Synthesis,<i> in-situ</i> TEM characterization and electrochemical behaviors of Sb<sub>2</sub>Te<sub>3</sub>/C nanocomposite for sodium-ion batteries
ORAL
Abstract
The limited resource of Li cannot satisfy the rapid development of Li-ion batteries applications. Na-ion battery is respected as a potential alternative because Na possesses the abundant storage. Sb-based anode materials are attracting more attention owing to the high capacity, but the poor cyclic property caused by the huge volume change during sodiation and desodiation is still a problem. Usually, the cyclic performance is improved by introducing inactive elements but sacrificing the capacity simultaneously. Here, we introduce Na-active Te to Sb2Te3/C nanocomposite where Sb2Te3 nanocrystals (~20 nm) embedded in the carbon matrix, via a high-energy ball-mill method. The specific capacity of Sb2Te3/C electrode could deliver 360 mA h g–1 at 1 A g–1. Moreover, its capacity retention is as high as 93% after 400 cycles. In-situ TEM analysis indicates that the stress during volume change can be released and the pulverized nanoparticles aggregation can be suppressed efficiently by the synergetic effects of carbon matrix and nanosized particles.
*The work is funded by the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (FA2386-14-1-3007) for TEM hardware purchase and the TcSUH Robert A. Welch Professorships on High-Temperature Superconducting (HTSg) and Chemical Materials (E-0001).
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Presenters
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Jingying Sun
- Texas Center for Superconductivity
- Department of Physics and Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston
- Department of Physics and the Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston
- Department of Physics and Texas Center for Superconductivity at University of Houston