Effect of Post-synthesis Processing on the Electrochemical Performance of Y2W3O12

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are enabling the uptake of electric vehicles and providing grid-scale storage solutions for renewable energy generation. However, it is vital to develop new and advanced electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries to meet various applied considerations such as cost, safety, toxicity, and performance. Here, solid-state synthesized Y2W3O12 is demonstrated as a high-rate active anode material in lithium-ion batteries, producing an initial discharge capacity of 637 mAh/g although with a very poor initial Coulombic efficiency of 35%. To improve the performance, simple post-synthetic milling and carbon coating are investigated. Carbon coating of the material leads to significant performance enhancement in both the unmilled and milled samples. For instance, the unmilled carbon coated electrodes maintained a high capacity of similar to 140 mAh/g at 1600 mA/g after 2000 cycles with no capacity fading from cycle 200 to 2000. Such a remarkable rate performance and an excellent long-term cycling stability showcase the great potential of this unconventional electrode material in fast-charge and high-power applications. This facile post-synthesis process can be easily applied to other electrode material candidates to enhance their electrochemical performance.

Automated summary

Lithium-ion batteries are crucial for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. The development of new electrode materials is vital to meet various considerations. In this study, Y2W3O12 was demonstrated as a high-rate anode material in lithium-ion batteries, with post-synthetic milling and carbon coating significantly enhancing its performance. The carbon-coated electrodes showed remarkable rate performance and long-term cycling stability, indicating the potential for fast-charge and high-power applications. This post-synthesis process can also be applied to improve the electrochemical performance of other electrode materials.