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Lithium batteries with solid-state electrolytes are an appealing alternative to state-of-the-art non-aqueous lithium-ion batteries with liquid electrolytes because of safety and energy aspects. However, engineering development at the cell level for lithium batteries with solid-state electrolytes is limited. Here, to advance this aspect and produce high-energy lithium cells, we introduce a cell design based on advanced parametrization of microstructural and architectural parameters of electrode and electrolyte components. To validate the cell design proposed, we assemble and test (applying a stack pressure of 3.74 MPa at 45 °C) 10-layer and 4-layer solid-state lithium pouch cells with a solid polymer electrolyte, resulting in an initial specific energy of 280 Wh kg-1 (corresponding to an energy density of 600 Wh L-1) and 310 Wh kg-1 (corresponding to an energy density of 650 Wh L-1) respectively.
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All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) possess the advantage of ensuring safety while simultaneously maximizing energy density, making them suitable for next-generation battery models. In particular, sulfide solid electrolytes (SSEs) are viewed as promising candidates for ASSB electrolytes due to their excellent ionic conductivity. However, a limitation exists in the form of interfacial side reactions occurring between the SSEs and cathode active materials (CAMs), as well as the generation of sulfide-based gases within the SSE. These issues lead to a reduction in the capacity of CAMs and an increase in internal resistance within the cell. To address these challenges, cathode composite materials incorporating zinc oxide (ZnO) are fabricated, effectively reducing various side reactions occurring in CAMs. Acting as a semiconductor, ZnO helps mitigate the rapid oxidation of the solid electrolyte facilitated by an electronic pathway, thereby minimizing side reactions, while maintaining electron pathways to the active material. Additionally, it absorbs sulfide-based gases, thus protecting the lithium ions within CAMs. In this study, the mass spectrometer is employed to observe gas generation phenomena within the ASSB cell. Furthermore, a clear elucidation of the side reactions occurring at the cathode and the causes of capacity reduction in ASSB are provided through density functional theory calculations.
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The current high-capacity lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), reliant on flammable liquid electrolytes (LEs) and nickel-rich cathodes, are plagued by safety hazards, especially the risk of hazardous gas release stemming from internal side reactions. To address these safety concerns, an electron beam (E-beam)-induced gel polymer electrolyte (E-Gel) is introduced, employing dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate (DPH) as a bi-functional cross-linkable additive (CIA). The dual roles of DPH are exploited through a strategically designed E-beam irradiation process. Applying E-beam irradiation on the pre-cycled cells allows DPH to function as an additive during the initial cycle, establishing a protective layer on the surface of the anode and cathode and as a cross-linker during the E-beam irradiation step, forming a polymer framework. The prepared E-Gel with CIA has superior interfacial compatibility, facilitating lithium-ion diffusion at the electrode/E-Gel interface. The electrochemical assessment of 1.2 Ah pouch cells demonstrates that E-Gel substantially reduces gas release by 2.5 times compared to commercial LEs during the initial formation stage and ensures superior reversible capacity retention even after prolonged cycling at 55 °C. The research underscores the synergy of bifunctional CIA with E-beam technology, paving the way for large-scale production of safe, high-capacity, and commercially viable LIBs.
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Despite intensive studies over decades, the development of electrocatalysts for acidic water splitting still relies on platinum group metals, especially Pt and Ir, which are scarce, expensive, and poorly sustainable. Because such problems can be alleviated, Ru-based bifunctional catalysts such as rutile RuO2 have recently emerged. However, RuO2 has a relatively low activity for hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) and low stability for oxygen evolution reactions (OER) under acidic conditions. In this study, the synthesis of a RuOx -based bifunctional catalyst (RuSiW) for acidic water splitting via the electrochemical evolution from Ru-based polyoxometalates at cathodic potentials is reported. RuSiW consists of the nanocrystalline RuO2 core and Si,W-codoped RuOx shell. RuSiW exhibits outstanding HER and OER activity comparable to Pt/C and RuO2 , respectively, with high stability. Computational analysis suggests that the codoping of RuOx with W and Si synergistically improves the HER activity of otherwise poor RuO2 by shifting the d-band center and optimizing atomic configurations beneficial for proper hydrogen adsorption. This study provides insights into the design and synthesis of unprecedented bifunctional electrocatalysts using catalytically inactive and less explored elements, such as Si and W.
