Cooperative Shielding of Bi-Electrodes via In Situ Amorphous Electrode-Electrolyte Interphases for Practical High-Energy Lithium-Metal Batteries.

Solid-state Li-metal batteries offer a great opportunity for high-security and high-energy-density energy storage systems. However, redundant interfacial modification layers, intended to lead to an overall satisfactory interfacial stability, dramatically debase the actual energy density. Herein, a dual-interface amorphous cathode electrolyte interphase/solid electrolyte interphase CEI/SEI protection (DACP) strategy is proposed to conquer the main challenges of electrochemical side reactions and Li dendrites in hybrid solid-liquid batteries without sacrificing energy density via LiDFOB and LiBF4 in situ synergistic conversion. The amorphous CEI/SEI products have an ultralow mass proportion and act as a dynamic shield to cooperatively enforce dual electrodes with a well-preserved structure. Thus, this in situ DACP layer subtly reconciles multiple interfacial compatibilities and a high energy density, endowing the hybrid solid-liquid Li-metal battery with a sustainably brilliant cycling stability even at practical conditions, including high cathode loading, high voltage (4.5 V), and high temperature (45 °C) conditions, and enables a high-energy-density (456 Wh kg-1) pouch cell (11.2 Ah, 5 mA h cm-2) with a lean electrolyte (0.92 g Ah-1, containing solid and liquid phases). The compatible modification strategy points out a promising approach for the design of practical interfaces in future solid-state battery systems.

trans-Difluoroethylene Carbonate as an Electrolyte Additive for Microsized SiOx@C Anodes.

Microsized SiOx has been vigorously investigated as an advanced anode material for next-generation lithium-ion batteries. However, its practical application is seriously hampered by its huge volume variation during the repeated (de)lithiation process, which destroys the microparticle structure and results in rapid capacity fading. Herein, we propose the usage of trans-difluoroethylene carbonate (DFEC) as an electrolyte additive to maintain the structural integrity of microsized SiOx with a uniform carbon layer (SiOx@C). Compared with ethylene carbonate and fluoroethylene carbonate, DFEC has lower lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy and higher reduction potential, which is easily reduced and promotes the in situ formation of a more stable LiF-rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on the surface of anode materials. The LiF-rich SEI exhibits enhanced mechanical rigidity and ionic conductivity, thus enabling the microsized SiOx@C anodes' excellent lithium storage stability and high average Coulombic efficiency.

P3/O3 Integrated Layered Oxide as High-Power and Long-Life Cathode toward Na-Ion Batteries.

Low-cost and stable sodium-layered oxides (such as P2- and O3-phases) are suggested as highly promising cathode materials for Na-ion batteries (NIBs). Biphasic hybridization, mainly involving P2/O3 and P2/P3 biphases, is typically used to boost their electrochemical performances. Herein, a P3/O3 intergrown layered oxide (Na2/3 Ni1/3 Mn1/3 Ti1/3 O2 ) as high-rate and long-life cathode for NIBs via tuning the amounts of Ti substitution in Na2/3 Ni1/3 Mn2/3- x Tix O2 (x = 0, 1/6, 1/3, 2/3) is demonstrated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) Rietveld refinement and aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy show the co-existence of P3 and O3 phases, and density functional theory calculation corroborates the appearance of the anomalous O3 phase at the Ti substitution amount of 1/3. The P3/O3 biphasic cathode delivers an unexpected rate capability (≈88.7% of the initial capacity at a high rate of 5 C) and cycling stability (≈68.7% capacity retention after 2000 cycles at 1 C), superior to those of the sing phases P3-Na2/3 Ni1/3 Mn2/3 O2 , P3-Na2/3 Ni1/3 Mn1/2 Ti1/6 O2 , and O3-Na2/3 Ni1/3 Ti2/3 O2 . The highly reversible structural evolution of the P3/O3 integrated cathode observed by ex situ XRD, ex situ X-ray absorption spectra, and the rapid Na+ diffusion kinetics, underpin the enhancement. These results show the important role of P3/O3 biphasic hybridization in designing and engineering layered oxide cathodes for NIBs.

