Evaluation of the Interphase-Related Cycling Stability of Thin-Film Amino- and Hydroxy-Substituted Anthraquinone Electrodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries

TL;DR

This paper evaluates organic cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries, identifying promising candidates with good cycle stability and environmental benefits.

Contribution

The study systematically tests 12 amino- and hydroxy-substituted anthraquinone derivatives for sodium-ion battery cathodes, many of which are untested in such systems.

Findings

1,8-dihydroxy-anthraquinone and 1,8-diamino-anthraquinone show high cycle stability with 72% and 73% capacity retention over 100 cycles.

Material solubility and structural properties strongly influence electrochemical performance.

Several naturally occurring anthraquinone derivatives demonstrate potential for sustainable battery cathodes.

Abstract

This study investigates sustainable approaches to designing
organic
cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries, aiming to replace traditional
metal-based electrodes. Organic materials present a promising alternative
due to their lower environmental impact, supply chain stability, and
tunable electrochemical properties. In this work, the electrochemical
performance of 12 commercially available amino- and hydroxy-substituted
anthraquinone derivatives, including several naturally occurring compounds,
was systematically evaluated in sodium-ion battery systems. By focusing
on readily available commercial materials, this study identified the
most stable and effective candidates for organic cathodes in sodium-ion
batteries. Notably, the majority of these derivatives have never been
tested in galvanostatic cycling in either lithium or other post-lithium
battery systems. Through systematic testing, challenges such as high
solubility and limited redox reactivity were addressed, demonstrating
how careful material selection can yield high-performance, long-cycle-life
organic cathodes. The performance of these materials was found to
be strongly influenced by their solubility in the electrolyte as well
as their structural and electronic properties, including electron-accepting
capabilities and sodium coordination behavior. Among the studied materials,
1,8-dihydroxy-anthraquinone and 1,8-diamino-anthraquinone demonstrate
superior cycle stability, maintaining 72% and 73% capacity retention,
respectively, over 100 charge–discharge cycles, followed by
1,5-diamino-anthraquinone and 1-hydroxy-anthraquinone with 64% and
66%. These findings not only advance the development of organic cathode
materials for sodium-ion batteries but also highlight the potential
of sustainable material choices to enable scalable and environmentally
friendly energy storage solutions, supporting the transition to a
greener energy future.

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