Recent Progress on Sb- and Bi-based Chalcogenide Anodes for Potassium-Ion Batteries

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Potassium ion batteries (PIBs) are emerging as a sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to potassium's abundance and low cost.
• Antimony (Sb)- and Bismuth (Bi)-based metal chalcogenides (MCs) offer high specific capacity via alloying/conversion mechanisms, making them attractive anode materials for PIBs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review the current state-of-the-art of Sb- and Bi-based chalcogenides for PIBs.
• To analyze their reaction mechanisms, electrochemical performance, nanostructures, and electrolyte interactions.
• To provide insights into overcoming challenges and guiding future development of high-performance PIBs.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of Sb- and Bi-based chalcogenide anode materials for PIBs.
• Analysis of reaction mechanisms, including alloying and conversion dual mechanisms.
• Evaluation of electrochemical performance metrics and stability.

Main Results:

• Sb- and Bi-based chalcogenides exhibit significant potential for high specific capacity (e.g., K3Sb ~660 mAh g−1, K3Bi ~385 mAh g−1).
• Key challenges include volume expansion, unstable solid-electrolyte interface (SEI), slow kinetics, and polysulfide shuttle effects.
• Ingenious nanostructures and optimized electrolyte systems are crucial for enhancing performance.

Conclusions:

• Sb- and Bi-based chalcogenides are promising anode materials for advanced PIBs.
• Understanding K+ storage mechanisms and material-electrolyte interactions is vital for material design.
• Further research into nanostructuring and electrolytes will accelerate the development of high-performance PIBs.