A Single‐Step Hydrothermal Route to 3D Hierarchical Cu2O/CuO/rGO Nanosheets as High‐Performance Anode of Lithium‐Ion Batteries

As anodes of Li‐ion batteries, copper oxides (CuO) have a high theoretical specific capacity (674 mA h g^?1) but own poor cyclic stability owing to the large volume expansion and low conductivity in charges/discharges. Incorporating reduced graphene oxide (rGO) into CuO anodes with conventional methods fails to build robust interaction between rGO and CuO to efficiently improve the overall anode performance. Here, Cu₂O/CuO/reduced graphene oxides (Cu₂O/CuO/rGO) with a 3D hierarchical nanostructure are synthesized with a facile, single‐step hydrothermal method. The Cu₂O/CuO/rGO anode exhibits remarkable cyclic and high‐rate performances, and particularly the anode with 25 wt% rGO owns the best performance among all samples, delivering a record capacity of 550 mA h g^?1 at 0.5 C after 100 cycles. The pronounced performances are attributed to the highly efficient charge transfer in CuO nanosheets encapsulated in rGO network and the mitigated volume expansion of the anode owing to its robust 3D hierarchical nanostructure.     

A High‐Rate V2O5 Hollow Microclew Cathode for an All‐Vanadium‐Based Lithium‐Ion Full Cell

V₂O₅ hollow microclews (V₂O₅‐HMs) have been fabricated through a facile solvothermal method with subsequent calcination. The synthesized V₂O₅‐HMs exhibit a 3D hierarchical structure constructed by intertangled nanowires, which could realize superior ion transport, good structural stability, and significantly improved tap density. When used as the cathodes for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), the V₂O₅‐HMs deliver a high capacity (145.3 mAh g^‐1) and a superior rate capability (94.8 mAh g^‐1 at 65 C). When coupled with a lithiated Li₃VO₄ anode, the all‐vanadium‐based lithium‐ion full cell exhibits remarkable cycling stability with a capacity retention of 71.7% over 1500 cycles at 6.7 C. The excellent electrochemical performance demonstrates that the V₂O₅‐HM is a promising candidate for LIBs. The insight obtained from this work also provides a novel strategy for assembling 1D materials into hierarchical microarchitectures with anti‐pulverization ability, excellent electrochemical kinetics, and enhanced tap density.     

Prelithiated V2C MXene: A High‐Performance Electrode for Hybrid Magnesium/Lithium‐Ion Batteries by Ion Cointercalation

The pursuit of high reversible capacity and long cycle life for rechargeable batteries has gained extensive attention in recent years, and the development of applicable electrode materials is the key point. Herein, thanks to the preintercalation of lithium ions, a stable and highly conductive nanostructure of V₂C MXene is successfully fabricated via a facile self‐discharge mechanism, which provides open spaces for rapid ion diffusion and guarantees fast electron transport. Taking the prelithiated V₂C as electrode, an outstanding initial coulombic efficiency of 80% and an impressive capacity retention of ≈98% after 5000 charge/discharge cycles are achieved for lithium‐ion batteries. Especially, it demonstrates a fascinating reversible capacity of up to 230.3 mA h g^?1 at 0.02 A g^?1 and a long cycling life of 82% capacity retention over 480 cycles in the hybrid magnesium/lithium‐ion batteries. In addition, the Mg²⁺ and Li⁺ ions cointercalation mechanism of the prelithiated V₂C is elucidated through ex situ X‐ray diffraction and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterizations. This work not only offers an effective approach to compensate the large initial lithium loss of high‐capacity anode materials but also opens up a new and viable avenue to develop promising hybrid Mg/Li‐storage materials with eminent electrochemical performance.     

