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High‐Performance M x Sb–Al 2 O 3 –C (M=Fe, Ni, and Cu) Nanocomposite‐Alloy Anodes for Sodium‐Ion Batteries
Author(s) -
Kim Il Tae,
Allcorn Eric,
Manthiram Arumugam
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
energy technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.91
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 2194-4296
pISSN - 2194-4288
DOI - 10.1002/ente.201300023
Subject(s) - materials science , anode , nanocomposite , amorphous solid , sodium ion battery , composite number , alloy , chemical engineering , analytical chemistry (journal) , electrode , metallurgy , nanotechnology , composite material , crystallography , chemistry , engineering , faraday efficiency , chromatography
M x Sb–Al 2 O 3 –C (M=Fe, Ni, and Cu) nanocomposites were synthesized by mechanochemical reduction of Sb 2 O 3 with Al and other metals (Fe, Ni, and Cu) in the presence of carbon and they were subsequently assessed as potential anode materials for sodium‐ion batteries. Various characterization methods, including XRD and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), reveal that the as‐prepared nanocomposites consist of nanostructured M x Sb particles in a matrix of amorphous Al 2 O 3 and conductive carbon. The incorporation of Al 2 O 3 and a conductive metal‐support into the Sb–C composite leads to an improved cycle life. The Cu 2 Sb–Al 2 O 3 –C and NiSb–Al 2 O 3 –C electrodes show, respectively, 80 and 90 % capacity retention after 70 cycles at a current rate of 100 mA g −1 , and the M x Sb–Al 2 O 3 –C composite anodes display >70 % retention at high current densities of 10 000 mA g −1 . These characteristics are attributed to the presence of both a metal framework to support the electrochemically active Sb, which results in a low electrode impedance, and a ceramic oxide and conductive carbon matrix, which reduce the agglomeration of nanoparticles as well as buffer the volume expansion/contraction during alloying/dealloying. Ex situ XRD analysis of the sodium‐storage mechanism in M x Sb–Al 2 O 3 –C composite anodes confirms the formation of a Na 3 Sb phase during sodiation.