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

This review article aims to provide an updated and comprehensive description of the development of the Electric Current Activated/assisted Sintering technique (ECAS) for the obtainment of dense materials including nanostructured ones. The use of ECAS for pure sintering purposes, when starting from already synthesized powders promoters, and to obtain the desired material by simultaneously performing synthesis and consolidation in one-step is reviewed. Specifically, more than a thousand papers published on this subject during the past decades are taken into account. The experimental procedures, formation mechanisms, characteristics, and functionality of a wide spectrum of dense materials fabricated by ECAS are presented. The influence of the most important operating parameters (i.e. current intensity, temperature, processing time, etc.) on product characteristics and process dynamics is reviewed for a large family of materials including ceramics, intermetallics, metal–ceramic and ceramic–ceramic composites. In this review, systems where synthesis and densification stages occur simultaneously, i.e. a fully dense product is formed immediately after reaction completion, as well as those ones for which a satisfactory densification degree is reached only by maintaining the application of the electric current once the full reaction conversion is obtained, are identified. In addition, emphasis is given to the obtainment of nanostructured dense materials due to their rapid progress and wide applications. Specifically, the effect of mechanical activation by ball milling of starting powders on ECAS process dynamics and product characteristics (i.e. density and microstructure) is analysed. The emerging theme from the large majority of the reviewed investigations is the comparison of ECAS over conventional methods including pressureless sintering, hot pressing, and others. Theoretical analysis pertaining to such technique is also proposed following the last results obtained on this topic.

Consolidation/synthesis of materials by electric current activated/assisted sintering

Commercial lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries suffer from low energy density and do not meet the growing demands of the energy storage market. Therefore, building next-generation rechargeable Li and Li-ion batteries with higher energy densities, better safety characteristics, lower cost and longer cycle life is of outmost importance. To achieve smaller and lighter next-generation rechargeable Li and Li-ion batteries that can outperform commercial Li-ion batteries, several new energy storage chemistries are being extensively studied. In this review, we summarize the current trends and provide guidelines towards achieving this goal, by addressing batteries using high-voltage cathodes, metal fluoride electrodes, chalcogen electrodes, Li metal anodes, high-capacity anodes as well as useful electrolyte solutions. We discuss the choice of active materials, practically achievable energy densities and challenges faced by the respective battery systems. Furthermore, strategies to overcome remaining challenges for achieving energy characteristics are addressed in the hope of providing a useful and balanced assessment of current status and perspectives of rechargeable Li and Li-ion batteries.

Guidelines and trends for next-generation rechargeable lithium and lithium-ion batteries.

https://zenodo.org/record/1197134/files/Elsevier%20paper-AAM-20180302.pdf

Silicon based lithium-ion battery anodes: A chronicle perspective review

Latest research advances on magnesium and magnesium alloys worldwide

Si has been considered as one of the most attractive anode materials for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) because of its high gravimetric and volumetric capacity. Importantly, it is also abundant, cheap, and environmentally benign. In this review, we summarized the recent progress in developments of Si anode materials. First, the electrochemical reaction and failure are outlined, and then, we summarized various methods for improving the battery performance, including those of nanostructuring, alloying, forming hierarchic structures, and using suitable binders. We hope that this review can be of benefit to more intensive investigation of Si-based anode materials.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs40820-014-0008-2.pdf

Si-Based Anode Materials for Li-Ion Batteries: A Mini Review

A new hybrid nanostructure composed of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) FeF3 and an homogenous coating of poly(3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is successfully synthesized using polystyrene (PS) colloidal crystals as hard template, and the coating of PEDOT is achieved through a novel in situ polymerization method. The special nanostructure provides a three-dimensional, continuous, and fast electronic and ionic path in the electrode. Surprisingly, the advantageous combination of 3DOM structure and homogenous coating of PEDOT endows the as-prepared hybrid nanostructures with a stable and high reversible discharge capacity up to 210 mA h g−1 above 2.0 V at room temperature (RT), and a good rate capability of 120 mA h g−1 at a high current density of 1 A g−1, which opens up new opportunities in the development of high performance next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).

Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous FeF3 and its in situ homogenous polymerization coating for high energy and power density lithium ion batteries

Microstructure and mechanical properties of high performance Mg–Gd based alloys

High performance rechargeable batteries are crucial to the development of large‐scale electric energy storage for renewable energies. Following the great success in the field of portable electronics, rechargeable lithium‐ion batteries have risen to prominence as the key energy storage technology for electric vehicle propulsion and in parallel are starting to be evaluated for stationary applications.1 However, we shall always be prepared for the exhaustion of limited and unevenly distributed Li resources in the Earth's crust. In response, room‐temperature Na‐ion batteries (NIBs) have again aroused a great deal of interest recently because Na resources are practically inexhaustible and ubiquitous, which is extremely favorable for large‐scale stationary electric energy storage applications for renewable energies and smart grids.2, 3, 4, 5 However, partially because Na ion is larger and heavier than Li ion, there is still only very limited number of potential cathode materials for NIBs, and the obtained cathode materials are still far from satisfying in terms of specific capacity, rate capability, and cycling stability.6, 7, 8 Therefore, development of advanced cathode materials for NIBs is urgently desirable but remains a great challenge.

Metal vanadates have been proposed as electrode materials due to their structure flexibility, high discharge capacity, and low cost.9 On the other hand, due to their large surface to volume ratio to contact with electrolyte, continuous conducting pathways for electrons through the electrodes, facile strain relaxation during battery operation, etc., 1D structured materials could significantly improve power‐ and energy‐density over bulk electrode materials.10 In these context, nanostructure Ag–V–O and Cu–V–O have been successfully synthesized and showed excellent cathode performances in LIBs;[[qv: 9d–9g]] and single crystalline V2O5 nanobelts indicating a high cathode capacity of 231.4 mAh g−1 for NIBs due to their large interlayer spacing.[[qv: 10c]] However, although alkaline metal vanadates (AMVs) have been found to be potential Li+ and Na+ intercalated electrode materials, there is very few report on AMVs as cathode materials in NIBs, to say nothing of AMVs with uniform morphology, high purity single crystal and 1D structure, which is partially because control of morphology and phase purity of AMVs is very difficult due to their intrinsic phase structure variety and temperature sensitivity. To the best of our knowledge, as a representative example of layered AMVs, the encouraging Na1.1V3O7.9 (NVO) can only be synthesized by complicated or time‐consuming route.[[qv: 11a]],[[qv: 11b]] Even though, the obtained NVO holds irregular shape and inextirpable impurity,[[qv: 11c]] which inevitably casts shadow over its application as cathode materials in rechargeable NIBs. Thereafter, developing new strategy to synthesize pure 1D NVO and then exploring their electrochemical performance toward sodium is of great importance.

Herein, pure single crystalline Na1.1V3O7.9 nanobelts (NVONBs) are successfully synthesized via a facile and low‐temperature strategy using cheap commercial bulk vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as V and Na precursor, respectively. The Rietveld refinement method shows that the NVONBs hold layered structure which could facilitate Na+ insertion/extraction. Inspired by this structure advantage, when used as cathode materials for NIBs between 1.5 and 3.8 V, the NVONBs exhibit superior electrochemical performances, including high specific capacity of 173 mAh g−1, good cycle stability and rate capability, and high coulombic efficiency. Surprisingly, even after 1000 cycles of fast charging/discharging processes, the morphology of NVONBs could keep almost unchanged. Considering the facility and effectiveness of the synthesis route as well as the very promising electrochemical performances, the results obtained here might be extended to other next generation AMVs cathode materials for NIBs.

Pure Single-Crystalline Na1.1V3O7.9 Nanobelts as Superior Cathode Materials for Rechargeable Sodium-Ion Batteries

A preliminary investigation has been carried to evaluate the influence of Al content on the microstructures and mechanical properties of Mg–Al alloys in as-cast condition. Three types of Mg–Al alloys were studied and characterized by Mg–10Al–Zn, Mg–20Al–Zn and Mg–44Al, respectively. The results indicate that the microstructures of all three alloys mainly consist of α-Mg solid solution, β-Mg 17 Al 12 and the eutectic mixture (α-Mg + β-Mg 17 Al 12 ). Increasing the Al content leads to the microstructures changes and increase the micro-hardness of the Mg–Al alloys. When the Al content increases to 44 wt%, the main phase of the alloy is β-Mg 17 Al 12 and the micro-hardness reaches to about 280 (HV). The reasons for these changes were also discussed in this paper.

Zhanyi Cao

Papers

Si-Based Anode Materials for Li-Ion Batteries: A Mini Review

Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous FeF3 and its in situ homogenous polymerization coating for high energy and power density lithium ion batteries

Microstructure and mechanical properties of high performance Mg–Gd based alloys

Pure Single-Crystalline Na1.1V3O7.9 Nanobelts as Superior Cathode Materials for Rechargeable Sodium-Ion Batteries

Effect of Al content on the microstructures and mechanical properties of Mg–Al alloys