Boosting fast and stable sodium-ion storage in TiO₂ by amorphization engineering and superstructure design

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries due to the abundance of sodium.
• Developing high-performance anode materials is crucial for advancing SIB technology.
• Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a potential anode material, but its performance is often limited by low conductivity and poor structural stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel hierarchical lamellar superstructure for SIB anodes.
• To investigate the synergistic effects of amorphous TiO2 nanosheets and carbon nanotubes.
• To evaluate the electrochemical performance of the developed anode material in SIBs.

Main Methods:

• Colloidal co-assembly of MXene-derived amorphous TiO2 nanosheets (am-TiO2 NSs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs).
• Fabrication of a hierarchical lamellar superstructure.
• Electrochemical testing of the am-TiO2-CNT electrode in sodium-ion batteries, including rate capability and cycling stability assessments.

Main Results:

• The hierarchical lamellar superstructure was successfully synthesized.
• The am-TiO2-CNT electrode exhibited excellent rate capabilities.
• Exceptional cycling stability was demonstrated for the SIBs utilizing this anode.

Conclusions:

• The developed am-TiO2-CNT hierarchical lamellar superstructure is a highly effective anode material for SIBs.
• The synergistic combination of amorphous nanosheets and CNTs enhances electrochemical performance.
• This work offers a promising pathway for developing advanced anode materials for next-generation energy storage devices.