Synergistic γ-In2 Se3 @rGO Nanocomposites with Beneficial Crystal Transformation Behavior for High-Performance Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Crystal transformation of metal compound cathodes during charge/discharge processes in alkali metal-ion batteries usually generates profound impact on structural stability and electrochemical performance, while the theme in anode materials, which always occurs and completes during the first redox cycle, is rarely explored probably due to the fast transformation dynamics. Herein, for the first time, a unique crystal transformation behavior with slow dynamics in anode of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) is reported, which further promotes electrochemical performance. Specifically, irreversible γ → ß crystal transformation of In2 Se3 is observed, induced by the persistent size degradation of In2 Se3 particles during repeated sodiation/desodiation, supported by a series of ex situ characterizations, such as HRTEM, XRD, and XPS of γ-In2 Se3 /reduced graphene oxide (γ-In2 Se3 @rGO) nanocomposite. The hybrid electrode shows ultrahigh long-term cycling stability (378 mA h g-1 at 1.0 A g-1 after 1000 cycles) and excellent rate capability (272 mA h g-1 at 20.0 A g-1 ). Full battery with Na3 V2 (PO4 )3 cathode also manifests superior performance, promising ß-In2 Se3 dominated electrode materials in high-power and long-life SIBs. The first-principle calculations suggest the crystal transformation enhances electric conductivity of ß-In2 Se3 and facilitates its accessibility to sodium. In combination with the synergistic effect between rGO matrix, substantially enhanced electrochemical performance is realized.

Rational design of a topological polymeric solid electrolyte for high-performance all-solid-state alkali metal batteries.

Poly(ethylene oxide)-based solid-state electrolytes are widely considered promising candidates for the next generation of lithium and sodium metal batteries. However, several challenges, including low oxidation resistance and low cation transference number, hinder poly(ethylene oxide)-based electrolytes for broad applications. To circumvent these issues, here, we propose the design, synthesis and application of a fluoropolymer, i.e., poly(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate). This polymer, when introduced into a poly(ethylene oxide)-based solid electrolyte, improves the electrochemical window stability and transference number. Via multiple physicochemical and theoretical characterizations, we identify the presence of tailored supramolecular bonds and peculiar morphological structures as the main factors responsible for the improved electrochemical performances. The polymeric solid electrolyte is also investigated in full lithium and sodium metal lab-scale cells. Interestingly, when tested in a single-layer pouch cell configuration in combination with a Li metal negative electrode and a LiMn0.6Fe0.4PO4-based positive electrode, the polymeric solid-state electrolyte enables 200 cycles at 42 mA·g-1 and 70 °C with a stable discharge capacity of approximately 2.5 mAh when an external pressure of 0.28 MPa is applied.

Rapid mechanochemical synthesis of polyanionic cathode with improved electrochemical performance for Na-ion batteries.

Na-ion batteries have been considered promising candidates for stationary energy storage. However, their wide application is hindered by issues such as high cost and insufficient electrochemical performance, particularly for cathode materials. Here, we report a solvent-free mechanochemical protocol for the in-situ fabrication of sodium vanadium fluorophosphates. Benefiting from the nano-crystallization features and extra Na-storage sites achieved in the synthesis process, the as-prepared carbon-coated Na3(VOPO4)2F nanocomposite exhibits capacity of 142 mAh g-1 at 0.1C, higher than its theoretical capacity (130 mAh g-1). Moreover, a scaled synthesis with 2 kg of product was conducted and 26650-prototype cells were demonstrated to proof the electrochemical performance. We expect our findings to mark an important step in the industrial application of sodium vanadium fluorophosphates for Na-ion batteries.

Rational design of layered oxide materials for sodium-ion batteries.

Sodium-ion batteries have captured widespread attention for grid-scale energy storage owing to the natural abundance of sodium. The performance of such batteries is limited by available electrode materials, especially for sodium-ion layered oxides, motivating the exploration of high compositional diversity. How the composition determines the structural chemistry is decisive for the electrochemical performance but very challenging to predict, especially for complex compositions. We introduce the "cationic potential" that captures the key interactions of layered materials and makes it possible to predict the stacking structures. This is demonstrated through the rational design and preparation of layered electrode materials with improved performance. As the stacking structure determines the functional properties, this methodology offers a solution toward the design of alkali metal layered oxides.

Nanoscaled Na3PS4 Solid Electrolyte for All-Solid-State FeS2/Na Batteries with Ultrahigh Initial Coulombic Efficiency of 95% and Excellent Cyclic Performances.

Nanosized Na3PS4 solid electrolyte with an ionic conductivity of 8.44 × 10-5 S cm-1 at room temperature is synthesized by a liquid-phase reaction. The resultant all-solid-state FeS2/Na3PS4/Na batteries show an extraordinary high initial Coulombic efficiency of 95% and demonstrate high energy density of 611 Wh kg-1 at current density of 20 mA g-1 at room temperature. The outstanding performances of the battery can be ascribed to good interface compatibility and intimate solid-solid contact at FeS2 electrode/nanosized Na3PS4 solid electrolytes interface. Meanwhile, excellent cycling stability is achieved for the battery after cycling at 60 mA g-1 for 100 cycles, showing a high capacity of 287 mAh g-1 with the capacity retention of 80%.

Core-Shell Fe1- xS@Na2.9PS3.95Se0.05 Nanorods for Room Temperature All-Solid-State Sodium Batteries with High Energy Density.

