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ZnFe2O4 (ZFO) nanospheres with complex structures have been synthesized by a one-step simple solvothermal method using two different types of precursors—metal chlorides and nitrates —and were fully characterized by XRD, SEM, XPS, and EDS. The ZFO nanospheres synthesized from chloride salts (ZFO_C) were loose with a size range of 100–200 nm, while the ZFO nanospheres synthesized from nitrate salts (ZFO_N) were dense with a size range of 300–500 nm but consisted of smaller nanoplates. The different morphologies may be caused by the different hydrolysis rates and different stabilizing effects of chloride and nitrate ions interacting with the facets of forming nanoparticles. Electrochemical tests of nitrate-based ZFO nanospheres as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries demonstrated their higher cyclic stability. The ZFO_C and ZFO_N samples have initial specific discharge/charge capacities of 1354/1020 and 1357/954 mAh∙g−1, respectively, with coulombic efficiencies of 75% and 71%. By the 100th cycle, ZFO_N has a capacity of 276 mAh∙g−1, and for ZFO_C, only 210 mAh∙g−1 remains after 100 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) and, in particular, Zn//MnO2 rechargeable batteries have attracted great attention due to the abundant natural resources of zinc and manganese, low cost, environmental friendliness, and high operating voltage. Among the various ways to improve the electrochemical performance of MnO2-based cathodes, the development of MnO2 cathodes doped with metal ions or composites of MnO2 with conducting polymers has shown such advantages as increasing the specific capacity and cycling stability. This mini-review focuses on the strategies to improve the electrochemical performance of manganese-based cathodes of AZIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are being intensively developed as potential alternative electrochemical power sources, due to their advantages such as low cost, high safety, abundance of natural zinc resources and appropriate energy density. Among currently investigated prospective cathode materials for AZIBs, vanadium oxide-based composites with intrinsically conducting polymers have shown many advantages, such as high capacity, high power density and long battery life. This review gives a focused view of the design for the boosting of zinc ion storage performance using intrinsically conducting polymers in vanadium oxide-based composites and the mechanism of intercalation processes. The main challenges in interfacial engineering of vanadium oxide-conducting polymers composite structures and the prospects for further development of such cathode materials are summarized and discussed. The review would give rise to a broad interest focusing on the advantageous strategy of the development of vanadium oxide composite cathodes with intrinsically conducting polymers (polyaniline, polypyrrole, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)) for AZIBs with improved energy density, high-rate capability and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work the nanocomposite of vanadium oxide with conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (VO@PEDOT) was obtained by microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis. The detailed study of its structural and electrochemical properties as cathode of aqueous zinc-ion battery was performed by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge–discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The initial VO@PEDOT composite has layered nanosheets structure with thickness of about 30–80 nm, which are assembled into wavy agglomerated thicker layers of up to 0.3–0.6 μm. The phase composition of the samples was determined by XRD analysis which confirmed lamellar structure of vanadium oxide V10O24∙12H2O with interlayer distance of about 13.6 Å. The VO@PEDOT composite demonstrates excellent electrochemical performance, reaching specific capacities of up to 390 mA∙h∙g−1 at 0.3 A∙g−1. Moreover, the electrodes retain specific capacity of 100 mA∙h∙g−1 at a high current density of 20 A∙g−1. The phase transformations of VO@PEDOT electrodes during the cycling were studied at different degrees of charge/discharge by using ex situ XRD measurements. The results of ex situ XRD allow us to conclude that the reversible zinc ion intercalation occurs in stable zinc pyrovanadate structures formed during discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrodes of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are multicomponent systems and their electrochemical properties are influenced by each component, therefore the composition of electrodes should be properly balanced. At the beginning of lithium-ion battery research, most attention was paid to the nature, size, and morphology peculiarities of inorganic active components as the main components which determine the functional properties of electrode materials. Over the past decade, considerable attention has been paid to development of new binders, as the binders have shown great effect on the electrochemical performance of electrodes in LIBs. The study of new conductive binders, in particular water-based binders with enhanced electronic and ionic conductivity, has become a trend in the development of new electrode materials, especially the conversion/alloying-type anodes. This mini-review provides a summary on the progress of current research of the effects of binders on the electrochemical properties of intercalation electrodes, with particular attention to the mechanisms of binder effects. The comparative analysis of effects of three different binders (PEDOT:PSS/CMC, CMC, and PVDF) for a number of oxide-based and phosphate-based positive and negative electrodes for lithium-ion batteries was performed based on literature and our own published research data. It reveals that the combined PEDOT:PSS/CMC binder can be considered as a versatile component of lithium-ion battery electrode materials (for both positive and negative electrodes), effective in the wide range of electrode potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]