Urchin-like MoP Nanocrystals Embedded in N-Doped Carbon as High Rate Lithium Ion Battery Anode

Abstract

Transition metal phosphides (TMPs) have gained extensive attention as an attractive candidate for anode materials used in lithium-ion batteries owing to their relatively low potentials and high theoretical capacities. Nevertheless, TMPs suffer from severe volume changes during cycling and low electrical conductivity, which limit their further applications. To achieve high energy and power density, constructing carbon/transition metal phosphide nanostructures is one of the most effective approaches because of enhanced electron/ion transport. Herein, we report urchin-like spheres assembled by MoP nanoparticles uniformly embedded in ultrathin carbon sheets via a template-free method. The unique structure of the spheres offers a synergistic effect to accommodate the mechanical stress during cycling, inhibit nanoparticles aggregation, and facilitate charge transfer during lithiathion/delithiation processes. As a proof of concept, the nanocomposite electrode exhibits outstanding cycling stability at a high current rate (e.g., no obvious capacity decay after 400 cycles at 3 A g −1 ) and superior rate performance (e.g., 415 mAh g −1 at 8 A g −1 ).

Metal Phosphides as Promising Electrode Materials for Alkali Metal Ion Batteries and Supercapacitors: A Review

“…The MoP@C exhibited outstanding cycling stability and multiplicative performance, cycling 400 times at 3 A g −1 without significant capacity loss and still providing a specific capacity of 415 mAh g −1 at a high current density of 8 A g −1 . [ 146 ] N, P codoped flexible carbon fiber membrane PIB anode materials (MoP@NPCNFs) containing MoP nanoparticles were prepared by Yi et al. using the electrostatic spinning method.…”

“…The MoP@C exhibited outstanding cycling stability and multiplicative performance, cycling 400 times at 3 A g −1 without significant capacity loss and still providing a specific capacity of 415 mAh g −1 at a high current density of 8 A g −1 . [146] N, P codoped flexible carbon fiber membrane PIB anode materials (MoP@NPCNFs) containing MoP nanoparticles were prepared by Yi et al using the electrostatic spinning method. The MoP@ NPCNFs material exhibits superior rate capability and cycling stability, and 320 mAh g −1 and 220 mAh g −1 of specific capacity was achieved at 0.1 A g −1 and 2 A g −1 , respectively, with a capacity retention of 90% after 200 cycles.…”

Quasi-anisotropic benefits in electrospun nickel–cobalt–manganese oxide nano-octahedron as anode for lithium-ion batteries

“…25,26 In contrast, isotropic materials demonstrate steady reduction in capacity throughout cycling, indicating a controlled disintegration of active materials, which also justify the choice of spherical particles as the electrode materials in commercialized lithium-ion batteries. For synergistic effects, quasi-anisotropic hierarchical 3D morphologies, such as flowers, 17,27 cuboids, 28,29 urchins, 30,31 etc., have been demonstrated and show excellent lithiation environments with improved mechanical integrity during cycling. Other than morphology manipulation, material composition engineering also enhances the electrochemical properties of the conversion-type TMO anode.…”

Sulfur‐doped molybdenum phosphide as fast dis/charging anode for Li‐ion and Na‐ion batteries

“…Especially, molybdenum phosphide is the research focus not only for various catalytic applications such as hydrogen evolution reaction but also as attractive anodes for SIBs and LIBs. For instance, (a) MoP and MoP@C nanoparticles as anodes for LIBs exhibited capacities of 45 and 50 mAh g −1 at 5.0 A g −1 , 19 (b) MoP wrapped with a thin carbon layer showed a discharge capacity of 116 mAh g −1 at 1.6 A g −1 for SIBs, 20 (c) a specific capacity of 35 mAh g −1 is achieved at 8.0 A g −1 for MoP as an anode for LIB, 21 (d) MoP and MoP/C anodes demonstrated 28 and 174 mAh g −1 at 1 A g −1 in SIBs, 22 (e) MoP 2 nanoparticles exhibited a discharge capacity of 40 mAh g −1 at 0.2 A g −1 for SIBs, 23 and (e) a composite MoP/Cu 3 P@C is also investigated as an anode in SIBs which delivers a specific capacity of 103 mAh g −1 at 10.0 A g −1 24 . Nitrogen‐doped porous carbon was coated on S‐doped cobalt phosphide (S‐CoP) nanoparticles for sodium storage and the resultant composite exhibited specific capacity of 143 mhA g −1 at a current density of 5.0 A g −1 25 .…”