Perspective on the synergistic effect of chalcogenide multiphases in sodium-ion batteries

Abstract

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have been widely studied and developed due to their rich resources, low cost and high safety. Conversion- and alloy-type chalcogenides are considered to be promising anode materials because of their excellent redox reversibility and high theoretical specific capacity. However, they suffer from large volume expansion and unsatisfactory cycling stability. Multiphase construction technology has been considered as an effective strategy to solve these problems. In view of the summarized characteristics and the problems with chalcogenides, the synergistic effect of multiphase construction is proposed to achieve better properties of these materials, including satisfactory pseudocapacitance, restrained expansion, suppressed side reactions and enhanced cycling performance. Finally, an in-depth understanding and perspectives are also provided, highlighting scientific suggestions and directions for further research. This review aims to present a full scope of multiphase chalcogenides and provide insightful perspectives for the rational design of the next generation of advanced anode materials for use in SIBs.