodes leading to the formation of uniform and thin solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) films on the surface, and iii) stabilizing the as-formed SEI films. The results give clear evidence of the utility of carbon coatings to improve the electrochemical performance of nanostructured transition metal oxides as superior anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.