High ionic conductivity electrolyte and intimate interfacial contact are crucial factors to realize high-performance all-solid-state sodium batteries. Na2.9PS3.95Se0.05 electrolyte with reduced particle size of 500 nm is first synthesized by a simple liquid-phase method and exhibits a high ionic conductivity of 1.21 × 10-4 S cm-1, which is comparable with that synthesized with a solid-state reaction. Meanwhile, a general interfacial architecture, that is, Na2.9PS3.95Se0.05 electrolyte uniformly anchored on Fe1- xS nanorods, is designed and successfully prepared by an in situ liquid-phase coating approach, forming core-shell structured Fe1- xS@Na2.9PS3.95Se0.05 nanorods and thus realizing an intimate contact interface. The Fe1- xS@Na2.9PS3.95Se0.05/Na2.9PS3.95Se0.05/Na all-solid-state sodium battery demonstrates high specific capacity and excellent rate capability at room temperature, showing reversible discharge capacities of 899.2, 795.5, 655.1, 437.9, and 300.4 mAh g-1 at current densities of 20, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mA g-1, respectively. The obtained all-solid-state sodium batteries show very high energy and power densities up to 910.6 Wh kg-1 and 201.6 W kg-1 based on the mass of Fe1- xS at current densities of 20 and 200 mA g-1, respectively. Moreover, the reaction mechanism of Fe1- xS is confirmed by means of ex situ X-ray diffraction techniques, showing that partially reversible reaction occurs in the Fe1- xS electrode after the second cycle, which gives the obtained all-solid-state sodium battery an exceptional cycling stability, exhibiting a high capacity of 494.3 mAh g-1 after cycling at 100 mA g-1 for 100 cycles. This contribution provides a strategy for designing high-performance room temperature all-solid-state sodium battery.

Design and Comparative Study of O3/P2 Hybrid Structures for Room Temperature Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Rechargeable sodium-ion batteries have drawn increasing attention as candidates for the post lithium-ion batteries in large-scale energy storage systems. Layered oxides are the most promising cathode materials and their pure phases (e.g., P2, O3) have been widely investigated. Here we report a series of cathode materials with O3/P2 hybrid phase for sodium-ion batteries, which possesses advantages of both P2 and O3 structures. The designed material, Na0.78Ni0.2Fe0.38Mn0.42O2, can deliver a capacity of 86 mAh g-1 with great rate capability and cycling performance. 66% capacity is still maintained when the current rate reaches as high as 10C, and the capacity retention is 90% after 1500 cycles. Moreover, in situ XRD was performed to examine the structure change during electrochemical testing in different voltage ranges, and the results demonstrate 4 V as the optimized upper voltage limit, with which smaller polarization, better structural stability, and better cycling performance are achieved. The results obtained here provide new insights in designing cathode materials with optimal structure and improved performance for sodium-ion batteries.

Toothpaste-like Electrode: A Novel Approach to Optimize the Interface for Solid-State Sodium-Ion Batteries with Ultralong Cycle Life.

A non-sintered method with toothpaste electrode for improving electrode ionic conductivity and reducing interface impedance is introduced in solid-state rechargeable batteries. At 70 °C, this novel solid-state battery can deliver a capacity of 80 mAh g-1 in a voltage range of 2.5-3.8 V at 0.1C rate using layered oxide Na0.66Ni0.33Mn0.67O2, Na-ß″-Al2O3 and sodium metal as cathode, electrolyte and anode, respectively. Moreover, the battery shows a superior stability and high reversibility, with a capacity retention of 90% after 10 000 cycles at 6C rate and a capacity of 79 mAh g-1 is recovered when the current rate is returned to 0.1C. Furthermore, a very thick electrode with active material mass loading of 6 mg cm-2 also presents a reasonable electrochemical performance. These results demonstrate that this is a promising approach to solve the interface problem and would open a new route in designing the next generation solid-state battery.

Novel Li[(CF3SO2)(n-C4F9SO2)N]-Based Polymer Electrolytes for Solid-State Lithium Batteries with Superior Electrochemical Performance.

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) would be promising candidates for application in high-energy rechargeable lithium (Li) batteries to replace the conventional organic liquid electrolytes, in terms of the enhanced safety and excellent design flexibility. Herein, we first report novel perfluorinated sulfonimide salt-based SPEs, composed of lithium (trifluoromethanesulfonyl)(n-nonafluorobutanesulfonyl)imide (Li[(CF3SO2)(n-C4F9SO2)N], LiTNFSI) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), which exhibit relatively efficient ionic conductivity (e.g., 1.04 × 10-4 S cm-1 at 60 °C and 3.69 × 10-4 S cm-1 at 90 °C) and enough thermal stability (>350 °C), for rechargeable Li batteries. More importantly, the LiTNFSI-based SPEs could not only deliver the excellent interfacial compatibility with electrodes (e.g., Li-metal anode, LiFePO4 and sulfur composite cathodes), but also afford good cycling performances for the Li|LiFePO4 (>300 cycles at 1C) and Li-S cells (>500 cycles at 0.5C), in comparison with the conventional LiTFSI (Li[(CF3SO2)2N])-based SPEs. The interfacial impedance and morphology of the cycled Li-metal electrodes are also comparatively analyzed by electrochemical impedance spectra and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. These indicate that the LiTNFSI-based SPEs would be potential alternatives for application in high-energy solid-state Li batteries.