New High‐Performance Pb‐Based Nanocomposite Anode Enabled by Wide‐Range Pb Redox and Zintl Phase Transition
Jinhyup Han, Jehee Park, Seong‐Min Bak, Seoung‐Bum Son, Jihyeon Gim, Cesar Villa, Xiaobing Hu, Vinayak P. Dravid, Chi Cheung Su, Youngsik Kim, Christopher S. Johnson, Eungje Lee
Abstract
Abstract This paper describes a new, high‐performance, Pb‐based nanocomposite anode material for lithium‐ion batteries. A unique nanocomposite structure of Pb@PbO core‐shell nanoparticles in a carbon matrix is obtained by using a simple high‐energy ball milling method using the low‐cost starting materials PbO and carbon black. Electrochemical performance tests show its excellent reversible capacity (≈600 mAh g −1 ) and cycle stability (92% retention at 100th cycle), which are one of the best values reported for Pb‐based anodes in the literature. Synchrotron X‐ray diffraction and absorption techniques revealed the detailed lithium storage mechanism that can be highlighted with the unexpectedly wide reversible Pb redox range (between Pb 2+ and Pb 4− ) and the evolution of Zintl‐type Li y Pb structures during the electrochemical lithium reaction. The results provide new insights into the lithium storage mechanism of these Pb‐based materials and their potential as low‐cost, high‐performance anodes.