Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with outstanding energy and power density have been extensively investigated in recent years, rendering them the most suitable energy storage technology for application in emerging markets such as electric vehicles and stationary storage. More recently, sodium, one of the most abundant elements on earth, exhibiting similar physicochemical properties as lithium, has been gaining increasing attention for the development of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) in order to address the concern about Li availability and cost—especially with regard to stationary applications for which size and volume of the battery are of less importance. Compared with traditional intercalation reactions, conversion reaction-based transition metal oxides (TMOs) are prospective anode materials for rechargeable batteries thanks to their low cost and high gravimetric specific capacities. In this review, the recent progress and remaining challenges of conversion reactions for LIBs and SIBs are discussed, covering an overview about the different synthesis methods, morphological characteristics, as well as their electrochemical performance. Potential future research directions and a perspective toward the practical application of TMOs for electrochemical energy storage are also provided.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aenm.201902485

Transition Metal Oxide Anodes for Electrochemical Energy Storage in Lithium- and Sodium-Ion Batteries

Financial supports from the NSFC (Grant Nos. 11575085, 51602154, 11472131, and 11622218), the Aeronautics Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 2017ZF52066), the Qing Lan Project, Six talent peaks project in Jiangsu Province (Project No. XCL-035), the Jiangsu NSF (BK20160037), the program of China Scholarships Council (Grant No. 201806830013), Funding for Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation in NUAA (BCXJ 18-07), the Open Research Fund of Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory for Nanotechnology of Nanjing University, and the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD) are gratefully acknowledged.

Defect Engineering in Two Common Types of Dielectric Materials for Electromagnetic Absorption Applications

As emerging crystalline porous organic-inorganic hybrid materials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been widely used as sacrificial precursors for the synthesis of carbon materials, metal/metal compounds, and their composites with tunable and controllable nanostructures and chemical compositions for electrochemical energy applications. Herein, recent progress of MOF-derived nanomaterials for various electrochemical energy storage and conversion applications including Li-ion batteries, Li-S batteries, Na-ion batteries, supercapacitors, water splitting, and oxygen reduction reaction is reviewed. Structural and compositional design of MOF-derived nanomaterials is systematically summarized, which may hopefully offer inspirations and guidances for future development of MOF-derived nanomaterials for more efficient and more durable electrochemical energy applications.

Metal-organic framework-derived materials for electrochemical energy applications

Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) are attractive for grid-scale energy storage due to the abundant potassium resource and high energy density. The key to achieving high-performance and large-scale energy storage technology lies in seeking eco-efficient synthetic processes to the design of suitable anode materials. Herein, a spherical sponge-like carbon superstructure (NCS) assembled by 2D nanosheets is rationally and efficiently designed for K+ storage. The optimized NCS electrode exhibits an outstanding rate capability, high reversible specific capacity (250 mAh g−1 at 200 mA g−1 after 300 cycles), and promising cycling performance (205 mAh g−1 at 1000 mA g−1 after 2000 cycles). The superior performance can be attributed to the unique robust spherical structure and 3D electrical transfer network together with nitrogen-rich nanosheets. Moreover, the regulation of the nitrogen doping types and morphology of NCS-5 is also discussed in detail based on the experiments results and density functional theory calculations. This strategy for manipulating the structure and properties of 3D materials is expected to meet the grand challenges for advanced carbon materials as high-performance PIB anodes in practical applications.

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Enhanced Potassium-Ion Storage of the 3D Carbon Superstructure by Manipulating the Nitrogen-Doped Species and Morphology

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been widely recognized as one of the most fascinating classes of materials from science and engineering perspectives, benefiting from their high porosity and well-defined and tailored structures and components at the atomic level. Although their intrinsic micropores endow size-selective capability and high surface area, etc., the narrow pores limit their applications toward diffusion-control and large-size species involved processes. In recent years, the construction of hierarchically porous MOFs (HP-MOFs), MOF-based hierarchically porous composites, and MOF-based hierarchically porous derivatives has captured widespread interest to extend the applications of conventional MOF-based materials. In this Review, the recent advances in the design, synthesis, and functional applications of MOF-based hierarchically porous materials are summarized. Their structural characters toward various applications, including catalysis, gas storage and separation, air filtration, sewage treatment, sensing and energy storage, have been demonstrated with typical reports. The comparison of HP-MOFs with traditional porous materials (e.g., zeolite, porous silica, carbons, metal oxides, and polymers), subsisting challenges, as well as future directions in this research field, are also indicated.

Metal-Organic Framework-Based Hierarchically Porous Materials: Synthesis and Applications.

FeSe2/N‐C rods with controllable size are well‐designed from Prussian blue with Se under the assistance of heating rates. It is found that the smallest size induces a broadening of energy levels for ions participating in redox reactions. This work might enhance the in‐depth understanding and tailoring strategies of the size effect on fast energy storage for metal‐selenide as sodium‐ion batteries anodes.

Peng Ge

Papers

Tailoring Rod-Like FeSe2 Coated with Nitrogen-Doped Carbon for High-Performance Sodium Storage

Carbon quantum dot micelles tailored hollow carbon anode for fast potassium and sodium storage

Hierarchical Hollow‐Microsphere Metal–Selenide@Carbon Composites with Rational Surface Engineering for Advanced Sodium Storage

Anions induced evolution of Co3X4 (X = O, S, Se) as sodium-ion anodes: The influences of electronic structure, morphology, electrochemical property

Binding MoSe2 with carbon constrained in carbonous nanosphere towards high-capacity and ultrafast Li/Na-ion storage