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Updated: Mar 14, 2026

Characterization of Electrode Materials for Lithium Ion and Sodium Ion Batteries Using Synchrotron Radiation Techniques
Published on: November 11, 2013
Dual-Electrode-Functional Covalent Organic Polymer Designed by a Capacity-Voltage-Related Descriptor for Superior and
Tianjiang Sun1, Weijia Zhang2, Mengyao Shi2
1School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213164, P. R. China.
A new descriptor, the active-to-inactive atom ratio (A/I), enables the design of high-capacity organic electrode materials (OEMs). TAPT-COP, a novel polymer, demonstrates excellent performance in lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries due to its high A/I ratio.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Organic electrode materials (OEMs) offer structural flexibility but suffer from low capacity and limited functionality.
- Existing OEMs often struggle to balance high energy density with multifunctional applications.
- A need exists for novel design principles to enhance OEM performance for energy storage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a capacity-voltage-related descriptor, the active-to-inactive atom ratio (A/I), for designing advanced OEMs.
- To synthesize and characterize a covalent organic polymer (TAPT-COP) as a proof of concept for high-performance electrodes.
- To evaluate the potential of TAPT-COP in both lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries.
Main Methods:
- Design of TAPT-COP based on a high A/I ratio (0.61) utilizing abundant active groups (C═O, C═N).
- Electrochemical evaluation of TAPT-COP as both cathode and anode in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs).
- In situ spectroscopic analyses (Raman, FTIR) and density functional theoretical (DFT) calculations to elucidate storage mechanisms.
Main Results:
- TAPT-COP exhibits high Li+/Na+ storage capacities: 353.5 mAh g−1 (cathode) and 383.0 mAh g−1 (anode) for LIBs; 329.6 mAh g−1 (cathode) and 352.0 mAh g−1 (anode) for SIBs.
- The material demonstrates excellent rate capabilities and superior antifreezing performance.
- Spectroscopic and theoretical studies confirm that C═O and C═N groups act as coordination sites for up to 60 Li+ ions per TAPT-COP unit, driving high capacity.
Conclusions:
- The A/I ratio is an effective descriptor for designing high-capacity and multifunctional OEMs.
- TAPT-COP shows remarkable performance as both a cathode and anode material for LIBs and SIBs, attributed to its rich active sites.
- TAPT-COP exhibits enhanced stability when used as separated electrodes, highlighting its promise for next-generation energy storage.
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