Mechanochemical Synthesis of γ‐Graphyne with Enhanced Lithium Storage Performance

γ‐Graphyne is a new nanostructured carbon material with large theoretical Li⁺ storage due to its unique large conjugate rings, which makes it a potential anode for high‐capacity lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). In this work, γ‐graphyne‐based high‐capacity LIBs are demonstrated experimentally. γ‐Graphyne is synthesized through mechanochemical and calcination processes by using CaC₂ and C₆Br₆. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, atomic force microscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, solid‐state ¹³C NMR and Raman spectra are conducted to confirm its morphology and chemical structure. The sample presents 2D mesoporous structure and is exactly composed of sp and sp²‐hybridized carbon atoms as the γ‐graphyne structure. The electrode shows high Li⁺ storage (1104.5 mAh g^?1 at 100 mA g^?1) and rate capability (435.1 mAh g^?1 at 5 A g^?1). The capacity retention can be up to 948.6 (200 mA g^?1 for 350 cycles) and 730.4 mAh g^?1 (1 A g^?1 for 600 cycles), respectively. These excellent electrochemical performances are ascribed to the mesoporous architecture, large conjugate rings, enlarged interplanar distance, and high structural integrity for fast Li⁺ diffusion and improved cycling stability in γ‐graphyne. This work provides an environmentally benign and cost‐effective mechanochemical method to synthesize γ‐graphyne and demonstrates its superior Li⁺ storage experimentally.     

MOF‐Derived CuS@Cu‐BTC Composites as High‐Performance Anodes for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

The CuS(x wt%)@Cu‐BTC (BTC = 1,3,5‐benzenetricarboxylate; x = 3, 10, 33, 58, 70, 99.9) materials are synthesized by a facile sulfidation reaction. The composites are composed of octahedral Cu₃(BTC)₂·(H₂O)₃ (Cu‐BTC) with a large specific surface area and CuS with a high conductivity. The as‐prepared CuS@Cu‐BTC products are first applied as the anodes of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). The synergistic effect between Cu‐BTC and CuS components can not only accommodate the volume change and stress relaxation of electrodes but also facilitate the fast transport of Li ions. Thus, it can greatly suppress the transformation process from Li₂S to polysulfides by improving the reversibility of the conversion reaction. Benefiting from the unique structural features, the optimal CuS(70 wt%)@Cu‐BTC sample exhibits a remarkably improved electrochemical performance, showing an over‐theoretical capacity up to 1609 mAh g^?1 after 200 cycles (100 mA g^?1) with an excellent rate‐capability of ≈490 mAh g^?1 at 1000 mA g^?1. The outstanding LIB properties indicate that the CuS(70 wt%)@Cu‐BTC sample is a highly desirable electrode material candidate for high‐performance LIBs.     

Synthesis Process of CoSeO3 Microspheres for Unordinary Li‐ion Storage Performances and Mechanism of Their Conversion Reaction with Li ions

Multicomponent materials with various double cations have been studied as anode materials of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). Heterostructures formed by coupling different‐bandgap nanocrystals enhance the surface reaction kinetics and facilitate charge transport because of the internal electric field at the heterointerface. Accordingly, metal selenites can be considered efficient anode materials of LIBs because they transform into metal selenide and oxide nanocrystals in the first cycle. However, few studies have reported synthesis of uniquely structured metal selenite microspheres. Herein, synthesis of high‐porosity CoSeO₃ microspheres is reported. Through one‐pot oxidation at 400 °C, CoSe_x–C microspheres formed by spray pyrolysis transform into CoSeO₃ microspheres showing unordinary cycling and rate performances. The conversion mechanism of CoSeO₃ microspheres for lithium‐ion storage is systematically studied by cyclic voltammetry, in situ X‐ray diffraction and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The reversible reaction mechanism of the CoSeO₃ phase from the second cycle onward is evaluated as CoO + xSeO₂ + (1 ? x)Se + 4(x + 1)Li⁺+ 4( x + 1)e^? ? Co + (2x + 1)Li₂O + Li₂Se. The CoSeO₃ microspheres show a high reversible capacity of 709 mA h g^?1 for the 1400th cycle at a current density of 3 A g^?1 and a high reversible capacity of 526 mA h g^?1 even at an extremely high current density of 30 A g^?1.     