Ti3+ Self‐Doped Li4Ti5O12 Anchored on N‐Doped Carbon Nanofiber Arrays for Ultrafast Lithium‐Ion Storage

Omnibearing acceleration of charge/ion transfer in Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO) electrodes is of great significance to achieve advanced high‐rate anodes in lithium‐ion batteries. Here, a synergistic combination of hydrogenated LTO nanoparticles (H‐LTO) and N‐doped carbon fibers (NCFs) prepared by an electrodeposition‐atomic layer deposition method is reported. Binder‐free conductive NCFs skeletons are used as strong support for H‐LTO, in which Ti³⁺ is self‐doped along with oxygen vacancies in LTO lattice to realize enhanced intrinsic conductivity. Positive advantages including large surface area, boosted conductivity, and structural stability are obtained in the designed H‐LTO@NCF electrode, which is demonstrated with preeminent high‐rate capability (128 mAh g^?1 at 50 C) and long cycling life up to 10 000 cycles. The full battery assembled by H‐LTO@NCFs anode and LiFePO₄ cathode also exhibits outstanding electrochemical performance revealing an encouraging application prospect. This work further demonstrates the effectiveness of self‐doping of metal ions on reinforcing the high‐rate charge/discharge capability of batteries.     

Nitrogen‐Doped Graphene‐Buffered Mn2O3 Nanocomposite Anodes for Fast Charging and High Discharge Capacity Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Mn₂O₃ is a promising anode material for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) because of its high theoretical capacity and low discharge potential. However, low electronic conductivity and capacity fading limits its practical application. In this work, Mn₂O₃ with 1D nanowire geometry is synthesized in neutral aqueous solutions by a facile and effective hydrothermal strategy for the first time, and then Mn₂O₃ nanoparticle and nitrogen‐doped reduced graphene oxide (N‐rGO) are composited with Mn₂O₃ nanowires (Mn₂O₃‐GNCs) to enhance its volume utilization and conductivity. When used as an anode material for LIBs, the Mn₂O₃‐GNCs exhibit high reversible capacity (1350 mAh g^?1), stable cycling stability, and good rate capability. Surprisingly, the Mn₂O₃‐GNC electrodes can also show fast charging capability; even after 200 cycles (charge: 10 A g^?1; discharge: 0.5 A g^?1), its discharge capacity can also keep at ≈500 mAh g^?1. In addition, the Mn₂O₃‐GNCs also have considerable full cell and supercapacitor performance. The excellent electrochemical performances can be ascribed to the N‐rGO network structure and 1D nanowire structure, which can ensure fast ion and electron transportation.     

Lamellarly Stacking Porous N,P Co‐Doped Mo2C/C Nanosheets as High Performance Anode for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Layered stacking and highly porous N, P co‐doped Mo₂C/C nanosheets are prepared from a stable Mo‐enhanced hydrogel. The hydrogel is formed through the ultrafast cross‐linking of phosphomolybdic acid and chitosan. During the reduction of the composite hydrogel framework under inert gas protection, highly porous N and P co‐doped carbon nanosheets are produced with the in situ formation of ultrafine Mo₂C nanoparticles highly distributed throughout the nanosheets which are entangled via a hierarchical lamellar infrastructure. This unique architecture of the N, P co‐doped Mo₂C/C nanosheets tremendously promote the electrochemical activity and operate stability with high specific capacity and extremely stable cycling. In particular, this versatile synthetic strategy can also be extended to other polyoxometalate (such as phosphotungstic acid) to provide greater opportunities for the controlled fabrication of novel hierarchical nanostructures for next‐generation high performance energy storage applications.     

Highly Porous Mn3O4 Micro/Nanocuboids with In Situ Coated Carbon as Advanced Anode Material for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

The electrochemical performance of most transition metal oxides based on the conversion mechanism is greatly restricted by inferior cycling stability, rate capability, high overpotential induced by the serious irreversible reactions, low electrical conductivity, and poor ion diffusivity. To mitigate these problems, highly porous Mn₃O₄ micro/nanocuboids with in situ formed carbon matrix (denoted as Mn₃O₄@C micro/nanocuboids) are designed and synthesized via a one‐pot hydrothermal method, in which glucose plays the roles of a reductive agent and a carbon source simultaneously. The carbon content, particle size, and pore structure in the composite can be facilely controlled, resulting in continuous carbon matrix with abundant pores in the cuboids. The as‐fabricated Mn₃O₄@C micro/nanocuboids exhibit large reversible specific capacity (879 mAh g^?1 at the current density of 100 mA g^?1) as well as outstanding cycling stability (86% capacity retention after 500 cycles) and rate capability, making it a potential candidate as anode material for lithium‐ion batteries. Moreover, this facile and effective synthetic strategy can be further explored as a universal approach for the synthesis of other hierarchical transition metal oxides and carbon hybrids with subtle structure engineering.     

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.