A redox acceptor–acceptor nitro functionalized naphthalene diimide/rGO anode for sustainable lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

Organic materials capable of undergoing oxidation and reduction reactions are attracting attention as potential electrode components, providing a more environmentally sustainable alternative for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Despite notable achievements at the laboratory level, these materials still face challenges, such as high solubility in electrolyte solutions and limited thermal stability, leading to capacity degradation. While carbon remains the benchmark for anode materials, issues like irreversible capacity loss and low specific capacity impede the development of advanced LIBs. This study presents a composite material incorporating naphthalene diimide nitro derivatives (NDI-2NO₂ and NDI-4NO₂) into reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as an anode material for LIBs. The inclusion of rGO not only addresses the problem of material dissolution in the organic electrolyte, but also significantly improves the rate performance and conductivity of the resulting composite materials. Specifically, at a current density of 50 mA g⁻¹, the NDI-4NO₂/rGO composite demonstrates a remarkably high specific capacity of 699 mA h g⁻¹, while the NDI-2NO₂/rGO composite yields a specific capacity of approximately 560 mA h g⁻¹. Finally, we showcase that optimal performance as superior anode materials can be achieved by effectively combining organic compounds capable of participating in oxidation and reduction reactions with graphene-based composites.