A Universal Strategy for Hollow Metal Oxide Nanoparticles Encapsulated into B/N Co‐Doped Graphitic Nanotubes as High‐Performance Lithium‐Ion Battery Anodes

Yolk–shell nanostructures have received great attention for boosting the performance of lithium‐ion batteries because of their obvious advantages in solving the problems associated with large volume change, low conductivity, and short diffusion path for Li⁺ ion transport. A universal strategy for making hollow transition metal oxide (TMO) nanoparticles (NPs) encapsulated into B, N co‐doped graphitic nanotubes (TMO@BNG (TMO = CoO, Ni₂O₃, Mn₃O₄) through combining pyrolysis with an oxidation method is reported herein. The as‐made TMO@BNG exhibits the TMO‐dependent lithium‐ion storage ability, in which CoO@BNG nanotubes exhibit highest lithium‐ion storage capacity of 1554 mA h g^?1 at the current density of 96 mA g^?1, good rate ability (410 mA h g^?1 at 1.75 A g^?1), and high stability (almost 96% storage capacity retention after 480 cycles). The present work highlights the importance of introducing hollow TMO NPs with thin wall into BNG with large surface area for boosting LIBs in the terms of storage capacity, rate capability, and cycling stability.     

Porous Carbon Nanofibers Encapsulated with Peapod‐Like Hematite Nanoparticles for High‐Rate and Long‐Life Battery Anodes

Fe₂O₃ is regarded as a promising anode material for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) due to its high specific capacity. The large volume change during discharge and charge processes, however, induces significant cracking of the Fe₂O₃ anodes, leading to rapid fading of the capacity. Herein, a novel peapod‐like nanostructured material, consisting of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles homogeneously encapsulated in the hollow interior of N‐doped porous carbon nanofibers, as a high‐performance anode material is reported. The distinctive structure not only provides enough voids to accommodate the volume expansion of the pea‐like Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles but also offers a continuous conducting framework for electron transport and accessible nanoporous channels for fast diffusion and transport of Li/Na‐ions. As a consequence, this peapod‐like structure exhibits a stable discharge capacity of 1434 mAh g^?1 (at 100 mA g^?1) and 806 mAh g^?1 (at 200 mA g^?1) over 100 cycles as anode materials for LIBs and SIBs, respectively. More importantly, a stable capacity of 958 mAh g^?1 after 1000 cycles and 396 mAh g^?1 after 1500 cycles can be achieved for LIBs and SIBs, respectively, at a large current density of 2000 mA g^?1. This study provides a promising strategy for developing long‐cycle‐life LIBs and SIBs.     

In Situ Encapsulating α‐MnS into N,S‐Codoped Nanotube‐Like Carbon as Advanced Anode Material: α → β Phase Transition Promoted Cycling Stability and Superior Li/Na‐Storage Performance in Half/Full Cells

Incorporation of N,S‐codoped nanotube‐like carbon (N,S‐NTC) can endow electrode materials with superior electrochemical properties owing to the unique nanoarchitecture and improved kinetics. Herein, α‐MnS nanoparticles (NPs) are in situ encapsulated into N,S‐NTC, preparing an advanced anode material (α‐MnS@N,S‐NTC) for lithium‐ion/sodium‐ion batteries (LIBs/SIBs). It is for the first time revealed that electrochemical α → β phase transition of MnS NPs during the 1st cycle effectively promotes Li‐storage properties, which is deduced by the studies of ex situ X‐ray diffraction/high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy and electrode kinetics. As a result, the optimized α‐MnS@N,S‐NTC electrode delivers a high Li‐storage capacity (1415 mA h g^?1 at 50 mA g^?1), excellent rate capability (430 mA h g^?1 at 10 A g^?1), and long‐term cycling stability (no obvious capacity decay over 5000 cycles at 1 A g^?1) with retained morphology. In addition, the N,S‐NTC‐based encapsulation plays the key roles on enhancing the electrochemical properties due to its high conductivity and unique 1D nanoarchitecture with excellent protective effects to active MnS NPs. Furthermore, α‐MnS@N,S‐NTC also delivers high Na‐storage capacity (536 mA h g^?1 at 50 mA g^?1) without the occurrence of such α → β phase transition and excellent full‐cell performances as coupling with commercial LiFePO₄ and LiNi_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2O₂ cathodes in LIBs as well as Na₃V₂(PO₄)₂O₂F cathode in SIBs.     

