Architectures of zeolitic imidazolate framework derived Cu2Se/ZnSe@NPC and Cu1.95Se@NPC nanoparticles as anode materials for sodium-ion and lithium-ion batteries

Transition metal selenides (TMSes) face challenges such as low electronic conductivity, significant volume expansion, and particle agglomeration during charge and discharge processes, limiting their practical application in batteries. A promising solution involves integrating a carbon matrix into TMS-based anodes, which can enhance conductivity and mitigate volume stress. In this study, we synthesized novel Cu Se/ZnSe@NPC and Cu Se@NPC nanoparticles, embedded in a nitrogen-doped porous carbon (NPC) network using zeolitic imidazolate framework-11 (ZIF-11) as a template, for the first time as anode materials in lithium-ion (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). The Cu Se/ZnSe@NPC and Cu Se@NPC nanoparticles demonstrate impressive initial capacities of 762 and 712 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1, respectively, and deliver specific capacities of 401 and 358 mAh g-1 at 0.3 A g-1 for lithium-ion half-cell batteries. For sodium-ion half-cell batteries, these materials achievesatisfactory initial capacities of 455 and 349 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1, and exhibit exceptional cycling stability with capacities of 223 and 204 mAh g-1 after 1000 cycles at 2 A g-1, respectively.