ABSTRACT
Mesoporous metal oxides, metals, carbons, as well as metal nitrides/ sulfides can be advantageously exploited in electrochemical applications because of their attractive features such as short mass and charge pathways, high transport rates of both lithium ions and electrons, intrinsic catalytic properties and hosting capability. The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of recent developments in the area of mesoporous electrode materials in different kinds of Li batteries, with emphasis on Li-ion batteries. Other Li-based systems (Li-air and Li-S) will be briefly covered. For each battery system, we begin by describing their basic electrochemistry, principle of operation, and the challenges encountered in attempts to achieve better performance. Then, we focus on illustrating the significant contributions of mesoporous materials in advancing battery technologies for energy conversion and storage, with the help of some excellent examples of advanced materials such as electrodes for Li batteries. Finally, suggestions and perspectives on future research directions in this field are also mentioned.