Steering elementary steps towards efficient alkaline hydrogen evolution via size-dependent Ni/NiO nanoscale heterosurfaces.

Alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), consisting of Volmer and Heyrovsky/Tafel steps, requires extra energy for water dissociation, leading to more sluggish kinetics than acidic HER. Despite the advances in electrocatalysts, how to combine active sites to synergistically promote both steps and understand the underlying mechanism remain largely unexplored. Here, Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations predict that NiO accelerates the Volmer step while metallic Ni facilitates the Heyrovsky/Tafel step. A facile strategy is thus developed to control Ni/NiO heterosurfaces in uniform and well-dispersed Ni-based nanocrystals, targeting both reaction steps synergistically. By systematically modulating the surface composition, we find that steering the elementary steps through tuning the Ni/NiO ratio can significantly enhance alkaline HER activity, and Ni/NiO nanocrystals with a Ni/NiO ratio of 23.7% deliver the best activity, outperforming other state-of-the-art analogues. The results suggest that integrating bicomponent active sites for elementary steps is effective for promoting alkaline HER, but they have to be balanced.

Air-Stable and High-Voltage Layered P3-Type Cathode for Sodium-Ion Full Battery.

The development of highly efficient and stable cathodes for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) is strategically critical to achieving large-scale electrical energy storage. Creating air-stable and high-voltage layered cathodes for sodium-ion full batteries still remains a challenge. Herein, we describe a rational design and preparation of a stable P3-Na2/3Ni1/4Mg1/12Mn2/3O2 cathode. The cathode displays a satisfactory working voltage of 3.6 V and excellent cyclic stability over 100 cycles at a 1 C rate without obvious capacity fading. The results of ex situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) demonstrate that the P3-type structure is well retained even when charged to 4.4 V. Furthermore, the structural characterization by XRD Rietveld refinement, scanning electron microscopy, and electrochemical testing certifies that the cathode maintains its structure commendably even when soaked in water for 12 h. In particular, the P3- Na2/3Ni1/4Mg1/12Mn2/3O2∥hard carbon full battery exhibits a desired competitively high voltage of 3.45 V and an attractive energy density of up to 412.2 W h kg-1 based on the cathode. The comprehensive results achieved by the specially designed strategy provide guidance toward the exploration of stable cathodes in the application of SIBs as modern energy-storage devices.

Cascade anchoring strategy for general mass production of high-loading single-atomic metal-nitrogen catalysts.

Although single-atomically dispersed metal-Nx on carbon support (M-NC) has great potential in heterogeneous catalysis, the scalable synthesis of such single-atom catalysts (SACs) with high-loading metal-Nx is greatly challenging since the loading and single-atomic dispersion have to be balanced at high temperature for forming metal-Nx. Herein, we develop a general cascade anchoring strategy for the mass production of a series of M-NC SACs with a metal loading up to 12.1 wt%. Systematic investigation reveals that the chelation of metal ions, physical isolation of chelate complex upon high loading, and the binding with N-species at elevated temperature are essential to achieving high-loading M-NC SACs. As a demonstration, high-loading Fe-NC SAC shows superior electrocatalytic performance for O2 reduction and Ni-NC SAC exhibits high electrocatalytic activity for CO2 reduction. The strategy paves a universal way to produce stable M-NC SAC with high-density metal-Nx sites for diverse high-performance applications.

Uniform Nucleation of Lithium in 3D Current Collectors via Bromide Intermediates for Stable Cycling Lithium Metal Batteries.

