High-performance aramid electrodes for high-rate and long cycle-life organic Li-ion batteries

Aromatic polyamides, aramids, have recently drawn research attention for energy storage applications due to their outstanding physical and chemical properties. In this study, we report three new aramid-containing dicyanotriphenylamine skeletons in the polymer backbone as anode materials for organic lithium-ion batteries. The electrochemical test revealed that the aramid anodes exhibited a high specific capacity up to 1600 mA h g(-1) and superior rate performance (535 mA h g(-1) at 10 A g(-1)), with excellent coulombic efficiency (similar to 99%) and capacity retention after 1000 cycles up to 10 A g(-1). The overall performance shown in this work is among the best compared with the reported polymer-based lithium-ion batteries. Mechanistic studies revealed that the outstanding electrochemical performance of aramids as battery anode materials are highly related to the physical and chemical properties of the aramids, which tuned their activation energy and charge-stored behavior as well as cycling stability. The long cycling performance under high current density and binder-free capability further suggest that aramids are promising candidates for next-generation organic lithium-ion batteries.