Porous NaTi2(PO4)3 nanocubes: a high-rate nonaqueous sodium anode material with more than 10 000 cycle life

Abstract

Besides targeting low-voltage intercalation, NaTi₂(PO₄)₃ (NTP) is a promising negative electrode material for non-aqueous sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, the low electronic conductivity of this material inhibits its potential applications. Herein, we report the controllable synthesis of four interesting porous NTP nanocubes via a one-pot solvothermal method. The as-synthesized products have shown excellent high-rate performance and cycling stability as SIB anodes. After 10 000 cycles at a 10C rate, 75.5% of the initial capacity is retained, which exceeds those of most of the reported SIB anode materials. Even at an extremely high rate of 100C, the NTP nanocubes can still deliver considerable reversible capacities after deep charging/discharging for 15 000 cycles. The superior electrochemical performances can be attributed to their unique nanostructures. We hope that such a finding of the new construction will enrich the NTP system and provide several possible candidates for SIB anodes.