High Volumetric Capacity Three-Dimensionally Sphere-Caged Secondary Battery Anodes.
High volumetric energy density secondary batteries are important for many applications, which has led to considerable efforts to replace the low volumetric capacity graphite-based anode common to most Li-ion batteries with a higher energy density anode. Because most high capacity anode materials expand significantly during charging, such anodes must contain sufficient porosity in the discharged state to enable the expansion, yet not excess porosity, which lowers the overall energy density. Here, we present a high volumetric capacity anode consisting of a three-dimensional (3D) nanocomposite formed in only a few steps which includes both a 3D structured Sn scaffold and a hollow Sn sphere within each cavity where all the free Sn surfaces are coated with carbon. The anode exhibits a high volumetric capacity of ∼1700 mA h cm(-3) over 200 cycles at 0.5C, and a capacity greater than 1200 mA h cm(-3) at 10C. Importantly, the anode can even be formed into a commercially relevant ∼100 μm thick form. When assembled into a full cell the anode shows a good compatibility with a commercial LiMn2O4 cathode. In situ TEM observations confirm the electrode design accommodates the necessary volume expansion during lithiation.
Nanomaterials and Environmental Detection Laboratory, Institute of Intelligent Machines, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Hefei, Anhui 230031, China.|Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States.
Jinyun
J
Liu
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee , Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201, United States.
Xi
X
Chen
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States.
Jinwoo
J
Kim
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States.
Qiye
Q
Zheng
Xerion Advanced Battery Corp., Champaign, Illinois 61820, United States.
Hailong
H
Ning
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States.
Pengcheng
P
Sun
Nanomaterials and Environmental Detection Laboratory, Institute of Intelligent Machines, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Hefei, Anhui 230031, China.
Xingjiu
X
Huang
Nanomaterials and Environmental Detection Laboratory, Institute of Intelligent Machines, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Hefei, Anhui 230031, China.
Jinhuai
J
Liu
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee , Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201, United States.
Junjie
J
Niu
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States.
Paul V
PV
Braun
Li-ion battery; in situ TEM; mesostructure; volumetric capacity