Sustainable Biomass-Derived Carbon Electrodes for Potassium and Aluminum Batteries: Conceptualizing the Key Parameters for Improved Performance.

The development of sustainable, safe, low-cost, high energy and density power-density energy storage devices is most needed to electrify our modern needs to reach a carbon-neutral society by ~2050. Batteries are the backbones of future sustainable energy sources for both stationary off-grid and mobile plug-in electric vehicle applications. Biomass-derived carbon materials are extensively researched as efficient and sustainable electrode/anode candidates for lithium/sodium-ion chemistries due to their well-developed tailored textures (closed pores and defects) and large microcrystalline interlayer spacing and therefore opens-up their potential applications in sustainable potassium and aluminum batteries. The main purpose of this perspective is to brief the use of biomass residues for the preparation of carbon electrodes for potassium and aluminum batteries annexed to the biomass-derived carbon physicochemical structures and their aligned electrochemical properties. In addition, we presented an outlook as well as some challenges faced in this promising area of research. We believe that this review enlightens the readers with useful insights and a reasonable understanding of issues and challenges faced in the preparation, physicochemical properties and application of biomass-derived carbon materials as anodes and cathode candidates for potassium and aluminum batteries, respectively. In addition, this review can further help material scientists to seek out novel electrode materials from different types of biomasses, which opens up new avenues in the fabrication/development of next-generation sustainable and high-energy density batteries.

Amorphous Vanadium Oxide Thin Films as Stable Performing Cathodes of Lithium and Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Herein, we report additive- and binder-free pristine amorphous vanadium oxide (a-VOx) for Li- and Na-ion battery application. Thin films of a-VOx with a thickness of about 650 nm are grown onto stainless steel substrate from crystalline V2O5 target using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. Under varying oxygen partial pressure (pO2) environment of 0, 6, 13 and 30 Pa, films bear O/V atomic ratios 0.76, 2.13, 2.25 and 2.0, respectively. The films deposited at 6­30 Pa have a more atomic percentage of V5+ than that of V4+ with a tendency of later state increased as pO2 rises. Amorphous VOx films obtained at moderate pO2 levels are found superior to other counterparts for cathode application in Li- and Na-ion batteries with reversible capacities as high as 300 and 164 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C current rate, respectively. At the end of the 100th cycle, 90% capacity retention is noticed in both cases. The observed cycling trend suggests that more is the (V5+) stoichiometric nature of a-VOx better is the electrochemistry.

Exfoliated Graphene Oxide/MoO2 Composites as Anode Materials in Lithium-Ion Batteries: An Insight into Intercalation of Li and Conversion Mechanism of MoO2.

Exfoliated graphene oxide (EG)/MoO2 composites are synthesized by a simple solid-state graphenothermal reduction method. Graphene oxide (GO) is used as a reducing agent to reduce MoO3 and as a source for EG. The formation of different submicron sized morphologies such as spheres, rods, flowers, etc., of monoclinic MoO2 on EG surfaces is confirmed by complementary characterization techniques. As-synthesized EG/MoO2 composite with a higher weight percentage of EG performed excellently as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries. The galvanostatic cycling studies aided with postcycling cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic intermittent titrations followed by ex situ structural studies clearly indicate that Li intercalation into MoO2 is transformed into conversion upon aging at low current densities while intercalation mechanism is preferably taking place at higher current rates. The intercalation mechanism is found to be promising for steady-state capacity throughout the cycling because of excess graphene and higher current density even in the operating voltage window of 0.005-3.0 V in which MoO2 undergoes conversion below 0.8 V.

MgO-decorated few-layered graphene as an anode for li-ion batteries.

Combustion of magnesium in dry ice and a simple subsequent acid treatment step resulted in a MgO-decorated few-layered graphene (FLG) composite that has a specific surface area of 393 m(2)/g and an average pore volume of 0.9 cm(3)/g. As an anode material in Li-ion batteries, the composite exhibited high reversible capacity and excellent cyclic performance in spite of high first-cycle irreversible capacity loss. A reversible capacity as high as 1052 mAh/g was measured during the first cycle. Even at the end of the 60th cycle, more than 83% of the capacity could be retained. Cyclic voltammetry results indicated pseudocapacitance behavior due to electrochemical absorption and desorption of lithium ions onto graphene. An increase in the capacity has been observed during long-term cycling owing to electrochemical exfoliation of graphene sheets. Owing to its good thermal stability and superior cyclic performance with high reversible capacities, MgO-decked FLG can be an excellent alternative to graphite as an anode material in Li-ion batteries, after suitable modifications.