Preparation of flower-like iron phosphate materials as a novel anode for dual-ion batteries

Abstract

Dual-ion batteries (DIBs) have exceptional advantages over other electrochemical energy storage devices. In particular, the application of graphite cathodes exhibits superior properties in terms of cost and safety. However, these batteries still suffer from decomposition of the electrolyte under a high voltage for the traditional anode electrode. At the same time, the formation the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) of the anode also results in a high irreversibility. In this study, a novel type of anode material, FePO₄, is explored for possible applications in DIBs. The low voltage range of FePO₄ is controlled by partial lithiation to improve the cycling stability. The flower-like structure can enable fast transportation of the electrons and ions in an ultra-thick electrode. Furthermore, the electrochemical performance was studied in great detail under different loading masses in full batteries. The results of the studies confirm that FePO₄ could yield stable cycling of DIBs, showing obvious application advantages with low costs and without resource constraints for medium and long-term development opportunities.