posted on 2022-03-02, 21:45authored bySanghyeon Kim, Liang Yin, Seong-Min Bak, Timothy T. Fister, Haesun Park, Prakash Parajuli, Jihyeon Gim, Zhenzhen Yang, Robert F. Klie, Peter Zapol, Yonghua Du, Saul H. Lapidus, John T. Vaughey
Calcium-ion batteries (CIBs) are
a promising alternative to lithium-ion
batteries (LIBs) due to the low redox potential of calcium metal and
high abundance of calcium compounds. Due to its layered structure,
α-MoO3 is regarded as a promising cathode host lattice.
While studies have reported that α-MoO3 can reversibly
intercalate Ca ions, limited electrochemical activity has been noted,
and its reaction mechanism remains unclear. Here, we re-examine Ca
insertion into α-MoO3 nanoparticles with a goal to
improve reaction kinetics and clarify the storage mechanism. The α-MoO3 electrodes demonstrated a specific capacity of 165 mA h g–1 centered near 2.7 V vs Ca2+/Ca, stable
long-term cycling, and good rate performance at room temperature.
This work demonstrates that, under the correct conditions, layered
oxides can be a promising host material for CIBs and renews prospects
for CIBs.