Mesoporous and Nanostructured TiO2 layer with Ultra‐High Loading on Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Foams as Flexible and Free‐Standing Electrodes for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

A simple and green method is developed for the preparation of nanostructured TiO₂ supported on nitrogen‐doped carbon foams (NCFs) as a free‐standing and flexible electrode for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), in which the TiO₂ with 2.5–4 times higher loading than the conventional TiO₂‐based flexible electrodes acts as the active material. In addition, the NCFs act as a flexible substrate and efficient conductive networks. The nanocrystalline TiO₂ with a uniform size of ≈10 nm form a mesoporous layer covering the wall of the carbon foam. When used directly as a flexible electrode in a LIB, a capacity of 188 mA h g^?1 is achieved at a current density of 200 mA g^?1 for a potential window of 1.0–3.0 V, and a specific capacity of 149 mA h g^?1 after 100 cycles at a current density of 1000 mA g^?1 is maintained. The highly conductive NCF and flexible network, the mesoporous structure and nanocrystalline size of the TiO₂ phase, the firm adhesion of TiO₂ over the wall of the NCFs, the small volume change in the TiO₂ during the charge/discharge processes, and the high cut‐off potential contribute to the excellent capacity, rate capability, and cycling stability of the TiO₂/NCFs flexible electrode.     

Extremely Small Pyrrhotite Fe7S8 Nanocrystals with Simultaneous Carbon‐Encapsulation for High‐Performance Na–Ion Batteries

Na/FeS_x batteries have remarkable potential applicability due to their high theoretical capacity and cost‐effectiveness. However, realization of high power‐capability and long‐term cyclability remains a major challenge. Herein, ultrafine Fe₇S₈@C nanocrystals (NCs) as a promising anode material for a Na–ion battery that addresses the above two issues simultaneously is reported. An Fe₇S₈ core with quantum size (≈10 nm) overcomes the kinetic and thermodynamic constraints of the Na‐S conversion reaction. In addition, the high degree of interconnection through carbon shells improves the electronic transport along the structure. As a result, the Fe₇S₈@C NCs electrode achieves excellent power capability of 550 mA h g^?1 (≈79% retention of its theoretical capacity) at a current rate of 2700 mA g^?1. Furthermore, a conformal carbon shell acts as a buffer layer to prevent severe volume change, which provides outstanding cyclability of ≈447 mA h g^?1 after 1000 cycles (≈71% retention of the initial charge capacity).     

Reactive Oxygen‐Doped 3D Interdigital Carbonaceous Materials for Li and Na Ion Batteries

Carbonaceous materials as anodes usually exhibit low capacity for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium ion batteries (SIBs). Oxygen‐doped carbonaceous materials have the potential of high capacity and super rate performance. However, up to now, the reported oxygen‐doped carbonaceous materials usually exhibit inferior electrochemical performance. To overcome this problem, a high reactive oxygen‐doped 3D interdigital porous carbonaceous material is designed and synthesized through epitaxial growth method and used as anodes for LIBs and SIBs. It delivers high reversible capacity, super rate performance, and long cycling stability (473 mA h g^?1after 500 cycles for LIBs and 223 mA h g^?1 after 1200 cycles for SIBs, respectively, at the current density of 1000 mA g^?1), with a capacity decay of 0.0214% per cycle for LIBs and 0.0155% per cycle for SIBs. The results demonstrate that constructing 3D interdigital porous structure with reactive oxygen functional groups can significantly enhance the electrochemical performance of oxygen‐doped carbonaceous material.     

Nitrogen Doped γ‐Graphyne: A Novel Anode for High‐Capacity Rechargeable Alkali‐Ion Batteries

High energy density is the major demand for next‐generation rechargeable batteries, while the intrinsic low alkali metal adsorption of traditional carbon–based electrode remains the main challenge. Here, the mechanochemical route is proposed to prepare nitrogen doped γ‐graphyne (NGY) and its high capacity is demonstrated in lithium (LIBs)/sodium (SIBs) ion batteries. The sample delivers large reversible Li (1037 mAh g^?1) and Na (570.4 mAh g^?1) storage capacities at 100 mA g^?1 and presents excellent rate capabilities (526 mAh g^?1 for LIBs and 180.2 mAh g^?1 for SIBs) at 5 A g^?1. The superior Li/Na storage mechanisms of NGY are revealed by its 2D morphology evolution, quantitative kinetics, and theoretical calculations. The effects on the diffusion barriers (E_b) and adsorption energies (E_ad) of Li/Na atoms in NGY are also studied and imine‐N is demonstrated to be the ideal doping format to enhance the Li/Na storage performance. Besides, the Li/Na adsorption routes in NGY are optimized according to the experimental and the first‐principles calculation results. This work provides a facile way to fabricate high capacity electrodes in LIBs/SIBs, which is also instructive for the design of other heteroatomic doped electrodes.     

