Young-Geun Lim

Ultrafine SnO2 nanoparticle loading onto reduced graphene oxide as anodes for sodium-ion batteries with superior rate and cycling performances

A structured SnO2–reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanocomposite has been synthesized with SnO2 nanoparticles (∼5 nm) anchored on a RGO framework. It has been successfully applied as an anode material in sodium-ion batteries. The electrode delivers a reversible Na-storage capacity of 330 mA h g−1 with an outstanding capacity retention of 81.3% over 150 cycles. Moreover, it possesses a relatively good rate capability, exhibiting a capacity retention of 25.8% at high rate (1000 mA h g−1). With its combined advantages of low cost and environmental benignity, the SnO2–RGO nanocomposite would be a promising anode for Na-ion batteries.

Scalable Integration of Li5FeO4 towards Robust, High-Performance Lithium-Ion Hybrid Capacitors

Lithium-ion hybrid capacitors have attracted great interest due to their high specific energy relative to conventional electrical double-layer capacitors. Nevertheless, the safety issue still remains a drawback for lithium-ion capacitors in practical operational environments because of the use of metallic lithium. Herein, single-phase Li5FeO4 with an antifluorite structure that acts as an alternative lithium source (instead of metallic lithium) is employed and its potential use for lithium-ion capacitors is verified. Abundant Li(+) amounts can be extracted from Li5FeO4 incorporated in the positive electrode and efficiently doped into the negative electrode during the first electrochemical charging. After the first Li(+) extraction, Li(+) does not return to the Li5FeO4 host structure and is steadily involved in the electrochemical reactions of the negative electrode during subsequent cycling. Various electrochemical and structural analyses support its superior characteristics for use as a promising lithium source. This versatile approach can yield a sufficient Li(+)-doping efficiency of >90% and improved safety as a result of the removal of metallic lithium from the cell.

High-Performance Si/SiOx Nanosphere Anode Material by Multipurpose Interfacial Engineering with Black TiO2-x

Silicon oxides (SiOx) have attracted recent attention for their great potential as promising anode materials for lithium ion batteries as a result of their high energy density and excellent cycle performance. Despite these advantages, the commercial use of these materials is still impeded by low initial Coulombic efficiency and high production cost associated with a complicated synthesis process. Here, we demonstrate that Si/SiOx nanosphere anode materials show much improved performance enabled by electroconductive black TiO(2-x) coating in terms of reversible capacity, Coulombic efficiency, and thermal reliability. The resulting anode material exhibits a high reversible capacity of 1200 mAh g(-1) with an excellent cycle performance of up to 100 cycles. The introduction of a TiO(2-x) layer induces further reduction of the Si species in the SiOx matrix phase, thereby increasing the reversible capacity and initial Coulombic efficiency. Besides the improved electrochemical performance, the TiO(2-x) coating layer plays a key role in improving the thermal reliability of the Si/SiOx nanosphere anode material at the same time. We believe that this multipurpose interfacial engineering approach provides another route toward high-performance Si-based anode materials on a commercial scale.