Realizing a highly stable sodium battery with dendrite-free sodium metal composite anodes and O3-type cathodes. (June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ye, Huan; Wang, Cao-Yu; Zuo, Tong-Tong; Wang, Peng-Fei; Yin, Ya-Xia; Zheng, Zi-Jian; Wang, Ping; Cheng, Jian; Cao, Fei-Fei; Guo, Yu-Guo
• Is Part Of: Nano energy. Volume 48(2018)
• Page Start: 369
• Page End: 376
• Publication Date: 2018-06
• Subjects: Sodium battery -- Metallic Na anode -- Dendrite-free -- O3-Type Cathode -- High stability; Nanoscience -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanostructured materials -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Technological innovations -- Periodicals; Nanoscience; Nanostructured materials; Nanotechnology; Power resources -- Technological innovations; Periodicals; 621.042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2018.03.069
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2211-2855

Abstract

Abstract: Room-temperature Na metal batteries have been regarded as promising candidates for energy storage systems due to their high energy density and the widespread availability of low cost sodium. However, the practical application of metallic sodium anode is impeded by its low stripping/plating efficiency and poor cycling performance due to the poor reversibility of sodium anode caused by the formation of inhomogeneous solid electrolyte interphase, the growth of dendritic sodium, and relatively infinite volume change. Here, Na-C composite anode was fabricated by depositing nanoscale metallic sodium in graphitized carbon microspheres which were assembled from graphitized carbon nanosheets. The carbon microspheres function as a mini-nanoreservoir with high-surface-area, conductivity, and mechanical stability, which lower the local current density, ensure a homogeneous Na nucleation and high electrochemical active of Na, and restrict the volume change. As a result, metallic sodium can be reversibly nondendritic stripped/plated with a high Coulombic efficiency of 99.3% up to 4 mA cm −2 for 4 mA h cm −2 . Building upon this dendrite-free anode, we demonstrate a full cell using O3-NaNi0.5 Mn0.2 Ti0.3 O2 cathode to achieve a superior long lifespan of ~100 cycles at high current density of 0.5 C. Graphical abstract: A unique combination of a dendrite-free sodium metal composite anode and O3-type cathode leads to stable sodium battery with a superior long lifespan of ~100 cycles at high current density of 0.5 C. fx1 Highlights: A 3D Na-C composite anode with embedded nanoscale Na metal was successfully fabricated. The composite anode exhibits improved electrochemical active and reversibility of Na. A secondary Na metal full battery based on the dendrite-free sodium metal composite anodes exhibits a superior long lifespan and stability.