Atomic Cobalt Covalently Engineered Interlayers for Superior Lithium‐Ion Storage

With the unique‐layered structure, MXenes show potential as electrodes in energy‐storage devices including lithium‐ion (Li⁺) capacitors and batteries. However, the low Li⁺‐storage capacity hinders the application of MXenes in place of commercial carbon materials. Here, the vanadium carbide (V₂C) MXene with engineered interlayer spacing for desirable storage capacity is demonstrated. The interlayer distance of pristine V₂C MXene is controllably tuned to 0.735 nm resulting in improved Li‐ion capacity of 686.7 mA h g^?1 at 0.1 A g^?1, the best MXene‐based Li⁺‐storage capacity reported so far. Further, cobalt ions are stably intercalated into the interlayer of V₂C MXene to form a new interlayer‐expanded structure via strong V–O–Co bonding. The intercalated V₂C MXene electrodes not only exhibit superior capacity up to 1117.3 mA h g^?1 at 0.1 A g^?1, but also deliver a significantly ultralong cycling stability over 15 000 cycles. These results clearly suggest that MXene materials with an engineered interlayer distance will be a rational route for realizing them as superstable and high‐performance Li⁺ capacitor electrodes.     

Hierarchical Composite of Rose‐Like VS2@S/N‐Doped Carbon with Expanded (001) Planes for Superior Li‐Ion Storage

In the present work, a hierarchical composite of rose‐like VS₂@S/N‐doped carbon (VS₂@SNC) with expanded (001) planes is successfully fabricated through a facile synthetic route. Notably, the d‐spacing of (001) planes is expanded to 0.92 nm, which is proved to dramatically reduce the energy barrier for Li⁺ diffusion in the composite of VS₂@SNC by density functional theory calculation. On the other hand, the S/N‐doped carbon in the composite greatly promotes the electrical conductivity and enhances the structural stability. In addition, the hierarchical structure of VS₂@SNC facilitates rapid electrolyte diffusion and increases the contact area between the electrode and electrolyte simultaneously. Benefiting from the merits mentioned above, the VS₂@SNC electrode exhibits excellent electrochemical properties, such as a large reversible capacity of 971.6 mA h g^?1 at 0.2 A g^?1, an extremely high rate capability of 772.1 mA h g^?1 at 10 A g^?1, and a remarkable cycling stability up to 600 cycles at 8 A g^?1 with a capacity of 684.5 mA h g^?1, making it a promising candidate as an anode material for lithium‐ion batteries.     

Size‐Tunable Olive‐Like Anatase TiO2 Coated with Carbon as Superior Anode for Sodium‐Ion Batteries

Olive‐shaped anatase TiO₂ with tunable sizes in nanoscale are designed employing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as structure directing agents to exert dramatic impacts on structure shaping and size manipulation. Notably, the introduced PVA simultaneously serves as carbon sources, bringing about a homogenous carbon layer with intimate coupling interfaces for boosted electronic conductivity. Constructed from tiny crystalline grains, the uniformly dispersed carbon‐coated TiO₂ nano‐olives (TOC) possess subtle loose structure internally for prompt Na⁺ transportations. When utilized for sodium‐ion storage, the size effects are increasingly significant at high charge–discharge rates, leading to the much superior rate performances of TOC with the smallest size. Bestowed by the improved Na⁺ adsorption and diffusion kinetics together with the promoted electron transfer, it delivers a high specific capacity of 267 mAh g^?1 at 0.1 C (33.6 mA g^?1) and sustains 110 mAh g^?1 at a rather high rate of 20 C. Even after cycled at 10 C over 1000 cycles, a considerable capacity of 125 mAh g^?1 with a retention of 94.6% is still obtained, highlighting its marvelous long‐term cyclability and high‐rate capabilities.     

