Replacing Graphite Electrodes in Lithium Ionic Batteries

Researchers from Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry RAS and Scoltech succeeded in obtaining a material for anodes of lithium ionic batteries based on germanium organic compounds which twice exceeds those in current use by energy. Non-toxicity and facile manufacture of the material makes it a worthy analog of graphite used today for the purpose.

PhD Mikhail Syroeshkin, a senior researcher of ZIOC, who is head of the project under the President’s Program, commented: “It was a “coronavirus” project for two reasons: firstly, the work, from the beginning to the end, was carried out during the lockdown. Secondly, those who see its main character, viz. nanoscale organic germanium sesquioxide, often compare it with the coronavirus, although in fact it is rather kind by nature as is, and the fine fibers enable it to reversibly absorb lithium cations, which is impossible for germanium dioxide it is designed to replace ”

Visualized organic germanium sesquioxide particles; imaging done by a scanning electron microscope.

Lithium destroys the 3D structure of germanium dioxide (bottom figure), whereas it freely sits between the fibers of germanium sesquioxides (top figure).

Evgeniya A. Saverina, Roman R. Kapaev, Dr. Pavel V. Stishenko, Alexey S. Galushko, Victoriya A. Balycheva, Prof. Dr. Valentine P. Ananikov, Prof. Dr. Mikhail P. Egorov, Prof. Dr. Viatcheslav V. Jouikov, Prof. Dr. Pavel A. Troshin, Dr. Mikhail A. Syroeshkin  2‐Carboxyethylgermanium Sesquioxide as A Promising Anode Material for Li‐Ion Batteries  ChemSusChem 2020 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202000852