Improving Na<sub>2</sub>Ti<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub> Anode Performance in Sodium-Ion Batteries via a Al Doping

Na<sub>2</sub>Ti<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub> (NTO), with low sodium insertion potential (~0.3 V vs. Na<sup>+</sup>/Na) and potential for high-energy-density batteries, is regarded as one of the most promising anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs...

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Main Authors: Chen Wu, Yuandong Xia, Kejing Song, Yongda Cao, Chenzhi Huang, Jiayi Chen, Yuan Wang, Chunliu Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Nanomaterials
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/12/885
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author Chen Wu
Yuandong Xia
Kejing Song
Yongda Cao
Chenzhi Huang
Jiayi Chen
Yuan Wang
Chunliu Xu
author_facet Chen Wu
Yuandong Xia
Kejing Song
Yongda Cao
Chenzhi Huang
Jiayi Chen
Yuan Wang
Chunliu Xu
author_sort Chen Wu
collection DOAJ
description Na<sub>2</sub>Ti<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub> (NTO), with low sodium insertion potential (~0.3 V vs. Na<sup>+</sup>/Na) and potential for high-energy-density batteries, is regarded as one of the most promising anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, its practical application is hindered by poor electronic conductivity, sluggish Na⁺ (de)intercalation kinetics, and interfacial instability, leading to inferior cycling stability, low initial Coulombic efficiency, and poor rate capability. In this work, micron-sized rod-like NTO and Al-doped NTO (NTO-Al) samples were synthesized via a one-step high-temperature solid-state method. Al doping slightly reduced the size of NTO microrods while introducing oxygen vacancies and generating Ti<sup>3+</sup>, thereby enhancing electronic conductivity and reducing ionic diffusion resistance. H<sub>2</sub>-TPR confirms that doping activates lattice oxygen and promotes its participation in the reaction. The optimized NTO-Al0.03 electrode delivered a significantly improved initial charge capacity of 147.4 mA h g<sup>−1</sup> at 0.5 C, surpassing pristine NTO (124.7 mA h g<sup>−1</sup>). Moreover, it exhibited the best cycling stability (49.5% capacity retention after 100 cycles) and rate performance (36.3 mA h g<sup>−1</sup> at 2 C).
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spelling doaj-art-6be035ef44434c2d81e06ddc50ed3c7c2025-08-20T02:21:09ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912025-06-01151288510.3390/nano15120885Improving Na<sub>2</sub>Ti<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub> Anode Performance in Sodium-Ion Batteries via a Al DopingChen Wu0Yuandong Xia1Kejing Song2Yongda Cao3Chenzhi Huang4Jiayi Chen5Yuan Wang6Chunliu Xu7Natural Gas Research Institute, PetroChina Southwest Oil & Gasfield Company, Chengdu 610213, ChinaCollege of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, ChinaNatural Gas Research Institute, PetroChina Southwest Oil & Gasfield Company, Chengdu 610213, ChinaNatural Gas Research Institute, PetroChina Southwest Oil & Gasfield Company, Chengdu 610213, ChinaNatural Gas Research Institute, PetroChina Southwest Oil & Gasfield Company, Chengdu 610213, ChinaCollege of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, ChinaCollege of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, ChinaResearch Institute of Frontier Science, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials-(Ministry of Education), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, ChinaNa<sub>2</sub>Ti<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub> (NTO), with low sodium insertion potential (~0.3 V vs. Na<sup>+</sup>/Na) and potential for high-energy-density batteries, is regarded as one of the most promising anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, its practical application is hindered by poor electronic conductivity, sluggish Na⁺ (de)intercalation kinetics, and interfacial instability, leading to inferior cycling stability, low initial Coulombic efficiency, and poor rate capability. In this work, micron-sized rod-like NTO and Al-doped NTO (NTO-Al) samples were synthesized via a one-step high-temperature solid-state method. Al doping slightly reduced the size of NTO microrods while introducing oxygen vacancies and generating Ti<sup>3+</sup>, thereby enhancing electronic conductivity and reducing ionic diffusion resistance. H<sub>2</sub>-TPR confirms that doping activates lattice oxygen and promotes its participation in the reaction. The optimized NTO-Al0.03 electrode delivered a significantly improved initial charge capacity of 147.4 mA h g<sup>−1</sup> at 0.5 C, surpassing pristine NTO (124.7 mA h g<sup>−1</sup>). Moreover, it exhibited the best cycling stability (49.5% capacity retention after 100 cycles) and rate performance (36.3 mA h g<sup>−1</sup> at 2 C).https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/12/885sodium-ion batteriesNa<sub>2</sub>Ti<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub>Al dopingelectrochemical performanceCoulombic efficiency
spellingShingle Chen Wu
Yuandong Xia
Kejing Song
Yongda Cao
Chenzhi Huang
Jiayi Chen
Yuan Wang
Chunliu Xu
Improving Na<sub>2</sub>Ti<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub> Anode Performance in Sodium-Ion Batteries via a Al Doping
Nanomaterials
sodium-ion batteries
Na<sub>2</sub>Ti<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub>
Al doping
electrochemical performance
Coulombic efficiency
title Improving Na<sub>2</sub>Ti<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub> Anode Performance in Sodium-Ion Batteries via a Al Doping
title_full Improving Na<sub>2</sub>Ti<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub> Anode Performance in Sodium-Ion Batteries via a Al Doping
title_fullStr Improving Na<sub>2</sub>Ti<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub> Anode Performance in Sodium-Ion Batteries via a Al Doping
title_full_unstemmed Improving Na<sub>2</sub>Ti<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub> Anode Performance in Sodium-Ion Batteries via a Al Doping
title_short Improving Na<sub>2</sub>Ti<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub> Anode Performance in Sodium-Ion Batteries via a Al Doping
title_sort improving na sub 2 sub ti sub 3 sub o sub 7 sub anode performance in sodium ion batteries via a al doping
topic sodium-ion batteries
Na<sub>2</sub>Ti<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub>
Al doping
electrochemical performance
Coulombic efficiency
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/12/885
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