Hydrated Bi-Ti-Bimetal Ethylene Glycol: A New High-Capacity and Stable Anode Material for Potassium-Ion Batteries

Potassium-ion batteries have emerged not only as low-cost alternatives to lithium-ion batteries, but also as high-voltage energy storage systems. However, their development is still encumbered by the scarcity of high-performance electrode materials that can endure successive potassium-ion uptake. Herein, a hydrated Bi-Ti bimetallic ethylene glycol (H-Bi-Ti-EG) compound is reported as a new high-capacity and stable anode material for potassium storage. H-Bi-Ti-EG possesses a long-range disordered layered framework, which helps to facilitate electrolyte ingress into the entire Bi nanoparticles. A suite of spectroscopic analyses reveals the in situ formation Bi nanoparticles within the organic polymer matrix, which can alleviate stresses caused by the huge volume expansion/contraction during deep cycles, thereby maintaining the superior structural integrity of H-Bi-Ti-EG organic anode. As expected, H-Bi-Ti-EG anode exhibits a high capacity and superior long-term cycling stability. Importantly for potassium storage, it can be cycled at current densities of 0.1, 0.5, 1, and 2 Ag-1 for 800, 700, 1000, and even 6000 cycles, retaining charging capacities of 361, 206, 185, and 85.8 mAh g(-1), respectively. The scalable synthetic method along with the outstanding electrochemical performance of hydrated Bi-Ti-EG, which is superior to other reported Bi-based anode materials, places it as a promising anode material for high-performance potassium storage.