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Producing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) from H2O and O2 under visible light irradiation is a promising solar-to-chemical energy conversion technology. Hydrogen peroxide has versatile applications as a green oxidant and liquid energy carrier but has been produced through energy-intensive and complex anthraquinone processes. Herein, we report the rational design of efficient and stable porous organic polymer (POP) containing redox centers, anthraquinone photocatalyst (ANQ-POP) for solar H2O2 production. ANQ-POP is readily synthesized with stable dioxin-linkages via efficient one-pot, transition-metal-free nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions between 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octafluoro-9,10-anthraquinone (OFANQ) and 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene (HHTP). Exhibiting a fibrillar morphology, ANQ-POP boasts a high surface area of 380 m2âg-1 and demonstrates thermal stability. With 10 % ethanol, ANQ-POP yields an H2O2 production rate of 320 µmol g-1 under visible light irradiation. Moreover, ANQ-POP alone can efficiently produce H2O2 without any photosensitizers and cocatalysts. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the quinone groups of the anthraquinone moieties can serve as redox centers for H2O2 production under light irradiation. Furthermore, unlike most conventional photocatalysts, it can produce H2O2 using only water and air by catalyzing both oxygen reduction and evolution reactions under light irradiation. Our findings provide an efficient, eco-friendly pathway for photocatalytic production of H2O2 under mild reaction conditions using a dioxin-derived POP-based photocatalyst.
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Conventional solid electrolyte frameworks typically consist of anions such as sulphur, oxygen, chlorine, and others, leading to inherent limitations in their properties. Despite the emergence of sulphide, oxide, and halide-based solid electrolytes for all-solid-state batteries, their utilization is hampered by issues, including the evolution of H2 S gas, the need for expensive elements, and poor contact. Here, we first introduce Prussian Blue analogue (PBA) open-framework structures as a solid electrolyte that demonstrates appreciable Na+ conductivity (>10-2 mS cm-1 ). We delve into the relationship between Na+ conductivity and the lattice parameter of N-coordinated transition metal, which is attributed to the reduced interaction between Na+ and the framework, corroborated by the distribution of relaxation times and density functional theory calculations. Among the five PBAs studied, Mn-PBA have exhibited the highest Na+ conductivity of 9.1×10-2 mS cm-1 . Feasibility tests have revealed that Mn-PBA have maintained a cycle retention of 95.1 % after 80cycles at 30 °C and a C-rate of 0.2C. Our investigation into the underlying mechanisms that play a significant role in governing the conductivity and kinetics of these materials contributes valuable insights for the development of alternative strategies to realize all-solid-state batteries.
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The majority of waste-heat energy exists in the form of low-grade heat (<100 °C), which is immensely difficult to convert into usable energy using conventional energy-harvesting systems. Thermally regenerative electrochemical cycles (TREC), which integrate battery and thermal-energy-harvesting functionalities, are considered an attractive system for low-grade heat harvesting. Herein, the role of structural vibration modes in enhancing the efficacy of TREC systems is investigated. How changes in bonding covalency, influenced by the number of structural water molecules, impact the vibration modes is analyzed. It is discovered that even small amounts of water molecules can induce the A1g stretching mode of cyanide ligands with strong structural vibration energy, which significantly contributes to a larger temperature coefficient (É) in a TREC system. Leveraging these insights, a highly efficient TREC system using a sodium-ion-based aqueous electrolyte is designed and implemented. This study provides valuable insights into the potential of TREC systems, offering a deeper understanding of the intrinsic properties of Prussian Blue analogs regulated by structural vibration modes. These insights open up new possibilities for enhancing the energy-harvesting capabilities of TREC systems.
