Bismuth germanate (Bi4Ge3O12), a promising high-capacity lithium-ion battery anode

Abstract

An unexplored promising lithiation-host anode material, Bi₄Ge₃O₁₂, delivers a reversible specific discharge capacity of ∼586 mA h g⁻¹ at 200 mA g⁻¹ after 500 cycles with a coulombic efficiency of ∼99.8%. DFT calculations detected distorted [BiO₆]⁹⁻ octahedra, and the band structure of BGO revealed an indirect gap of 3.50 eV. A plausible reaction mechanism of storing lithium is proposed.