Abundant and inexpensive sodium metal anode with low redox potential and high theoretical capacity shows great potential in next-generation high-energy–density energy storage batteries. However, the ...uncontrollable growth of sodium dendrites during cycling decays cell cycle life, limiting the practical application and large-scale production of sodium metal batteries. To resolve this problem, researchers have proposed many strategies to inhibit the growth of sodium dendrites. Among those strategies, metal current collectors structuring stands out for its unique role in mitigating volume fluctuations caused by sodium metal plating/stripping, reducing energy barrier for sodium nucleation, and providing a large number of nucleation sites. Therefore, this review presents the basic requirements for metallic current collectors of sodium metal anodes and summarizes research progress of three common categories of metallic current collectors. Finally, the challenges and future directions of further modifying metallic current collectors are proposed.
Sodium metal, benefiting from its high theoretical capacity and natural abundance, is regarded as a promising anode for sodium‐metal batteries (SMBs). Unfortunately, the uncontrollable sodium ...dendrites formation caused from the sluggish ion‐transport kinetics and fragile solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) interlayer induces a low Coulombic efficiency and poor cycling stability. Constructing an artificial SEI interlayer with high ionic conductivity, stability, and mechanical toughness is an effective strategy for Na‐metal anode, yet it still presents major challenge for high current density and long cycling life. Herein, an artificial SEI interlayer composed of Na–Sn alloy, Sn, and Na2Te (denoted as NST) is designed via in‐situ conversion/alloying reaction of tin telluride (SnTe) with Na. Such artificial interlayer possesses rapid Na+‐transport kinetics and high Young's modulus (5.3 GPa), benefitting to even Na plating/stripping and suppressing Na dendrite growth. Owing to these merits, the symmetrical Na/NST cell presents an ultralong cycle life span over 1390 h with a small voltage hysteresis at 1 mA cm−2 with 1 mAh cm−2. And the Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP)||Na/NST full cell exhibits a prolonged life of 1000 cycles with a high‐capacity retention of 88% at 5C. Herein, a promising strategy is provided to construct a high‐performance artificial interlayer for SMBs.
An artificial solid electrolyte interphase layer composed of Na–Sn alloy, Sn, and Na2Te is designed to protect the Na anode via in situ conversion/alloying reactions. It presents rapid ionic conductivity, high Young's modulus, and structure stability, achieving homogeneous Na deposition with dendrite‐free morphology and ultralong life span over 1390 h at 1 mA cm−2/1 mAh cm−2.
Metallic sodium (Na) serving as anode for sodium-based batteries (SBBs) has caught much attention, owning to its low electrode potential and high theoretical capacity. However, the notorious Na ...dendrites severely restrict its practical application in Na metal batteries (SMBs). Herein, the hybrid artificial layer (Na/VN-S) composed of sodium sulfide, vanadium nitride and metal vanadium are constructed on Na anode via pretreatment metallic Na with vanadium nitride and vanadium sulfide powders. The obtained Na/VN-S electrode presents superior electrolyte wettability, high sodiophilicity, low activation energy barrier and high Young’s modulus, leading to homogeneous distribution of Na ions and even Na deposition, so that the Na dendrite growth can be suppressed. Owing to these virtues, the Na/VN-S symmetrical cells present a long cycle life of 1400 h at 0.5 mA cm−2 with 1 mAh cm−2, and can stably cycle at a higher current density of 4 mA cm−2. Moreover, when the commercial Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP) cathodes are coupled with the Na/VN-S anodes, the Na/VN-S||NVP full cells display a prolonged life of 1900 cycles at 5 C with an outstanding capacity retention of 84.2%. This work contributes to the advancement of Na metal anode in high performance SBBs.
Display omitted
Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are seen as an emerging force for future large-scale energy storage due to their cost-effective nature and high safety. Compared with lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the ...energy density of SIBs is insufficient at present. Thus, the development of high-energy SIBs for realizing large-scale energy storage is extremely vital. The key factor determining the energy density in SIBs is the selection of cathodic materials, and the mainstream cathodic materials nowadays include transition metal oxides, polyanionic compounds, and Prussian blue analogs (PBAs). The cathodic materials would greatly improve after targeted modulations that eliminate their shortcomings and step from the laboratory to practical applications. Before that, some remaining challenges in the application of cathode materials for large-scale energy storage SIBs need to be addressed, which are summarized at the end of this Outlook.
