Zhang Chuhong, Sichuan University, angelw: new progress of sodium ion battery research!

Germanium phosphide (GEP) has slow reaction kinetics and drastic volume change, which seriously hinders its practical application in batteries. The design of nanostructures to solve these problems is very promising, but it is still a huge challenge. In view of this, Zhang Chuhong and other researchers from Sichuan University reported a tunable hollow nanoreactor for in-situ synthesis of GEP electrode for high performance sodium ion batteries.

The researchers first proposed the in situ synthesis of GEP electrode in hollow nano reactor assembled by nitrogen-doped carbon network. The nanoreactor forms a self-supporting conductive network, which ensures sufficient electrolyte penetration and rapid electronic transmission. In addition, they inhibit the growth of GEP crystal, and also regulate the volume expansion of GEP.

The reaction kinetics and constraint effect were further optimized by adjusting the size of the nanoreactor. These synergistic effects make the optimized GEP electrode have high reversible capacity, excellent cycling performance and sodium storage rate performance, which is better than most phosphates reported in the past.

This paper emphasizes a high efficiency and simple method, which makes the performance of GEP closer to the practical application of energy storage.