Cu@MOF based composite materials: High performance anode electrodes for lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries

In order to satisfy the increasing demand for energy, it is essential to improve the efficiency of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) batteries. Metal selenides (MSes) have a high theoretical specific capacity, can be designed in a variety of ways, conduct electricity well, can change morphology easily, and have a multi-electron reaction mechanism. These characteristics make them very competitive as anode materials for LIBs and SIBs. Herein, we synthesise Cu@MOF and Cu@NH2-MOF as the precursor to prepare Cu1.95Se embedded into porous carbon matrix (Cu1.95Se@PC) and porous-N-doped carbon matrix (Cu1.95Se@NPC) via pyrolysis process of Cu@MOF and Cu@NH2-MOF, respectively. Cu1.95Se@PC and Cu1.95Se@NPC electrodes for half-cell LIBs and SIBs exhibit a high reversible capacity of 313.1, 480.9 (for LIBs), 216.3 and 303.8 (for SIBs) mAhg(-1) after 1000 cycles at 2 A g(-1), respectively. We assess the electrochemical performance of the Cu1.95Se@PC and Cu1.95Se@NPC anodes by integrating them with commercially available LiFePO4 (LFP) into full-cell LIBs. The LFP//Cu1.95Se@PC and LFP//Cu1.95Se@NPC full-cells have discharge capacities of approximately 330 and 293 mAh g(-1) at 0.3 A g(-1) at the initial cycle. In order to explore the sodium storage mechanism of the Cu1.95Se composites, we conducted an in situ XRD test during the first charge/discharge cycle, considering their favourable cycling and rate performance. Our work provides a promising anode electrode material for both half-cell LIBs and SIBs with high volume utilization and superior electrochemical performances.