RESUMEN
Designing highly conductive and (electro)chemical stable inorganic solid electrolytes using cost-effective materials is crucial for developing all-solid-state batteries. Here, we report halide nanocomposite solid electrolytes (HNSEs) ZrO2(-ACl)-A2ZrCl6 (A = Li or Na) that demonstrate improved ionic conductivities at 30 °C, from 0.40 to 1.3 mS cm-1 and from 0.011 to 0.11 mS cm-1 for Li+ and Na+, respectively, compared to A2ZrCl6, and improved compatibility with sulfide solid electrolytes. The mechanochemical method employing Li2O for the HNSEs synthesis enables the formation of nanostructured networks that promote interfacial superionic conduction. Via density functional theory calculations combined with synchrotron X-ray and 6Li nuclear magnetic resonance measurements and analyses, we demonstrate that interfacial oxygen-substituted compounds are responsible for the boosted interfacial conduction mechanism. Compared to state-of-the-art Li2ZrCl6, the fluorinated ZrO2-2Li2ZrCl5F HNSE shows improved high-voltage stability and interfacial compatibility with Li6PS5Cl and layered lithium transition metal oxide-based positive electrodes without detrimentally affecting Li+ conductivity. We also report the assembly and testing of a Li-In||LiNi0.88Co0.11Mn0.01O2 all-solid-state lab-scale cell operating at 30 °C and 70 MPa and capable of delivering a specific discharge of 115 mAh g-1 after almost 2000 cycles at 400 mA g-1.
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Accurately estimating the state-of-health (SOH) of lithium-ion batteries is emerging as a hot topic because of the rapid increase in electric appliance usage. However, versatile applicability to various battery compositions and diverse cycling conditions, and prediction only with partial data still remain challenges. In this paper, a Deep-learning-based Graphical approach to Estimation of Lithium-ion batteries SOH (D-GELS) was developed to predict the SOH covering three cathode materials, LiFePO4, LiNiCoAlO2, and LiNiCOMnO2. D-GELS shows an accurate performance for SOH prediction, less than 0.012 of RMSE, was predicted regardless of cathode materials, and its applicability was confirmed. Furthermore, D-GELS was capable of predicting the SOH using partially-cycled data, since less than 0.046 of RMSE was observed even with 50% of the image missing. When using partially-cycled profiles, significant economic benefits can be seen in used battery management, as the number of assessed batteries increases greatly, leading to cost savings.
RESUMEN
Understanding the local cation order in the crystal structure and its correlation with electrochemical performances has advanced the development of high-energy Mn-rich cathode materials for Li-ion batteries, notably Li- and Mn-rich layered cathodes (LMR, e.g., Li1.2 Ni0.13 Mn0.54 Co0.13 O2 ) that are considered as nanocomposite layered materials with C2/m Li2 MnO3 -type medium-range order (MRO). Moreover, the Li-transport rate in high-capacity Mn-based disordered rock-salt (DRX) cathodes (e.g., Li1.2 Mn0.4 Ti0.4 O2 ) is found to be influenced by the short-range order of cations, underlining the importance of engineering the local cation order in designing high-energy materials. Herein, the nanocomposite is revealed, with a heterogeneous nature (like MRO found in LMR) of ultrahigh-capacity partially ordered cathodes (e.g., Li1.68 Mn1.6 O3.7 F0.3 ) made of distinct domains of spinel-, DRX- and layered-like phases, contrary to conventional single-phase DRX cathodes. This multi-scale understanding of ordering informs engineering the nanocomposite material via Ti doping, altering the intra-particle characteristics to increase the content of the rock-salt phase and heterogeneity within a particle. This strategy markedly improves the reversibility of both Mn- and O-redox processes to enhance the cycling stability of the partially ordered DRX cathodes (nearly ≈30% improvement of capacity retention). This work sheds light on the importance of nanocomposite engineering to develop ultrahigh-performance, low-cost Li-ion cathode materials.
RESUMEN
All-solid-state thin-film batteries (ASSTFBs) are promising next-generation battery systems, but critical challenges such as low-energy-density remain. The low-energy-density might persist with low-voltage cathode material; hence, high-voltage cathode material development is required. While LiNi0.5 Mn1.5 O4 (LNM) has been considered a promising high-voltage cathode material. This study investigates the electrochemical properties of LNM thin films based on the correlation between the ordering of cations (Ni and Mn) and oxygen vacancies (VO ). The authors find that the cations' order changes from a disordered structure to an ordered structure with an increased oxygen flow rate during deposition. The optimized LNM fabricated using a 60:40 ratio of Ar to O2 exhibits the highest rate capability (321.4 mAh cm-3 @ 20 C) and most prolonged cycle performance for 500 cycles. The role of VO within the LNM structure and the lower activation energy of ordered LNM compared to disordered LNM through first-principles density functional theory calculations is elucidated. The superior electrochemical performance (276.9 mAh cm-3 @ 0.5 C) and high cyclic performance (at 93.9%, 500 cycles) are corroborated by demonstrating flexible ASSTFB cells using LiPON solid-state electrolyte and thin-film Li anode. This work paves the way for future research on the fabrication of high-performance flexible ASSTFBs.