The implementation of sodium metal batteries (SMBs) is known for their low cost and high energy density. However, a major concern in SMBs is the formation of dendrites on the Na metal anode, which ...can potentially cause short circuits and compromise safety. Herein, to address this issue, we propose a novel approach to create a protective layer by decorating Na surface with NaI particles. This protective layer exhibits a high Young’s modulus and excellent sodium ion transference ability. As a result, the lifespan of the Na/NaI||Na/NaI cell is significantly extended to 850 h at 0.5 mA cm
−2
/1 mAh cm
−2
. Furthermore, when the Na/NaI anode is combined with a Na
3
V
2
(PO
4
)
3
(NVP) cathode, the full cell retains 83 mAh g
−1
(approximately 94% of its initial capacity) even after 1500 cycles at 5 C. Overall, this work presents a simple and effective method for establishing a protective layer on the Na surface, thereby enabling the realization of long lifespan and stable SMBs.
Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) have emerged as an attractive alternative for large‐scale energy storage due to their low cost and high safety. The selection of cathode materials, which determine SIB ...performance, becomes a crucial aspect. Vanadium‐based phosphates are known for their multielectron transfer properties and stable structure, but their intrinsic electronic conductivity is limited. In this regard, bimetallic substitution is an excellent modification method for improving the conductivity property. Herein, a novel Na4VMn0.7Ni0.3(PO4)3@C (NVMNP@C) cathode with less vanadium is designed for SIBs, which exhibits outstanding electrochemical performance at 25 °C, delivering rate capacity of 67 mA h g−1 at 3 A g−1, and long‐term cyclability of remaining 74.6% after 4800 cycles at 2 A g−1. Furthermore, excellent low‐temperature adaptability (82 mA h g−1 at 20 mA g−1, 60 mA h g−1 at 400 mA g−1, and 90.4% capacity retention after 230 cycles at 100 mA g−1) at −40 °C is also achieved. This unique work has broken a feasible pathway for high‐performance SIB cathode at low temperature.
A novel cathode material, Na4VMn0.7Ni0.3(PO4)3@C, with less vanadium content is designed for sodium‐ion batteries. It demonstrates excellent low‐temperature Na‐storage capability (high‐discharge capacity, outstanding rate performance, and cyclability). These desirable properties are attributed to the fast Na‐ion transport kinetics and improved electronic conductivity, which result from the synergistic effect of bimetallic (Mn/Ni) substitution.
Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) represent one of the current research frontiers owing to their low cost, intrinsic safety, environmental friendliness, and other unique features. In the current era, a ...myriad of investigations are conducted towards the exploration of advanced electrode materials with exceptional energy/power density, superior rate capability, and ultralong cycling life. Notably, vanadium oxides electrode materials have received great attention due to their diversity in chemical compositions and attractive electrochemical properties. In this review, comprehensive and detailed compendium regarding the latest developments and breakthroughs of highly promising vanadium oxides‐based electrode materials for advanced‐performance SIBs are elucidated. The crystal structures, electrochemical performance, structure‐property relationships and sodium storage mechanization of various vanadium oxides are discussed. In addition, further improvement strategies, including lattice engineering, nanostructuring design, surface modification and 3D porous architecting, are summarized. Finally, potential directions of resolving emergent challenges and forward prospects on augmenting the performance of vanadium oxides‐based electrode materials to facilitate their commercial application in SIBs are proposed. This review provides pioneering understanding of vanadium oxides‐based materials and guiding directions for the development viability of future cutting‐edge SIBs.
This review summarizes the fundamental characteristics and electrochemical features of vanadium oxides such as crystal structures, morphology, sodium‐ion storage mechanisms and surface chemistry for sodium ion batteries. And recent strategies toward high‐performance vanadium oxides electrode materials including lattice engineering, nanostructuring design, surface modification and 3D porous architecture design are discussed.
