Gallium-Telluride-Based Composite as Promising Lithium Storage Material

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Ga2Te3-TiO2-C was successfully prepared via HEBM and investigated as a propitious anode material for LIBs in the text. The research offers some ideas to develop novel electrode material for lithium-ion batteries with high energy density. The text can be accepted by the journal of Nanomaterials after major revision.

1.The discharge capacity of the Ga2Te3-TiO2-C (10%, 20 and 30%) anodes for LIBs in rate test and long-cycle test is inconsistent at same current density. The authors should re-detect the two performances (rate and long cycle).

2. Please give the capacity contribution of C and TiO2 in the composites of Ga2Te3-TiO2-C (10%, 20 and 30%). And then give the real capacity of the Ga2Te3.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

The manuscript demonstrates a Ga₂Te₃-TiO₂-C nanocomposite electrode to avoid liquid agglomeration of Ga, facilitate Li-ion diffusion kinetics, and accommodate volume change of the electrode by the TiO₂-C matrix. Good rate capability and stable cycling performance are demonstrated. This will be of interest to the battery community. However, revisions are recommended before publication:

·         Please correct the mistakes in the statement “Among the chalcogenide elements, S and Se have been widely selected as anode materials in rechargeable LIB systems (e.g., Li-Se, Li-S)”. For Li-S and Li-Se batteries, S and Se are the cathode active materials rather than anode materials. Additionally, LIB usually refer to the Li-ion battery containing intercalation-type electrodes; however, Li-S and Li-Se batteries have conversion-type S and Se cathodes and require Li metal anodes or other Li-containing anodes, they are not usually considered as conventional LIBs.

·         While the introduction section introduces the background of alloy anodes, the conceptual inspiration of the Ga2Te3-TiO2-C composite electrodes is not provided. Please also include introduction to TiO₂ and C, which are also very popular anode materials. The types of C should be introduced because different types of carbon (e.g., graphite, hard carbon, graphene, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofiber, ect.) tend to have distinguished performance and functions.

·         What is the solvent for the electrode casting slurry? What is the solid-to-liquid ratio?

·         Are the current densities calculated based on per gram Ga2Te3-TiO2-C composite or per gram Ga₂Te₃? Please specify in the experimental section.

·         For Figure 2a, why are the TiO₂ related XRD peaks below 20^o missing from the XRD pattern of  Ga2Te3-TiO2?

·         Typo: In the description “the existence of Ti-O bonding with signals at 576.0 and 586.4 eV (Fig. 2d) on the Ga2Te3-TiO2-C(10%) surface implied that partial surface oxidation of active Ga2Te3”, Ti-O should be Te-O. In addition, since obvious oxidation is observed for Ga₂Te₃, is the composite anode air sensitive? Why is oxidation observed for Te but not for Ga? How would the oxidation of Ga₂Te₃ affect the electrode performance for practical use?

·         For Figure 2g, there will be adventitious carbon signal for XPS even if your sample does not contain C. How do you distinguish between the C 1s signal from you sample and the adventitious carbon?

·         Careful verification and revision of Figure 5a and 5b are required: the reference pattern should be labelled (seems to be Ga₂Te₃); the marked orange lines should be labelled, and dashed lines would be better than solid lines to avoid sight blocking of the XRD peaks; the labels for Ga₂Te₃, Li₂Ga, Li₂Te, and Ga seem to be completely off-position, as the labeled positions look like noise rather than peaks.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

The revised text can be accepted by the journal of Nanomaterials.