Energy production and storage technologies have attracted a great deal of attention for day-to-day applications. In recent decades, advances in lithium-ion battery (LIB) technology have improved living conditions around the globe. LIBs are used in most mobile electronic devices as well as in zero-emission electronic vehicles. However, there are increasing concerns regarding load leveling of renewable energy sources and the smart grid as well as the sustainability of lithium sources due to their limited availability and consequent expected price increase. Therefore, whether LIBs alone can satisfy the rising demand for small- and/or mid-to-large-format energy storage applications remains unclear. To mitigate these issues, recent research has focused on alternative energy storage systems. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are considered as the best candidate power sources because sodium is widely available and exhibits similar chemistry to that of LIBs; therefore, SIBs are promising next-generation alternatives. Recently, sodiated layer transition metal oxides, phosphates and organic compounds have been introduced as cathode materials for SIBs. Simultaneously, recent developments have been facilitated by the use of select carbonaceous materials, transition metal oxides (or sulfides), and intermetallic and organic compounds as anodes for SIBs. Apart from electrode materials, suitable electrolytes, additives, and binders are equally important for the development of practical SIBs. Despite developments in electrode materials and other components, there remain several challenges, including cell design and electrode balancing, in the application of sodium ion cells. In this article, we summarize and discuss current research on materials and propose future directions for SIBs. This will provide important insights into scientific and practical issues in the development of SIBs.

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Sodium-ion batteries: present and future

Grid-scale energy storage systems (ESSs) that can connect to sustainable energy resources have received great attention in an effort to satisfy ever-growing energy demands. Although recent advances in Li-ion battery (LIB) technology have increased the energy density to a level applicable to grid-scale ESSs, the high cost of Li and transition metals have led to a search for lower-cost battery system alternatives. Based on the abundance and accessibility of Na and its similar electrochemistry to the well-established LIB technology, Na-ion batteries (NIBs) have attracted significant attention as an ideal candidate for grid-scale ESSs. Since research on NIB chemistry resurged in 2010, various positive and negative electrode materials have been synthesized and evaluated for NIBs. Nonetheless, studies on NIB chemistry are still in their infancy compared with LIB technology, and further improvements are required in terms of energy, power density, and electrochemical stability for commercialization. Most recent progress on electrode materials for NIBs, including the discovery of new electrode materials and their Na storage mechanisms, is briefly reviewed. In addition, efforts to enhance the electrochemical properties of NIB electrode materials as well as the challenges and perspectives involving these materials are discussed.

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Recent Progress in Electrode Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries

In this critical Review we focus on the evolution of the hybrid ion capacitor (HIC) from its early embodiments to its modern form, focusing on the key outstanding scientific and technological questions that necessitate further in-depth study. It may be argued that HICs began as aqueous systems, based on a Faradaic oxide positive electrode (e.g., Co3O4, RuOx) and an activated carbon ion-adsorption negative electrode. In these early embodiments HICs were meant to compete directly with electrical double layer capacitors (EDLCs), rather than with the much higher energy secondary batteries. The HIC design then evolved to be based on a wide voltage (∼4.2 V) carbonate-based battery electrolyte, using an insertion titanium oxide compound anode (Li4Ti5O12, LixTi5O12) versus a Li ion adsorption porous carbon cathode. The modern Na and Li architectures contain a diverse range of nanostructured materials in both electrodes, including TiO2, Li7Ti5O12, Li4Ti5O12, Na6LiTi5O12, Na2Ti3O7, graphene, hard carbon, soft carbo...

Review of Hybrid Ion Capacitors: From Aqueous to Lithium to Sodium.

Na-ion batteries have emerged in recent years, due to their advantages of natural abundance, low cost and environmental friendliness. In this article, we review the up-to-date research progress on anode materials for Na-ion batteries from five respects: carbon-based materials, alloy-based materials, metal oxides and sulfides based on conversion reaction, titanium-based compounds with insertion mechanism, and organic composites. In particular, we not only summarize the Na-storage mechanism of these anodes, but also discuss the failure mechanism. The problems and challenges associated with these anodes are pointed out. Furthermore, on the basis of extensive reports and our experimental studies, feasible strategies are suggested for designing high performance anode materials. After further in-depth exploration and investigation, we believe that Na-ion batteries are promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries for low cost and large-scale energy storage systems in the near future.