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The development of a cathode for solid-state lithium-oxygen batteries has been hindered in practice by a low capacity and limited cycle life despite their potential for high energy density. Here, a previously unexplored strategy is proposed wherein the cathode delivers a specific capacity of 200 milliampere hour per gram over 665 discharge/charge cycles, while existing cathodes achieve only ~50 milliampere hour per gram and ~100 cycles. A highly conductive ruthenium-based composite is designed as a carbon-free cathode by first-principles calculations to avoid the degradation associated with carbonaceous materials, implying an improvement in stability during the electrochemical cycling. In addition, water vapor is added into the main oxygen gas as an additive to change the discharge product from growth-restricted lithium peroxide to easily grown lithium hydroxide, resulting in a notable increase in capacity. Thus, the proposed strategy is effective for developing reversible solid-state lithium-oxygen batteries with high energy density.
RESUMEN
Doping is a well-known strategy to enhance the electrochemical energy storage performance of layered cathode materials. Many studies on various dopants have been reported; however, a general relationship between the dopants and their effect on the stability of the positive electrode upon prolonged cell cycling has yet to be established. Here, we explore the impact of the oxidation states of various dopants (i.e., Mg2+, Al3+, Ti4+, Ta5+, and Mo6+) on the electrochemical, morphological, and structural properties of a Ni-rich cathode material (i.e., Li[Ni0.91Co0.09]O2). Galvanostatic cycling measurements in pouch-type Li-ion full cells show that cathodes featuring dopants with high oxidation states significantly outperform their undoped counterparts and the dopants with low oxidation states. In particular, Li-ion pouch cells with Ta5+- and Mo6+-doped Li[Ni0.91Co0.09]O2 cathodes retain about 81.5% of their initial specific capacity after 3000 cycles at 200 mA g-1. Furthermore, physicochemical measurements and analyses suggest substantial differences in the grain geometries and crystal lattice structures of the various cathode materials, which contribute to their widely different battery performances and correlate with the oxidation states of their dopants.
RESUMEN
Li+ intercalates into a pure face-centered-cubic (fcc) C60 structure instead of being adsorbed on a single C60 molecule. This hinders the excess storage of Li ions in Li-ion batteries, thereby limiting their applications. However, the associated electrochemical processes and mechanisms have not been investigated owing to the low electrochemical reactivity and poor crystallinity of the C60 powder. Herein, a facile method for synthesizing pure fcc C60 nanoparticles with uniform morphology and superior electrochemical performance in both half- and full-cells is demonstrated using a 1 m LiPF6 solution in ethylene carbonate/diethyl carbonate (1:1 vol%) with 10% fluoroethylene carbonate. The specific capacity of the C60 nanoparticles during the second discharge reaches ≈750 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 , approximately twice that of graphite. Moreover, by applying in situ X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and first-principles calculations, an abnormally high Li storage in a crystalline C60 structure is proposed based on the vacant sites among the C60 molecules, Li clusters at different sites, and structural changes during the discharge/charge process. The fcc of C60 transforms tetragonal via orthorhombic Lix C60 and back to the cubic phase during discharge. The presented results will facilitate the development of novel fullerene-based anode materials for Li-ion batteries.
RESUMEN
In recent years, Li- and Mn-rich layered oxides (LMRs) have been vigorously explored as promising cathodes for next-generation, Li-ion batteries due to their high specific energy. Nevertheless, their actual implementation is still far from a reality since the trade-off relationship between the particle size and chemical reversibility prevents LMRs from achieving a satisfactory, industrial energy density. To solve this material dilemma, herein, a novel morphological and structural design is introduced to Li1.11 Mn0.49 Ni0.29 Co0.11 O2 , reporting a sub-micrometer-level LMR with a relatively delocalized, excess-Li system. This system exhibits an ultrahigh energy density of 2880 Wh L-1 and a long-lasting cycle retention of 83.1% after the 100th cycle for 45 °C full-cell cycling, despite its practical electrode conditions. This outstanding electrochemical performance is a result of greater lattice-oxygen stability in the delocalized excess-Li system because of the low amount of highly oxidized oxygen ions. Geometric dispersion of the labile oxygen ions effectively suppresses oxygen evolution from the lattice when delithiated, eradicating the rapid energy degradation in a practical cell system.
