ZnSe Microsphere/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Composites as High-Rate and Long-Life Anodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries

Chunjuan Tang; Xiujuan Wei; Xinyin Cai; Qinyou An; Ping Hu; Jinzhi Sheng; Jiexin Zhu; Shulei Chou; Liming Wu; Liqiang Mai

doi:10.1021/acsami.8b02819

ZnSe Microsphere/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Composites as High-Rate and Long-Life Anodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2018 Jun 13;10(23):19626-19632. doi: 10.1021/acsami.8b02819. Epub 2018 May 29.

Authors

Chunjuan Tang^{1

2}, Xiujuan Wei¹, Xinyin Cai¹, Qinyou An¹, Ping Hu¹, Jinzhi Sheng¹, Jiexin Zhu¹, Shulei Chou³, Liming Wu¹, Liqiang Mai¹

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing , Wuhan University of Technology , Luoshi Road 122 , Wuhan 430070 , P. R. China.
² Department of Mathematics and Physics , Luoyang Institute of Science and Technology , Luoyang 471023 , P. R. China.
³ Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials , University of Wollongong , Innovation Campus Squires Way , North Wollongong , New South Wales 2522 , Australia.

PMID: 29756759
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b02819

Abstract

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are considered as one of the most favorable alternative devices for sustainable development of modern society. However, it is still a big challenge to search for proper anode materials which have excellent cycling and rate performance. Here, zinc selenide microsphere and multiwalled carbon nanotube (ZnSe/MWCNT) composites are prepared via hydrothermal reaction and following grinding process. The performance of ZnSe/MWCNT composites as a SIB anode is studied for the first time. As a result, ZnSe/MWCNTs exhibit excellent rate capacity and superior cycling life. The capacity retains as high as 382 mA h g^-1 after 180 cycles even at a current density of 0.5 A g^-1. The initial Coulombic efficiency of ZnSe/MWCNTs can reach 88% and nearby 100% in the following cycles. The superior electrochemical properties are attributed to continuous electron transport pathway, improved electrical conductivity, and excellent stress relaxation.

Keywords: ZnSe microspheres; high-rate; long-life; multiwalled carbon nanotubes; sodium-ion batteries.