Sb₂O₅/Co-containing carbon polyhedra as anode material for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

Antimony-based oxides (Sb_xO_y) have been considered as promising candidate anode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). However, the poor electrical conductivity and huge volume change of Sb_xO_y during lithium insertion and extraction hinder its lithium-storage performance. In this work, Sb₂O₅/Co-containing carbon polyhedra (SCCP) were prepared through a galvanic replacement reaction accompanied by oxidation process. Sb₂O₅ possesses high theoretical capacity and carbon not only effectively improves the charge transport ability but also accommodates the volume change of Sb₂O₅ during charge/discharge process. Besides, the inner metallic Co further enhances the electrical conductivity of the composite. Furthermore, the dominated capacitive contribution of SCCP electrode can also improve its lithium-storage performance. Benefiting from the synergetic effects of these factors, when used as anode material for LIBs, SCCP demonstrates an ultrahigh specific capacity of 1009 mA h g⁻¹ at 100 mA g⁻¹ after 100 cycles. Even at a high current density of 1000 mA g⁻¹, a reversible capacity of 462.8 mA h g⁻¹ is still achieved after 700 cycles. SCCP should be a promising anode material for next generation LIBs.