The complex phase transitions induced by interlayer slide in layered cathode materials lead to poor cycling stability and rate capability for sodium-ion batteries. Herein, we design and prepare a new...
Ultrafine nano-scale Cu 2 Sb alloy confined in a three-dimensional porous carbon was synthesized using NaCl template-assisted vacuum freeze-drying followed by high-temperature sintering and was evaluated as an anode for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) and potassium-ion batteries (PIBs). The alloy exerts excellent cycling durability (the capacity can be maintained at 328.3 mA•h•g −1 after 100 cycles for SIBs and 260 mA•h•g −1 for PIBs) and rate capability (199 mA•h•g −1 at 5 A•g −1 for SIBs and 148 mA•h•g −1 at 5 A•g −1 for PIBs) because of the smooth electron transport path, fast Na/K ion diffusion rate, and restricted volume changes from the synergistic effect of three-dimensional porous carbon networks and the ultrafine bimetallic nanoalloy. This study provides an ingenious design route and a simple preparation method toward exploring a high-property electrode for K-ion and Na-ion batteries, and it also introduces broad application prospects for other electrochemical applications.
Antimony‐based materials are promising anode candidates for Na‐/K‐ion batteries (SIBs/PIBs) but limited by the mediocre cycle performance due to the large volume change. Herein, a honeycomb‐like interconnected porous carbon framework embedded with CoSb nanoparticles is fabricated via a water‐soluble template‐assisted vacuum freeze‐drying technology followed by a heat‐treatment method. The CoSb nanocrystalline and 3D porous carbon matrix endow the CoSb@3DPCs composite electrode with a distinct structure, which buffers the volume expansion of Sb, shortens the diffusion distance of Na+/K+, and enhances the electronic conductivity. It exerts outstanding electrochemical properties in both SIBs and PIBs, such as remarkable cycling durability (the capacity is maintained at 211.2 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles for SIBs and 287.5 mAh g−1 for PIBs) and rate capability (144 mAh g−1 at 5 A g−1 for SIBs and 134 mAh g−1 at 5 A g−1 for PIBs). The kinetic analysis shows that up to 79% and 65% pseudocapacitance contributions for SIBs and PIBs are observed for CoSb@3DPCs at 4.0 mV s−1. Herein, an ingenious design route and simple preparation method toward exploring the high‐property electrode for PIBs and SIBs is provided, and broad application prospects in other electrochemical applications are opened up.
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