Metal Chelation Enables High-Performance Tea Polyphenol Electrodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

The application of organic electrode materials can make the whole cycle of the lithium battery operation effective for green sustainability. However, poor electronic conductivity and strong solubility in nonprotonic electrolytes limit the application of organic anodes. Here, a novel organic anode material, TP-Ni, was fabricated through the simple chelation of tea polyphenols with nickel ions. Benefiting from coordination bonds that alter the intrinsic microstructure of TPs and contribute to pseudocapacitive charging, the TP-Ni anode exhibits remarkable electrochemical properties, including a high specific capacity (1163 mAh g(-1) at 0.1 A g(-1)), superb rate capability, and extraordinary cycling stability (5.0 A g(-1) over 4000 cycles with a capacity retention of 87.8%). This work can provide guidance for the design and synthesis of new high-performance organic electrode materials in the future and help accelerate the process of organic electrode material applications.