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The economic viability and systemic sustainability of a green hydrogen economy are primarily dependent on its storage. However, none of the current hydrogen storage methods meet all the targets set by the US Department of Energy (DoE) for mobile hydrogen storage. One of the most promising routes is through the chemical reaction of alkali metals with water; however, this method has not received much attention owing to its irreversible nature. Herein, we present a reconditioned seawater battery-assisted hydrogen storage system that can provide a solution to the irreversible nature of alkali-metal-based hydrogen storage. We show that this system can also be applied to relatively lighter alkali metals such as lithium as well as sodium, which increases the possibility of fulfilling the DoE target. Furthermore, we found that small (1.75 cm2) and scaled-up (70 cm2) systems showed high Faradaic efficiencies of over 94%, even in the presence of oxygen, which enhances their viability.
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Fast-charging batteries typically use electrodes capable of accommodating lithium continuously by means of solid-solution transformation because they have few kinetic barriers apart from ionic diffusion. One exception is lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12), an anode exhibiting extraordinary rate capability apparently inconsistent with its two-phase reaction and slow Li diffusion in both phases. Through real-time tracking of Li+ migration using operando electron energy-loss spectroscopy, we reveal that facile transport in Li4+ x Ti5O12 is enabled by kinetic pathways comprising distorted Li polyhedra in metastable intermediates along two-phase boundaries. Our work demonstrates that high-rate capability may be enabled by accessing the energy landscape above the ground state, which may have fundamentally different kinetic mechanisms from the ground-state macroscopic phases. This insight should present new opportunities in searching for high-rate electrode materials.
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Reversible high-voltage redox chemistry is an essential component of many electrochemical technologies, from (electro)catalysts to lithium-ion batteries. Oxygen-anion redox has garnered intense interest for such applications, particularly lithium-ion batteries, as it offers substantial redox capacity at more than 4 V versus Li/Li+ in a variety of oxide materials. However, oxidation of oxygen is almost universally correlated with irreversible local structural transformations, voltage hysteresis and voltage fade, which currently preclude its widespread use. By comprehensively studying the Li2-xIr1-ySnyO3 model system, which exhibits tunable oxidation state and structural evolution with y upon cycling, we reveal that this structure-redox coupling arises from the local stabilization of short approximately 1.8 Å metal-oxygen π bonds and approximately 1.4 Å O-O dimers during oxygen redox, which occurs in Li2-xIr1-ySnyO3 through ligand-to-metal charge transfer. Crucially, formation of these oxidized oxygen species necessitates the decoordination of oxygen to a single covalent bonding partner through formation of vacancies at neighbouring cation sites, driving cation disorder. These insights establish a point-defect explanation for why anion redox often occurs alongside local structural disordering and voltage hysteresis during cycling. Our findings offer an explanation for the unique electrochemical properties of lithium-rich layered oxides, with implications generally for the design of materials employing oxygen redox chemistry.
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Novel and low-cost batteries are of considerable interest for application in large-scale energy storage systems, for which the cost per cycle becomes critical. Here, this study proposes K0.5 MnO2 as a potential cathode material for K-ion batteries as an alternative to Li technology. K0.5 MnO2 has a P3-type layered structure and delivers a reversible specific capacity of ≈100 mAh g-1 with good capacity retention. In situ X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the material undergoes a reversible phase transition upon K extraction and insertion. In addition, first-principles calculations indicate that this phase transition is driven by the relative phase stability of different oxygen stackings with respect to the K content.
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Lithium-ion batteries are now reaching the energy density limits set by their electrode materials, requiring new paradigms for Li(+) and electron hosting in solid-state electrodes. Reversible oxygen redox in the solid state in particular has the potential to enable high energy density as it can deliver excess capacity beyond the theoretical transition-metal redox-capacity at a high voltage. Nevertheless, the structural and chemical origin of the process is not understood, preventing the rational design of better cathode materials. Here, we demonstrate how very specific local Li-excess environments around oxygen atoms necessarily lead to labile oxygen electrons that can be more easily extracted and participate in the practical capacity of cathodes. The identification of the local structural components that create oxygen redox sets a new direction for the design of high-energy-density cathode materials.