The conductive framework is generating considerable interest for lithium metal anodes to accommodate Li+ deposition, due to its ability to reduce electrode current density by increasing the deposition area. However, in most cases, the electroactive surface area is not fully utilized for the nucleation of Li in 3D current collectors, especially under high current densities. Herein, uniform nucleation of Li in the conductive skeleton is achieved by a two-step synergetic process arising from CuBr- and Br-doped graphene-like film. The modified electrode regulates Li nucleating in uniform pancake-like seeds and growing into a granular Li metal ascribed to the excellent lithiophilicity of CuBr- and Br-doping sites and the low Li diffusion barrier on the surface of generated LiBr, as confirmed by the experimental and computational results. Therefore, the modified anode endows small nucleation overpotential, a high-reversibility Li plating/stripping process, and excellent performance in full batteries with industrially significant cathode loading. This work suggests that a two-step cooperative strategy opens a viable route to the development of a Li anode with high reversibility for stable cycling Li metal batteries.

Scalable solid-state synthesis of coralline-like nanostructured Co@CoNC electrocatalyst for Zn-air batteries.

A facile and scalable solid-state synthesis strategy is developed to produce hierarchical coralline-like nanostructured electrocatalysts with cobalt nanoparticles and Co-NX sites for efficient oxygen reduction reaction, opening up an avenue for the mass production of non-precious metal catalysts for metal-air batteries and fuel cells, etc.

Encased Copper Boosts the Electrocatalytic Activity of N-Doped Carbon Nanotubes for Hydrogen Evolution.

Nitrogen (N)-doped carbons combined with transition-metal nanoparticles are attractive as alternatives to the state-of-the-art precious metal catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, we demonstrate a strategy for fabricating three-dimensional (3D) Cu-encased N-doped carbon nanotube arrays which are directly grown on Cu foam (Cu@NC NT/CF) as a new efficient HER electrocatalyst. Cu nanoparticles are encased here instead of common transition metals (Fe, Co, or Ni) for pursuing a well-controllable morphology and an excellent activity by taking advantage of its more stable nature at high temperature and in acidic or alkaline electrolyte. It is discovered that metallic Cu exhibits strong electronic modulation on N-doped carbon to boost its electrocatalytic activity for HER. Such a nanostructure not only offers plenty of accessible highly active sites but also provides a 3D conductive open network for fast electron/mass transfer and facilitates gas escape for prompt mass exchange. As a result, the Cu@NC NT/CF electrode exhibits superior HER performance and durability, outperforming most of the reported M@NC materials. Furthermore, the etching experiments together with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis reveal that the electronic modulation from encased Cu significantly enhances the HER activity of N-doped carbon. These findings open up opportunities for exploring other Cu-based nanomaterials as efficient electrocatalysts and understanding their catalytic processes.

Microbial-Phosphorus-Enabled Synthesis of Phosphide Nanocomposites for Efficient Electrocatalysts.

Transition-metal phosphides have recently been identified as low-cost and efficient electrocatalysts that are highly active for the hydrogen evolution reaction. Unfortunately, to achieve a controlled phosphidation of nonprecious metals toward a desired nanostructure of metal phosphides, the synthetic processes usually turned complicated, high-cost, and even dangerous due to the reaction chemistry related to different phosphorus sources. It becomes even more challenging when considering the integration of those active metal phosphides with the structural engineering of their conductive matrix toward a favorable architecture for optimized catalytic performance. Herein, we identified that the biomass itself could act as an effective synthetic platform for the construction of supported metal phosphides by recovering its inner phosphorus upon reacting with transition-metals ions, forming well-dispersed, highly active nanoparticles of metal phosphides incorporated in the nanoporous carbon matrix, which promised high catalytic activity in the hydrogen evolution reaction. Our synthetic protocol not only provides a simple and effective strategy for the construction of a large variety of highly active nanoparticles of metal phosphides but also envisions new perspectives on an integrated utilization of the essential ingredients, particularly phosphorus, together with the innate architecture of the existing biomass for the creation of functional nanomaterials toward sustainable energy development.