‘Wrapping’ Anodes in 3D Carbon Nanosheets: The Next Big Thing in Li-ion Battery Technology

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), which are a renewable source of energy for electrical devices or electric vehicles, have attracted much attention as the next-generation energy solution. However, the anodes of LIBs in use today have multiple inadequacies, ranging from low ionic electronic conductivity and structural changes during the charge/discharge cycle to low specific capacity, which limits the battery’s performance. In search of a better anode material, Dr. Jun Kang of Korea Maritime and Ocean University, along with his colleagues from Pusan National University, Republic of Korea, has designed an anode that, owing to its unique structural features, overcomes many of the existing barriers of anodic efficiency. Dr. Kang explains, “We focused on manganese selenide (MnSe), an affordable transition metal compound known for its high electrical conductivity and applicability in developing semiconductors and supercapacitors- as a possible candidate for the advanced LIB anode.” However, MnSe undergoes a drastic volume change (by almost 160%) during the charging-discharging cycles, which not only reduces the performance of the electrode but also raises safety issues.