Yolk–Shell MnO@ZnMn2O4/N–C Nanorods Derived from α‐MnO2/ZIF‐8 as Anode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries

Manganese oxides (MnO_x) are promising anode materials for lithium ion batteries, but they generally exhibit mediocre performances due to intrinsic low ionic conductivity, high polarization, and poor stability. Herein, yolk–shell nanorods comprising of nitrogen‐doped carbon (N–C) coating on manganese monoxide (MnO) coupled with zinc manganate (ZnMn₂O₄) nanoparticles are manufactured via one‐step carbonization of α‐MnO₂/ZIF‐8 precursors. When evaluated as anodes for lithium ion batteries, MnO@ZnMn₂O₄/N–C exhibits an reversible capacity of 803 mAh g^?1 at 50 mA g^?1 after 100 cycles, excellent cyclability with a capacity of 595 mAh g^?1 at 1000 mAg^?1 after 200 cycles, as well as better rate capability compared with those non‐N–C shelled manganese oxides (MnO_x). The outstanding electrochemical performance is attributed to the unique yolk–shell nanorod structure, the coating effect of N–C and nanoscale size.     

Ultrathin 2D Mesoporous TiO2/rGO Heterostructure for High‐Performance Lithium Storage

Lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) have been widely applied and studied as an effective energy supplement for a variety of electronic devices. Titanium dioxide (TiO₂), with a high theoretical capacity (335 mAh g^?1) and low volume expansion ratio upon lithiation, has been considered as one of the most promising anode materials for LIBs. However, the application of TiO₂ is hindered by its low electrical conductivity and slow ionic diffusion rate. Herein, a 2D ultrathin mesoporous TiO₂/reduced graphene (rGO) heterostructure is fabricated via a layer‐by‐layer assembly process. The synergistic effect of ultrathin mesoporous TiO₂ and the rGO nanosheets significantly enhances the ionic diffusion and electron conductivity of the composite. The introduced 2D mesoporous heterostructure delivers a significantly improved capacity of 350 mAh g^?1 at a current density of 200 mA g^?1 and excellent cycling stability, with a capacity of 245 mAh g^?1 maintained over 1000 cycles at a high current density of 1 A g^?1. The in situ transmission electron microscopy analysis indicates that the volume of the as‐prepared 2D heterostructures changes slightly upon the insertion and extraction of Li⁺, thus contributing to the enhanced long‐cycle performance.     

A Facile Strategy to Construct Silver‐Modified,ZnO‐Incorporated and Carbon‐Coated Silicon/Porous‐Carbon Nanofibers with Enhanced Lithium Storage

For Si anode materials used for lithium ion batteries (LIBs), developing an effective solution to overcome their drawbacks of large volume change and poor electronic conductivity is highly desirable. Here, the composites of ZnO‐incorporated and carbon‐coated silicon/porous‐carbon nanofibers (ZnO‐Si@C‐PCNFs) are designed and synthesized via a traditional electrospinning method. The prepared ZnO‐Si@C‐PCNFs can obviously overcome these two drawbacks and provide excellent LIB performance with excellent rate capability and stable long cycling life of 1000 cycles with reversible capacity of 1050 mA h g^?1 at 800 mA g^?1. Meanwhile, anodes of ZnO‐Si@C‐PCNFs attached with Ag particles display enhanced LIB performance, maintaining an average capacity of 920 mA h g^?1 at a large current of 1800 mA g^?1 even for 1000 cycles with negligible capacity loss and excellent reversibility. In addition, the assembling method with important practical significance for a simple pouch full cell is designed and used to evaluate the active materials. The Ag/ZnO‐Si@C‐PCNFs are prelithiated and assembled in full cells using LiNi_0.5Co_0.2Mn_0.3O₂(NCM523) as cathodes, exhibiting higher energy density (230 W h kg^?1) of 18% than that of 195 W h kg^?1 for commercial graphite//NCM523 full pouch cells. Importantly, the comprehensive mechanisms of enhanced electrochemical kinetics originating from ZnO‐incorporation and Ag‐attachment are revealed in detail.     

