An advanced sodium-ion rechargeable battery based on a tin-carbon anode and a layered oxide framework cathode

In this work we report the characteristics and performance of a sodium-ion battery based on a Sn-C anode and a Na(Ni0.5Mn0.5)O-2 cathode. We show that both electrodes behave satisfactorily in terms of capacity delivery and cycle life when tested in sodium semicells. By coupling these electrodes in an electrolyte solution of sodium perchlorate in a mixture of propylene carbonate and 2 %vol of fluoroethylene carbonate, a sodium-ion battery showing promising electrochemical performance is obtained. This sodium ion battery in fact operates at an average voltage of 2.8 V, with a specific capacity of 120 mA h g(-1) and with a life extending to 50 cycles with minor capacity decays.