Na-metal batteries (NMBs) are drawing soaring research interest as next-generation high-energy and low-cost batteries. However, the pursuit of high-reversibility Na metal anode with controllable and ...uniform Na plating/stripping remains a formidable challenge owing to the inhomogeneity of mass/charge transfer and high activity of Na. Herein, a 3D Zn@Al current collector is proposed by coating a 3D nanofiber-like Zn layer on the Al foil, which can suppress the dendritic Na growth to enable the high reversibility of Na plating/stripping. Experimental studies and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the 3D Zn@Al current collector greatly enhances the sodiophilicity due to the larger binding energy of Zn/NaZn13 with Na, and homogenizes electric field distribution owing to the 3D nanofiber-like Zn layer. Benefiting from such favorable properties, extraordinary electrochemical performances with low nucleation overpotential (5 mV at 1 mA cm−2), long cycle lifespan (1500 h) together with small polarization voltage (10 mV at 1 mA cm−2) have been achieved. Most noticeably, an anode-free NMBs with Na3V2(PO4)3 as cathode can achieve excellent cycle life (with the capacity retention of 98.8% for 100 cycles). Our findings provide a simple and efficient strategy for designing functional current collector for Na anode to build high-performance anode-free NMBs.
Display omitted
•3D Zn@Al was fabricated as the multifunctional current collector of Na metal anode.•High sodiophilicity and homogenous electric field distribution of 3D Zn@Al benefited dendrites-free Na deposition behavior.•The anode-free 3D Zn@Al||NVP full cell could display remarkable cycling performance for 100 cycles.
Development of high‐performance sodium metal batteries (SMBs) with a wide operating temperature range (from −40 to 55 °C) is highly challenging. Herein, an artificial hybrid interlayer composed of ...sodium phosphide (Na3P) and metal vanadium (V) is constructed for wide‐temperature‐range SMBs via vanadium phosphide pretreatment. As evidenced by simulation, the VP‐Na interlayer can regulate redistribution of Na+ flux, which is beneficial for homogeneous Na deposition. Moreover, the experimental results confirm that the artificial hybrid interlayer possesses a high Young's modulus and a compact structure, which can effectively suppress Na dendrite growth and alleviate the parasitic reaction even at 55 °C. In addition, the VP‐Na interlayer exhibits the capability to knock down the kinetic barriers for fast Na+ transportation, realizing a 30‐fold decrease in impedance at −40 °C. Symmetrical VP‐Na cells present a prolonged lifespan reaching 1200, 500, and 500 h at room temperature, 55 °C and −40 °C, respectively. In Na3V2(PO4)3||VP‐Na full cells, a high reversible capacity of 88, 89.8, and 50.3 mAh g−1 can be sustained after 1600, 1000, and 600 cycles at room temperature, 55 °C and −40 °C, respectively. The pretreatment formed artificial hybrid interlayer proves to be an effective strategy to achieve wide‐temperature‐range SMBs.
The artificial hybrid interlayer (Na3P and metal V) is constructed to protect Na anode via VP2 pretreatment. It presents high Young's modulus and ionic conductivity, which can regulate the redistribution of the Na+ concentration and Na+ flux, achieving homogeneous Na deposition and prolonging the plating/stripping cycles under wide‐temperature.
The increasingly stringent requirement in large‐scale energy storage necessitates the development of high‐performance sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) that can operate under low‐temperature (LT) ...environment. Although SIBs can achieve good cycling stability and rate performance at room temperature, the sluggish electrochemical reaction kinetics at low temperature remains a great challenge for SIBs. Here, a superior LT SIB composed of 3D porous Na3V2(PO4)3/C (NVP/C‐F) and NaTi2(PO4)3/C foams (NTP/C‐F) is developed. First‐principles calculations reveal that the intrinsic Na+ diffusivity in NASICON‐type NVP and NTP is extremely high (maximum 3.84 × 10−5 for NVP and 2.94 × 10−9 cm2 s−1 for NTP) at –20 °C. In addition, the designed 3D interconnected porous foam structures demonstrate excellent electrolyte absorption ability and Na+ transport performance at low temperature. As a result, under −20 °C, the NVP/CF and NTP/CF electrodes (half‐cell configuration) can attain reversible capacities close to their theoretical values, and are able to be charged and discharged rapidly (20 C) for 1000 cycles. Based on these features, the designed NTP/CF||NVP/CF full cell also displays superb LT kinetics and cycling stability, making a great stride forward in the development of LT SIBs.
A high‐performance low‐temperature sodium ion full battery composed of 3D porous Na3V2(PO4)3/C and NaTi2(PO4)3/C foams is developed. Owing to the fast Na+ diffusivity of these two NASICON‐type electrodes and excellent electrolyte absorption ability of the foam structure, this full battery demonstrates superb kinetics and cycling stability (e.g., 20 C over 1000 cycles) at −20 °C.
