Graphdiyne for High Capacity and Long-life Lithium Storage
In the pursuit of higher capacity, rate capability and longer cycling life, other carbon structures have been studied, including fullerenes, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene, which have zero-, one-, and two-dimensional (2D) architectures, respectively. The carbon atoms in these structures are all sp2-hybridized, the same as those in graphite. Although the Li capacity can be improved greatly upon applying these different morphologies, the nature of the Li-intercalated layer does not change too much among those sp2-hybridized, hexagonal carbon structures, thereby limiting the room for further improvement in capacity. Graphdiyne (GDY) is a new carbon allotrope that was synthesized relatively recently; it comprises sp2- and sp-hybridized carbon atoms and has been predicted to be the most stable of the various diacetylenic non-natural carbon allotropes. Density functional theory and first-principles calculations have indicated that the maximum Li storage capacity of monolayer GDY can be as high as 744 mAh/g (LiC3), which is twice of the commercial graphite (372 mAh/g, LiC6).
A joint research team from Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT), Chinese Academy of Sciences and Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ICCAS), led by Prof. HUANG Changshui and Prof. LI Yuliang, reported the application of GDY as high efficiency lithium storage materials and elucidated the method of lithium storage in multilayer GDY (Figure 1). Their research results showed that, Lithium-ion batteries featuring GDY-based electrode exhibited excellent electrochemical performance, including high specific capacities, outstanding rate performances, and a long cycle lives. With respect to GDY, its unique structure owning a large number of triangular-like pores, endows GDY more Li storage sites, and facilities Li ions adsorption, desorption and diffusion both in-plane and out-plane.
![]() |
Figure 1.Graphdiyne for high capacity and long-life lithium storage. (Image by QIBEBT and ICCAS) |
A capacities of up to 520 mAh/g after 400 cycles at a current density of 500 mA/g could be obtained based on pure GDY. At an even higher current density of 2 A/g, cells incorporating GDY-based electrodes retained a high specific capacity of 420 mAh/g after 1000 cycles. The unique atomic arrangement of GDY enables a unique Li triangular occupation pattern: each pore accommodates three Li atoms located at three asymmetric sites. Its considerably high mobility and high Li storage capacity make GDY a promising candidate material employed in rechargeable Li-ion-based energy storage devices.
It was expected that designing and preparing novel carbon-based materials with large pores will open up new approaches for the development of Li storage materials exhibiting high capacities and excellent cycling stabilities, thereby satisfying the future requirements of next-generation Li storage batteries.
References:
(1) Graphdiyne forHighCapacity andLong-lifeLithiumStorage, Nano Energy, 2015, 11, 481.
(2) Bulk graphdiyne powder applied for highly efficient lithium storage, Chemical Communications, 2015, 51,1834.
Contact:
Prof. HUANG Changshui; Prof. LI Yuliang
Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences;Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Email: huangcs@qibebt.ac.cn; ylli@iccas.ac.cn