The preparation and electrochemical storage behavior of MoS2 nanodots--more precisely single-layered ultrasmall nanoplates--embedded in carbon nanowires has been studied. The preparation is achieved by an electrospinning process that can be easily scaled up. The rate performance and cycling stability of both lithium and sodium storage were found to be outstanding. The storage behavior is, moreover, highly exciting from a fundamental point of view, as the differences between the usual storage modes--insertion, conversion, interfacial storage--are beneficially blurred. The restriction to ultrasmall reaction domains allows for an almost diffusion-less and nucleation-free "conversion", thereby resulting in a high capacity and a remarkable cycling performance.

Three‐dimensional macroporous silicon (see image) was synthesized by a magnesiothermic reduction method as an anode material for lithium ion batteries. An improved lithium storage performance was obtained after coating silver nanoparticles on the surface of the silicon. The silver‐coated 3D macroporous silicon shows promise as an anode material in lithium ion batteries.

In the past decades, considerable attention has been focused on electrochemical energy storage devices with both high energy and high power densities because of their potential applications in powering electric vehicles and portable electronic devices. Until now, rechargeable, so-called "Liion batteries" (LIBs) remain the most promising systems. It is still a major challenge to develop new materials and cells with high energy density, long cycle life, excellent rate capability performance, and environmental compatibility. To meet these requirements, substantial efforts have been made to develop new electrode materials and to design new structures of electrode materials.

Nitrogen-doped activated porous carbon fibres (ACFs) were prepared as anode materials for Na-ion batteries. They exhibit excellent electrochemical performance, especially rate performance. The excellent rate performance is ascribed to the fibre-like morphology and the facilitated charge transfer. The influence of nitrogen functionalities on charge transfer and electrochemical performance of N-doped carbon anodes for Na ion batteries is discussed.

Sodium ion batteries are one of the realistic promising alternatives to the lithium analogues. However, neither theoretical energy/power density nor the practical values reach the values of Li cathodes. Poorer performance is expected owing to larger size, larger mass, and lower cell voltage. Nonetheless, sodium ion batteries are considered to be practically relevant in view of the abundance of the element Na. The arguments in favor of Li and to the disadvantage of Na would be completely obsolete if the specific performance data of the latter would match the first. Here we present a cathode consisting of carbon-coated nanosized Na3V2(PO4)3 embedded in a porous carbon matrix, which not only matches but even outshines lithium cathodes under high rate conditions. It can be (dis)charged in 6 s with a current density as high as 22 A/g (200 C), still delivering a specific capacity of 44 mAh/g, while up to 20 C, the polarization is completely negligible.

Uniform yolk–shell Sn4P3@C nanospheres exhibit very high reversible capacity, superior rate capability and stable cycling performance for Na-ion batteries.

Tin nanoparticles encapsulated in porous multichannel carbon microtubes (denoted as SPMCTs) were prepared by carbonization of electrospun PAN-PMMA-tin octoate nanofibers fabricated using a single-nozzle electrospinning technique. This material exhibited excellent characteristics for lithium ion battery anode applications in terms of reversible capacities, cycling performance, and rate capability. Undertaking such a production configuration allows the long-existing problem of obtaining a high packing density of tin particles while retaining sufficient spare space to buffer the volume variation during lithium alloying and dealloying processes to be properly addressed. Furthermore, the porous carbon shell preserves both the mechanical and chemical stability of the function-active Sn metal, which also serves as a highly conductive medium allowing Li(+) to access.

Self-supported Li4Ti5O12-C nanotube arrays with high conductivity architectures are designed and fabricated for application in Li-ion batteries. The Li4Ti5O12 nanotube arrays grow directly on stainless steel foil by a facile template-based solution route, further enhancing electronic conductivity by uniform carbon-coating on the inner and outer surfaces of Li4Ti5O12 nanotubes. Owing to the shortened Li(+) diffusion distance, high contact surface area, sufficient conductivity, and very good structure stability of the nanotube arrays, the self-supported Li4Ti5O12-C nanotube arrays exhibit remarkable rate capability (a reversible capability of 135 mA h g(-1), 105 mA h g(-1), and 80 mA h g(-1) at 30C, 60C, and 100C, respectively) and cycling performance (approximate 7% capacity loss after 500 cycles at 10C with a capacity retention of 144 mA h g(-1)).