Tungsten‐Based Materials for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Lithium‐ion batteries are widely used as reliable electrochemical energy storage devices due to their high energy density and excellent cycling performance. The search for anode materials with excellent electrochemical performances remains critical to the further development of lithium‐ion batteries. Tungsten‐based materials are receiving considerable attention as promising anode materials for lithium‐ion batteries owing to their high intrinsic density and rich framework diversity. This review describes the advances of exploratory research on tungsten‐based materials (tungsten oxide, tungsten sulfide, tungsten diselenide, and their composites) in lithium‐ion batteries, including synthesis methods, microstructures, and electrochemical performance. Some personal prospects for the further development of this field are also proposed.     

Bio‐Derived Polymers for Sustainable Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Biologically derived organic molecules are a cost‐effective and environmentally benign alternative to the widely used metal‐based electrodes employed in current energy storage technologies. Here, the first bio‐derived pendant polymer cathode for lithium‐ion batteries is reported. The redox moiety is flavin and is derived from riboflavin (vitamin B₂). A semi‐synthetic methodology is used to prepare the pendant polymer, which is composed of a poly(norbornene) backbone and pendant flavin units. This semi‐synthetic approach reduces the number of chemical transformations required to form this new functional material. Lithium‐ion batteries incorporating this polymer have a 125 mAh g^?1 capacity and an ≈2.5 V operating potential. It is found that charge transport is greatly improved by forming hierarchical structures of the polymer with carbon black, and new insight into electrode degradation mechanisms is provided which should be applicable to polymer electrodes in general. This work provides a foundation for the use of bio‐derived pendant polymers in sustainable, high‐performance lithium‐ion batteries.     

Graphene‐Based Mesoporous SnO2 with Enhanced Electrochemical Performance for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Graphene‐based metal oxides generally show outstanding electrochemical performance due to the superior properties of graphene. However, the aggregation of active metal oxide nanoparticles on the graphene surface may result in a capacity fading and poor cycle performance. Here, a mesostructured graphene‐based SnO₂ composite is prepared through in situ growth of SnO₂ particles on the graphene surface using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as the structure‐directing agent. This novel mesoporous composite inherits the advantages of graphene nanosheets and mesoporous materials and exhibits higher reversible capacity, better cycle performance, and better rate capability compared to pure mesoporous SnO₂ and graphene‐based nonporous SnO₂. It is concluded that the synergetic effect between graphene and mesostructure benefits the improvement of the electrochemical properties of the hybrid composites. This facile method may offer an attractive alternative approach for preparation of the graphene‐based mesoporous composites as high‐ performance electrodes for lithium‐ion batteries.     

Bottom‐Up Synthesis of Advanced Carbonaceous Anode Materials Containing Sulfur for Na‐Ion Batteries

The fabrication of sulfur‐containing carbonaceous anode materials (CS) that show exceptional activity as anode material in Na‐ions batteries is reported. To do so, a general and straightforward bottom‐up synthesis of CS materials with precise control over the sulfur content and functionality is introduced. The new synthetic path combined with a detailed structural analysis and electrochemical studies provide correlations between i) the sulfur content and chemical species and ii) the structural, electronic, and electrochemical performance of the associated materials. As a result, the new CS substances demonstrate excellent activity as Na‐ion battery anode materials, reaching capacity values above 500 mAh g^?1 at a current density of 0.1 A g^?1, as well as high reversible sodium storage capabilities and excellent cycling durability. The results reveal the underlying working principles of carbonaceous materials, alongside the storage mechanism of the Na⁺ ions in these advanced sodium‐ion battery anode materials and provide a new avenue for their practical realization.     

Applications of Tin Sulfide‐Based Materials in Lithium‐Ion Batteries and Sodium‐Ion Batteries

SnS_x (x = 1, 2) compounds are composed of earth‐abundant elements and are nontoxic and low‐cost materials that have received increasing attention as energy materials over the past decades, owing to their huge potential in batteries. Generally, SnS_x materials have excellent chemical stability and high theoretical capacity and reversibility due to their unique 2D‐layered structure and semiconductor properties. As a promising matrix material for storing different alkali metal ions through alloying/dealloying reactions, SnS_x compounds have broad electrochemical prospects in batteries. Herein, the structural properties of SnS_x materials and their advantages as electrode materials are discussed. Furthermore, detailed accounts of various synthesis methods and applications of SnS_x materials in lithium‐ion batteries, sodium‐ion batteries, and other new rechargeable batteries are emphasized. Ultimately, the challenges and opportunities for future research on SnS_x compounds are discussed based on the available academic knowledge, including recent scientific advances.     

Rational Molecular Design of Benzoquinone‐Derived Cathode Materials for High‐Performance Lithium‐Ion Batteries

p‐Benzoquinone (BQ) is a promising cathode material for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) due to its high theoretical specific capacity and voltage. However, it suffers from a serious dissolution problem in organic electrolytes, leading to poor electrochemical performance. Herein, two BQ‐derived molecules with a near‐plane structure and relative large skeleton: 1,4‐bis(p‐benzoquinonyl)benzene (BBQB) and 1,3,5‐tris(p‐benzoquinonyl)benzene (TBQB) are designed and synthesized. They show greatly decreased solubility as a result of strong intermolecular interactions. As cathode materials for LIBs, they exhibit high carbonyl utilizations of 100% with high initial capacities of 367 and 397 mAh g^?1, respectively. Especially, BBQB with better planarity presents remarkably improved cyclability, retaining a high capacity of 306 mAh g^?1 after 100 cycles. The cycling stability of BBQB surpasses all reported BQ‐derived small molecules and most polymers. This work provides a new molecular structure design strategy to suppress the dissolution of organic electrode materials for achieving high performance rechargeable batteries.