J. Mater. Sci. Technol. ›› 2025, Vol. 231: 125-133.DOI: 10.1016/j.jmst.2024.12.082

• Research article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Cubic crystal-structured Ge2Sb2Te5 with cation vacancies for enhanced lithium/sodium ion storage

Jing Zhaoa,1,*, Tianqi Lib,1, Shang Gaoa, Zhixuan Weic, Xiaoquan Hana, Jiaming Yangb, Shiyu Xiaa, Qiang Jia, Hongji Xiaob, Fei Duc,*   

  1. aSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun 130022, China;
    bState Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China;
    cKey Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
  • Received:2024-09-04 Revised:2024-11-24 Accepted:2024-12-16 Published:2025-10-01 Online:2025-03-05
  • Contact: *E-mail addresses: jzhao@cust.edu.cn (J. Zhao), dufei@jlu.edu.cn (F. Du).
  • About author:1 These authors contributed equally to this work.

Abstract: The development of kinetics-favorable and interfacial-stabilizing electrode materials is critical for temperature-tolerant energy conversion and storage devices, yet remains insufficiently explored. In this study, we present cation vacancy-rich Ge2Sb2Te5 semimetal as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Ge2Sb2Te5 demonstrates exceptional electrochemical performance compared to other metal tellurides and exhibits impressive kinetics and interface stability at low temperatures. Experimental results indicate that the synergistic interactions between germanium/antimony vacancies and tellurium atoms, along with accelerated kinetics, enhanced electrical conductivity, and stabilized interfacial properties of Ge2Sb2Te5, significantly contribute to its improved electrochemical activity. This material enables the LIBs and SIBs that operate effectively at low temperatures, achieving high discharge capacities of 287 and 161 mAh g-1 for half-cells at -40 °C, and an impressive energy density of 278 and 149 Wh kg-1 for full cells at -20 °C, respectively. This study provides valuable insights into kinetic activity and interfacial-stabilized electrochemical reactions, thereby facilitating the application of LIBs and SIBs in harsh environments.

Key words: Vacancies, Telluride, Reaction kinetic, Interfacial stability, Low-temperature, Lithium/sodium ion batteries