Enhancement of Li-ion battery performance of graphite anode by sodium ion as an electrolyte additive

Electrochemical performance of a graphite electrode for lithium-ion batteries was successfully and easily improved by sodium ion dissolved in an electrolyte solution. Sodium ion was added by dissolving 0.22 mol dm−3 NaClO4 into a 1 mol dm−3 LiClO4 ethylene carbonate–diethyl carbonate (1:1 by volume) electrolyte solution prior to charge–discharge cycle. By sodium-ion addition, an irreversible capacity at the initial cycle was obviously reduced, and reversible discharge capacities increased with better capacity retention. From ac impedance measurements, a graphite electrode in the sodium ion added electrolyte had much smaller interface resistance compared to that obtained in sodium ion free one. Furthermore, the electrode surface morphology observed by electron microscopes after charge–discharge tests got more uniform in the sodium added electrolyte. Keywords: Graphite, Lithium-ion battery, Lithium intercalation, Sodium additive, SEI