Chapter 18 - Nanostructured transition metal oxides as anodes

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been employed extensively in electric vehicles and portable gadgets due to their high energy density and prolonged life cycle. However, due to the low theoretical capacity of graphite anodes (372 mAh g−1), the unsatisfactory energy density of current LIBs obligated researchers to seek out novel anode materials. To further enhance the performance of LIBs, it is crucial to design novel electrode materials. Numerous transition metal oxides (TMOs) have been extensively explored as LIB electrode materials because of their high theoretical capacity, eco-benefit, good safety, and high abundance. However, these materials show poor capacity retention due to poor electrical and ionic conductivity, excessive volume expansion, instability in high voltage, and extensive structural reorganization. To address these issues, most research explored the synthesis of nanostructured materials and the integration of metal oxide nanoparticles into conductive matrices. These approaches aim to reduce volume expansion, shorten lithium-ion diffusion paths, and enhance the electrode-electrolyte contact area, thereby improving the overall performance of LIBs. The finding results demonstrate notable improvements in capacity retention and cycling stability, showcasing the effectiveness of these strategies in overcoming the limitations of TMOs as LIB electrode materials. This chapter outlines the research objectives, methodologies employed, and the significant advancements achieved in the quest for optimizing LIB anode materials, contributing to the development of more efficient and durable LIBs.