Anodes for batteries based on tin-germanium-antimony alloys
An anode for a battery including an electrochemically active material including a ternary alloy of tin (Sn), germanium (Ge), and antimony (Sb). A battery including the anode, a cathode, a separator, and an electrolyte. The ternary alloy may include SnxGeySbz, where x+y+z=100, and x≥y or x≥z. The alloy may include a multiphase microstructure with an amorphous phase and nanocrystalline phase, each of the phases being ion active.
1. An anode for a battery, comprising an electrochemically active material comprising a ternary alloy of tin (Sn), germanium (Ge), and antimony (Sb), wherein the alloy comprises a multiphase microstructure including an amorphous phase and nanocrystalline phase, each of the phases being ion active.
2. The anode according to claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline phase consists of tin (Sn) and germanium (Ge).
3. The anode according to claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline phase includes germanium (Ge) nanocrystallites alloyed with tin (Sn).
4. The anode according to claim 3 , wherein the amorphous phase is composed of tin (Sn), germanium (Ge), and antimony (Sb).
5. The anode of claim 1 , wherein the ternary alloy comprises SnxGeySbz, where x+y+z=100, and x≥y or x≥z.
6. The anode according to claim 5 , wherein y is about equal to z.
7. The anode according to claim 6 , wherein the ternary alloy is Sn50Ge25Sb25.
8. The anode according to claim 6 , wherein the ternary alloy is one of Sn60Ge20Sb20 and Sn33Ge33Sb33.
9. An anode for a battery, comprising an electrochemically active material comprising a ternary alloy of tin (Sn), germanium (Ge), and antimony (Sb),
the ternary alloy comprising a multiphase microstructure including an amorphous phase and nanocrystalline phase, each of the phases being ion active,
the ternary alloy comprising SnxGeySbz, where x+y+z=100, and x≥y or x≥z, and
the anode having a charge storage capacity that exceeds a rule of mixture capacity of individual elements tin (Sn), germanium (Ge), and antimony (Sb) comprising said anode.
10. The anode according to claim 9 , wherein the nanocrystalline phase consists of tin (Sn) and germanium (Ge) and the amorphous phase includes tin (Sn), germanium (Ge), and antimony (Sb).
11. A battery, comprising:
a cathode;
a separator;
an anode, the anode comprising an electrochemically active material comprising a ternary alloy of tin (Sn), germanium (Ge), and antimony (Sb); and
an electrolyte.
12. The battery according to claim 11 , wherein the alloy comprises a multiphase microstructure including of an amorphous phase and nanocrystalline phase, each of the phases being ion active.
13. The battery according to claim 12 , wherein the ternary alloy comprises SnxGeySbz, where x+y+z=100, and x≥y or x≥z.
14. The battery according to claim 13 , wherein y is about equal to z.
15. The battery according to claim 13 , wherein the ternary alloy is one of Sn50Ge25Sb25 and Sn60Ge20Sb20.
16. The battery according to claim 11 , wherein battery is a lithium-ion battery.
17. The battery according to claim 11 , wherein the battery is a sodium-ion battery.
18. The battery according to claim 11 , wherein the battery is one of a magnesium-ion battery and a potassium-ion battery.
19. The battery according to claim 11 , wherein the nanocrystalline phase consists of tin (Sn) and germanium (Ge).
20. The battery according to claim 19 , wherein the amorphous phase is composed of tin (Sn), germanium (Ge), and antimony (Sb).
21. The battery according to claim 11 , wherein the alloy comprises a multiphase microstructure, wherein one of the phases is a supersaturated solid solution with a lattice parameter different from equilibrium.
22. The battery according to claim 11 , wherein the alloy comprises a multiphase microstructure including at least one ion-active non-oxide, non-nitride, non-carbon phase.
23. The battery according to claim 11 , wherein a charge storage capacity of said anode exceeds a rule of mixture capacity of individual elements, tin (Sn), germanium (Ge), and antimony (Sb), comprising said anode.