One-step electrochemical synthesis and optimization of Sb-Co-P alloy anode for sodium ion battery

The Sb-Co-P anode prepared successfully through the low-cost electrodeposition method was examined to be a feasible and effective anode for sodium ion batteries. Under specified conditions, Sb21.0Co46.9P32.1 showed a high reversible charging capacity of 586.3 mAh∙g−1, with an initial coulombic efficiency of 84.4% and a capacity retention rate of 77.6% after 100 cycles. The improved electrochemical performance of the optimized Sb21.0Co46.9P32.1 anode is mainly due to the "active-inactive-active" matrix and its unique leaf-shaped cluster structure. Furthermore, the reaction mechanism of sodium storage was revealed by in situ X-ray diffraction. This work provides a potential opportunity for the scalable fabrication of Sb-based alloys for high-performance sodium-ion batteries.