Experimental and computational analysis of SnSx encapsulated into carbonized chitosan as electrode material for potassium ion batteries

Andrzej P Nowak; Anna Rokicińska; Zhilong Wang; Marta Prześniak-Welenc; Zuzanna Zarach; Kehao Tao; Daria Roda; Mariusz Szkoda; Konrad Trzciński; Jinjin Li; Piotr Kuśtrowski

doi:10.1038/s41598-024-82588-0

Experimental and computational analysis of SnS_x encapsulated into carbonized chitosan as electrode material for potassium ion batteries

Sci Rep. 2024 Dec 28;14(1):31212. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-82588-0.

Authors

Andrzej P Nowak^{1

2}, Anna Rokicińska³, Zhilong Wang^{4

5}, Marta Prześniak-Welenc^{6

7}, Zuzanna Zarach⁸, Kehao Tao^{4

5}, Daria Roda⁸, Mariusz Szkoda^{8

6}, Konrad Trzciński^{8

6}, Jinjin Li⁹, Piotr Kuśtrowski¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland. [email protected].
² Advanced Materials Center, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland. [email protected].
³ Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387, Kraków, Poland.
⁴ National Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro and Nano Manufacture Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
⁵ Department of Micro/Nano Electronics, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
⁶ Advanced Materials Center, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland.
⁷ Institute of Nanotechnology and Materials Engineering, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland.
⁸ Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland.
⁹ National Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro and Nano Manufacture Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China. [email protected].
¹⁰ Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387, Kraków, Poland. [email protected].

Abstract

Tin sulphide compounds (SnS_x, x = 1, 2) are potential anode materials for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) due to their characteristic layered structure, high theoretical capacity, non-toxicity and low production cost. However, they suffer from significant volume changes resulting in poor performance of such anodes. In this work incorporation of SnS_x into the carbon structure was expected to overcome these disadvantages. Two SnS-based electrode materials encapsulated into chitosan, as a natural carbon source, are fabricated by two different synthesis routes: (a) solvothermal, and (b) solvothermal followed by pyrolysis. The results indicate that the synthesis route is a crucial factor affecting the composition and electrochemical performance of the negative electrode. The electrode material, exhibiting a high reversible capacity (304 mAh/g at 50 mA/g), and good rate capability (128 mAh/g at 1000 mA/g for 500 cycles) is produced by the solvothermal method. The relationship between specific capacity and synthesis procedure is analyzed using the results obtained from XRD, XPS. Additionally, density functional theory is employed to provide deeper insights into the underlying mechanisms governing the electrochemical performance of the SnS_x@C electrode materials.

Keywords: Chitosan; Computational modeling; Electrode material; Potassium-ion battery; Tin sulphide.

Abstract

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