Update on anode materials for Na-ion batteries

Tuning nitrogen species in three-dimensional porous carbon via phosphorus doping for ultra-fast potassium storage

The electrochemical properties of the rutile-type TiO2 and Nb-doped TiO2 were investigated for the first time as Na-ion battery anodes. Ti1–xNbxO2 thick-film electrodes without a binder and a conductive additive were prepared using a sol–gel method followed by a gas-deposition method. The TiO2 electrode showed reversible reactions of Na insertion/extraction accompanied by expansion/contraction of the TiO2 lattice. Among the Ti1–xNbxO2 electrodes with x = 0–0.18, the Ti0.94Nb0.06O2 electrode exhibited the best cycling performance, with a reversible capacity of 160 mA h g–1 at the 50th cycle. As the Li-ion battery anode, this electrode also attained an excellent rate capability, with a capacity of 120 mA h g–1 even at the high current density of 16.75 A g–1 (50C). The improvements in the performances are attributed to a 3 orders of magnitude higher electronic conductivity of Ti0.94Nb0.06O2 compared to that of TiO2. This offers the possibility of Nb-doped rutile TiO2 as a Na-ion battery anode as well as a Li...

Nb-doped rutile TiO₂: a potential anode material for Na-ion battery.

As anode materials of Li-ion and Na-ion batteries, the electrochemical insertion/extraction reactions of Li and Na were investigated for a rutile-type Nb-doped TiO2 synthesized by a sol–gel method. We changed the particle and crystallite sizes of the Nb-doped rutile TiO2 powders by annealing at various temperatures between 100 and 1000 °C and prepared thick-film electrodes consisting of the powders. The anode performances were remarkably improved not only in the Li-ion battery but also in the Na-ion battery with a reduced annealing temperature of 400 from 1000 °C. We revealed that the Nb-doped TiO2 showing better high-rate performances exhibited a larger ratio of crystallite size to particle size. The size-dependent enhancement in the performance of rutile TiO2 was much more drastic than that of anatase TiO2. These results suggest that rutile’s potential diffusivity of Li and Na appeared more obviously when increasing the ratio because its diffusion coefficient is anisotropic and significantly high.

Electrochemical Lithiation and Sodiation of Nb-Doped Rutile TiO2

Sulfonyl indoles were synthesized by migratory cycloisomerization from the allene N-tosyl-o-allenylaniline. 3-Tosyl indoles or 4-tosyl indoles were selectively produced using a Pd catalyst or a Au catalyst, respectively.

Development of Cycloisomerization with Rearrangement of a Tosyl Group Using N-Tosyl-o-allenylaniline.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-023-05078-5.pdf

A versatile Plasmodium falciparum reporter line expressing NanoLuc enables highly sensitive multi-stage drug assays

This paper provides the first report of the intramolecular [2+2] cycloaddition of vinylsilane. The [2+2] cycloaddition of allenes is a useful reaction that can synthesize cyclobutanes. However, no previous works have attempted to control the regioselectivity between the two double bonds of allenes only by changing the reaction conditions, although there have been some reports of the regioselective [2+2] cycloaddition of allenes by changing the substrate. In this study, we have succeeded in controlling intramolecular [2+2] cycloaddition reactions at the proximal and distal positions of allenes simply by changing the reaction conditions. We found that the atomic radius of silicon is very important for perfect control of the reaction's sites. The structures of all key compounds were determined by the crystal sponge method which could identify the structures of liquid compounds.

Sho Yoshioka

Papers

Nb-doped rutile TiO₂: a potential anode material for Na-ion battery.

Electrochemical Lithiation and Sodiation of Nb-Doped Rutile TiO2

Development of Cycloisomerization with Rearrangement of a Tosyl Group Using N-Tosyl-o-allenylaniline.

A versatile Plasmodium falciparum reporter line expressing NanoLuc enables highly sensitive multi-stage drug assays

Reagent-Controlled Regioselective Intramolecular [2+2] Cycloaddition between Vinylsilanes and Allenes.