Dual-Functional Electrode Promoting Dendrite-Free and CO2 Utilization Enabled High-Reversible Symmetric Na-CO2 Batteries

Abstract

Sodium-carbon dioxide (Na-CO2) batteries are regarded as promising energy storage technologies because of their impressive theoretical energy density and CO2 reutilization, but their practical applications are restricted by uncontrollable sodium dendrite growth and poor electrochemical kinetics of CO2 cathode. Constructing suitable multifunctional electrodes for dendrite-free anodes and kinetics-enhanced CO2 cathodes is considered one of the most important ways to advance the practical application of Na-CO2 batteries. Herein, RuO2 nanoparticles encapsulated in carbon paper (RuCP) are rationally designed and employed as both Na anode host and CO2 cathode in Na-CO2 batteries. The outstanding sodiophilicity and high catalytic activity of RuCP electrodes can simultaneously contribute to homogenous Na+ distribution and dendrite-free sodium structure at the anode, as well as strengthen discharge and charge kinetics at the cathode. The morphological evolution confirmed the uniform deposition of Na on RuCP anode with dense and flat interfaces, delivering enhanced Coulombic efficiency of 99.5% and cycling stability near 1500 cycles. Meanwhile, Na-CO2 batteries with RuCP cathode demonstrated excellent cycling stability (>350 cycles). Significantly, implementation of a dendrite-free RuCP@Na anode and catalytic-site-rich RuCP cathode allowed for the construction of a symmetric Na-CO2 battery with long-duration cyclability, offering inspiration for extensive practical uses of Na-CO2 batteries.