High-entropy NiCoFeMnCrP as anode materials for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

High-entropy metal phosphides have demonstrated remarkable potential in the field of energy storage due to their unique multi-metal components and synergistic effects. In this study, a new type of high-entropy metal phosphide, NiCoFeMnCrP, is successfully synthesized by a sol-gel method using chlorides and nitrates as precursors. As a novel attempt, high-entropy metal phosphide composites are applied as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, and their electrochemical performance is systematically investigated. The experimental results show that the high-entropy NiCoFeMnCrP material has high specific capacity, excellent cyclic stability and rate capability, which is due to the synergistic effect brought by the rich metal elements and the high stability of the material structure. The performance of this material is significantly better than that of many traditional anode materials, indicating its potential application value in the development of high-performance batteries. In general, high-entropy metal phosphides synthesized using either chlorides or nitrates as metal precursors exhibit comparable electrochemical performance when employed as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries; however, the nitrate-derived counterparts demonstrate notably enhanced capacity retention. Specifically, the composite synthesized from chlorides delivers an initial discharge specific capacity of 320 mAh g⁻¹ after 230 charge-discharge cycles, whereas its nitrate-derived analogue achieves a markedly higher value of 409 mAh g⁻¹ under identical cycling conditions. This study provides important theoretical basis and technical support for the practical application of high-entropy metal phosphides in the next generation of LIBs, and also paves a new pathway for exploring the application of new high-entropy materials in the field of energy storage.