Electrochemical Behavior of Sb-Si Nanocomposite Thin Films as Anode Materials for Sodium-ion Batteries

doi:10.15541/jim20170326

Abstract

Abstract:

Recent years, alloy attracted significant research interest as anode materials for room temperature sodium-ion batteries, due to its high specific capacity and low cost. Among them, the study of Si-based alloy anodes are very limited, owing to the low electrochemical reactivity of Si with Na ions. In this study, Sb-Si nanocomposite thin films were successfully prepared by pulsed laser deposition. Their electrochemical performance and reaction mechanism were studied as new anode materials for sodium ion batteries. They exhibited a reversible specific capacity of about 0.011 mAh/cm² (corresponding to 270 mAh/g) over 100 cycles at a rate of 10 μA/cm², which is much higher than those for pure Si or Sb thin films prepared under the same condition. The investigation of electrochemical reaction mechanism reveals that Na₃Sb and NaSi nanocrystallines are formed after discharge, due to the alloying reaction between the Sb-Si films and Na. During the recharge process, Na₃Sb and NaSi phases both decompose and form Sb and Si nanocrystallines again, respectively. It is proposed that heterogeneous grain boundaries existing in the Sb-Si nanocomposite thin films are benefical to Na-ion transportation, thus enhance the electrochemical performance of the nanocomposite thin film electrode.

Key words: sodium-ion battery, anode material, Sb-Si nanocomposite, thin film, pulsed laser deposition

CLC Number:

TQ15

XIAO Na, PANG Yang, SONG Yun, WU Xiao-Jing, FU Zheng-Wen, ZHOU Yong-Ning. Electrochemical Behavior of Sb-Si Nanocomposite Thin Films as Anode Materials for Sodium-ion Batteries[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2018, 33(5): 494-500.

Figures/Tables 7

Fig. 1 Galvanostatic charge-discharge profiles of the as-deposited Sb-Si nanocomposite thin film at a current density of 10 μA/cm2 (a); The first galvanostatic charge-discharge profiles of the as-deposited Sb-Si nanocomposite thin film, pure Sb film and pure Si film (b); Cycling performance of Sb-Si nanocomposite thin film, pure Sb film and pure Si film (c)

Fig. 2 First three cyclic voltammograms for Sb-Si nanocomposite thin film (a), Sb thin film (b) and Si thin film (c) between 0.1-2.0 V

Fig. 3 SEM images (a)-(c) and XRD patterns (d) of Sb-Si nanocomposite thin film as-deposited, discharged to 0.1 V, recharged to 2.0 V

Fig. 4 HRTEM images (a)-(c) and SAED patterns (d)-(f) of Sb-Si nanocomposite thin film as-deposited, discharged to 0.1 V and recharged to 2.0 V, respectively

Table 1 d-spacing (nm) derived from SAED analysis of as-deposited, first discharging to 0.1 V and recharging to 2.0 V of Sb-Si nanocomposite thin film electrode

	Sb (R-3m)	Si (P4₁2₁2)
As-deposited	(No.85-1322)	(No.39-0973)
0.311	0.311 (012)
0.226		0.228 (302)
0.181		0.183 (412)
0.158	0.156 (024)
0.139	0.139 (211)
	Na₃Sb (P6₃/mmc)	NaSi (C2/c)
Discharged	(No.74-1162)	(No.89-2625)
0.320		0.319 (-113)
0.208	0.208 (202)
0.185		0.186 (330)
0.150	0.150 (106)
0.122	0.124 (312)
	Sb (R-3m)	Si (P4₁2₁2)
Recharged	(No.85-1322)	(No.39-0973)
0.313	0.311 (012)
0.225		0.228 (302)
0.183		0.183 (412)
0.158	0.156 (024)

Fig. 5 Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of Sb-Si nanocomposite thin film, Sb and Sn thin films at (a) as-deposited, (b) discharged and (c) charged states

Table 2 Impedance of as-deposited Sb-Si film, Sb film and Si film electrodes

R_ct/Ω	As-deposited	Discharged	Charged
Sb-Si	132	762	791
Sb	116	3078	4985
Si	146	12521	N/A

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