Tailoring nanoporous structures of Ge anodes for stable potassium-ion batteries

Qing Yang; Zhifeng Wang; Wei Xi; Guang He

Electrochemistry Communications (Apr 2019)

Tailoring nanoporous structures of Ge anodes for stable potassium-ion batteries

Qing Yang,
Zhifeng Wang,
Wei Xi,
Guang He

Affiliations

Qing Yang: Tianjin Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Porous Materials, Institute for New Energy Materials and Low-Carbon Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, PR China
Zhifeng Wang: Tianjin Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Porous Materials, Institute for New Energy Materials and Low-Carbon Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, PR China; School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300130, PR China
Wei Xi: Tianjin Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Porous Materials, Institute for New Energy Materials and Low-Carbon Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, PR China
Guang He: Tianjin Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Porous Materials, Institute for New Energy Materials and Low-Carbon Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, PR China; Corresponding author.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 101
pp. 68 – 72

Abstract

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We present here for the first time the electrochemical behavior of germanium anodes in potassium-ion batteries (KIBs). Nanoporous germanium (np-Ge) samples were fabricated by the chemical-dealloying method using Al as the sacrificial metal. Galvanostatic tests identified the reversible potassiation of the np-Ge anodes and the optimal sample with tuned porosities and ligaments demonstrated stable capacities of ~120 mAh g−1 over 400 cycles. Further analysis of the np-Ge electrode revealed amorphous KGe alloys were formed upon discharge. This study suggest germanium can be a potential anode in KIBs, but the structural tailoring is critical to overcome the kinetics problems of the large K-ions. Keywords: Potassium-ion batteries, Chemical dealloying, Nanoporous materials, Germanium anodes

Published in Electrochemistry Communications

ISSN: 1388-2481 (Print); 1873-1902 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Technology: Chemical technology: Industrial electrochemistry; Science: Chemistry
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/electrochemistry-communications

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