Glucose‐Induced Synthesis of 1T‐MoS2/C Hybrid for High‐Rate Lithium‐Ion Batteries

1T phase MoS₂ possesses higher conductivity than the 2H phase, which is a key parameter of electrochemical performance for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, a 1T‐MoS₂/C hybrid is successfully synthesized through facile hydrothermal method with a proper glucose additive. The synthesized hybrid material is composed of smaller and fewer‐layer 1T‐MoS₂ nanosheets covered by thin carbon layers with an enlarged interlayer spacing of 0.94 nm. When it is used as an anode material for LIBs, the enlarged interlayer spacing facilitates rapid intercalating and deintercalating of lithium ions and accommodates volume change during cycling. The high intrinsic conductivity of 1T‐MoS₂ also contributes to a faster transfer of lithium ions and electrons. Moreover, much smaller and fewer‐layer nanosheets can shorten the diffusion path of lithium ions and accelerate reaction kinetics, leading to an improved electrochemical performance. It delivers a high initial capacity of 920.6 mAh g^?1 at 1 A g^?1 and the capacity can maintain 870 mAh g^?1 even after 300 cycles, showing a superior cycling stability. The electrode presents a high rate performance as well with a reversible capacity of 600 mAh g^?1 at 10 A g^?1. These results show that the 1T‐MoS₂/C hybrid shows potential for use in high‐performance lithium‐ion batteries.     

In Situ Formation of Hierarchical Bismuth Nanodots/Graphene Nanoarchitectures for Ultrahigh‐Rate and Durable Potassium‐Ion Storage

Metallic bismuth (Bi) has been widely explored as remarkable anode material in alkali‐ion batteries due to its high gravimetric/volumetric capacity. However, the huge volume expansion up to ≈406% from Bi to full potassiation phase K₃Bi, inducing the slow kinetics and poor cycling stability, hinders its implementation in potassium‐ion batteries (PIBs). Here, facile strategy is developed to synthesize hierarchical bismuth nanodots/graphene (BiND/G) composites with ultrahigh‐rate and durable potassium ion storage derived from an in situ spontaneous reduction of sodium bismuthate/graphene composites. The in situ formed ultrafine BiND (≈3 nm) confined in graphene layers can not only effectively accommodate the volume change during the alloying/dealloying process but can also provide high‐speed channels for ionic transport to the highly active BiND. The BiND/G electrode provides a superior rate capability of 200 mA h g^?1 at 10 A g^?1 and an impressive reversible capacity of 213 mA h g^?1 at 5 A g^?1 after 500 cycles with almost no capacity decay. An operando synchrotron radiation‐based X‐ray diffraction reveals distinctively sharp multiphase transitions, suggesting its underlying operation mechanisms and superiority in potassium ion storage application.     

Large‐Scale Fabrication of Core–Shell Structured C/SnO2 Hollow Spheres as Anode Materials with Improved Lithium Storage Performance

Due to the high theoretical capacity as high as 1494 mAh g^?1, SnO₂ is considered as a potential anode material for high‐capacity lithium–ion batteries (LIBs). Therefore, the simple but effective method focused on fabrication of SnO₂ is imperative. To meet this, a facile and efficient strategy to fabricate core–shell structured C/SnO₂ hollow spheres by a solvothermal method is reported. Herein, the solid and hollow structure as well as the carbon content can be controlled. Very importantly, high‐yield C/SnO₂ spheres can be produced by this method, which suggest potential business applications in LIBs field. Owing to the dual buffer effect of the carbon layer and hollow structures, the core–shell structured C/SnO₂ hollow spheres deliver a high reversible discharge capacity of 1007 mAh g^?1 at a current density of 100 mA g^?1 after 300 cycles and a superior discharge capacity of 915 mAh g^?1 at 500 mA g^?1 after 500 cycles. Even at a high current density of 1 and 2 A g^?1, the core–shell structured C/SnO₂ hollow spheres electrode still exhibits excellent discharge capacity in the long life cycles. Consideration of the superior performance and high yield, the core–shell structured C/SnO₂ hollow spheres are of great interest for the next‐generation LIBs.     

A Novel High‐Capacity Anode Material Derived from Aromatic Imides for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

A novel anode material for lithium‐ion batteries derived from aromatic imides with multicarbonyl group conjugated with aromatic core structure is reported, benzophenolne‐3,3′,4,4′‐tetracarboxylimide oligomer (BTO). It could deliver a reversible capacity of 829 mA h g^?1 at 42 mA g^?1 for 50 cycles with a stable discharge plateaus ranging from 0.05–0.19 V versus Li⁺/Li. At higher rates of 420 and 840 mA g^?1, it can still exhibit excellent cycling stability with a capacity retention of 88% and 72% after 1000 cycles, delivering capacity of 559 and 224 mA h g^?1. In addition, a rational prediction of the maximum amount of lithium intercalation is proposed and explored its possible lithium storage mechanism.