Carbon-coated Sb2Se3 composite as anode material for sodium ion batteries

Carbon-coated Sb2Se3 composite (Sb2Se3@C) is prepared via high energy mechanical milling accompanied with planetary milling method and investigated as a novel anode for Na-ion batteries for the first time. It exhibits a high Na-storage capacity of 650 mAh g(-1) at 0.1 A g(-1), and maintains a reversible capacity of 624 mAh g(-1) with negligible capacity fading at 0.2 A g(-1) after 100 cycles, demonstrating a stable cycling performance. In addition, the ex situ XRD analysis reveals that the Na-storage mechanism of the Sb2Se3@C anode includes conversion reaction and alloying reaction. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.