Advanced carbon sphere-based hybrid materials produced by innovative aerosol process for high-efficiency rechargeable batteries

Recent interest in designing advanced functional nanostructured hybrid materials with superior electrochemical properties has increased, particularly for energy storage applications. Carbon sphere-based hybrid materials are promising for high-performance electrodes in rechargeable batteries (e.g., lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries) owing to their high chemical stability and electrical conductivity. These properties facilitate effective electron/ion transfer paths in electrodes, leading to enhanced battery performance. Carbon spheres also mitigate unwanted side reactions, improving Coulombic efficiency and allowing for tuning of surface characteristics to achieve high capacity. Aerosol spray techniques enable homogeneous mixing of precursor components at the molecular level in the spray solution, offering a cost-effective and continuous process for preparing multicomponent materials with desired structures. Despite these advancements, there is a lack of specialized reviews on the development of carbon sphere-based hybrid materials for rechargeable batteries. This review addresses this gap by investigating recent progress in the aerosol-based synthesis of nanostructured carbon sphere-based hybrid electrode materials for rechargeable battery applications. Beginning with a brief introduction to the working principles of spray processes, then discuss recent experimental achievements in overcoming challenges like low specific capacity, unsatisfactory Coulombic efficiency, and poor rate performance. The review concludes by summarizing the current status and exploring future prospects of these materials synthesized using aerosol spray techniques, providing insights and inspiration for developing next-generation high-performance rechargeable batteries.