Abstract
Germanium electrodes show a reversible Na-ion reaction at potentials of 0.15 and 0.6 V during discharge and charge, respectively. The reaction is accompanied with a reversible capacity close to 350 mAh g-1, which matches the value expected for the formation of NaGe. The electrode capacity retention is stable over 15 cycles but declines somewhat rapidly afterwards. This decline is typical for alloying systems undergoing large volume expansion, and calls for engineering solutions to confine the mechanical stress and control the electrolyte decomposition reactions that are likely to be the main sources of degradations. The rate performance results highlight the huge potential of nanosized germanium as a potential Na-ion anode. The reaction kinetics is found to be very good with about 220 mAh g-1 delivered at 170 C. Finally, the preliminary XRD results do not reveal the formation of crystalline phases at full (dis)charge.
