An overview on Sb-based intermetallics and alloys for sodium-ion batteries: trends, challenges and future prospects from material synthesis to battery performance

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have emerged as a potential alternative to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), which is attributed to their cost-effectiveness and the natural abundance of sodium in the Earth's crust. However, constrained by their low energy density and poor cycling stability, the development of highly efficient anode materials for SIBs is the need of the hour. Solid-state alloying reactions can be beneficial to enhancing energy density and hence metal alloy based anode materials are considered as emerging materials for SIBs. Antimony (Sb) is one of the most important SIB anode materials owing to its high theoretical capacity and judicious reaction potential. Hence, Sb-based alloys and intermetallics have also evolved as potential candidates for SIBs. However, the major development is impeded by the volume changes associated with the sodiation/desodiation reaction. In this review we place emphasis on Sb based alloys and intermetallics and have summarized recent developments in this field of energy storage. Herein, we have discussed design strategies, developments made so far, the probable challenges and relevant mitigation-related issues associated with Sb based alloys and intermetallics.