Two-dimensional vermiculite separator for lithium sulfur batteries

A lamellar vermiculite separator assembled with exfoliation vermiculites is developed for lithium sulfur batteries. The vermiculite separator can simultaneously suppress the parasitic reactions induced by polysulfide intermediate shuttle, and prevent the short circuit by potential lithium dendrite penetration with the ultrahigh Young's modulus.     

Fe_3O_4/RGO复合材料的制备及其电化学性能研究

以改进Hummers法合成的氧化石墨烯(GO)为前驱体,通过水热法结合烧结工艺制备了四氧化三铁/还原氧化石墨烯(Fe_3O_4/RGO)复合材料。利用X射线衍射(XRD)、拉曼光谱(Raman)、扫描电镜(SEM)、透射电镜(TEM)等手段对复合材料的理化性能进行表征;通过充放电测试、循环伏安(CV)和电化学阻抗谱(EIS)等技术,综合考察了材料的储锂性能及电化学性能增强机制。结果表明,在200和600 m A/g电流密度下,Fe_3O_4/RGO复合负极循环60次后的放电比容量分别保持在709和479 mAh/g,表现出良好的倍率性能;相较于纯Fe_3O_4负极,复合负极呈现出更优异的锂电性能,其电化学性能的改善得益于RGO能增强材料的电导性和结构稳定性。     

A Sustainable Redox-Flow Battery with an Aluminum-Based,Deep-Eutectic-Solvent Anolyte

Nonaqueous redox-flow batteries are an emerging energy storage technology for grid storage systems, but the development of anolytes has lagged far behind that of catholytes due to the major limitations of the redox species, which exhibit relatively low solubility and inadequate redox potentials. Herein, an aluminum-based deep-eutectic-solvent is investigated as an anolyte for redox-flow batteries. The aluminum-based deep-eutectic solvent demonstrated a significantly enhanced concentration of circa 3.2 m in the anolyte and a relatively low redox potential of 2.2 V vs. Li⁺/Li. The electrochemical measurements highlight that a reversible volumetric capacity of 145 Ah L⁻¹ and an energy density of 189 Wh L⁻¹ or 165 Wh kg⁻¹ have been achieved when coupled with a I₃⁻/I⁻ catholyte. The prototype cell has also been extended to the use of a Br₂-based catholyte, exhibiting a higher cell voltage with a theoretical energy density of over 200 Wh L⁻¹. The synergy of highly abundant, dendrite-free, multi-electron-reaction aluminum anodes and environmentally benign deep-eutectic-solvent anolytes reveals great potential towards cost-effective, sustainable redox-flow batteries.     

Singlet Oxygen during Cycling of the Aprotic Sodium–O2 Battery

Aprotic sodium–O₂ batteries require the reversible formation/dissolution of sodium superoxide (NaO₂) on cycling. Poor cycle life has been associated with parasitic chemistry caused by the reactivity of electrolyte and electrode with NaO₂, a strong nucleophile and base. Its reactivity can, however, not consistently explain the side reactions and irreversibility. Herein we show that singlet oxygen (¹O₂) forms at all stages of cycling and that it is a main driver for parasitic chemistry. It was detected in‐ and ex‐situ via a ¹O₂ trap that selectively and rapidly forms a stable adduct with ¹O₂. The ¹O₂ formation mechanism involves proton‐mediated superoxide disproportionation on discharge, rest, and charge below ca. 3.3 V, and direct electrochemical ¹O₂ evolution above ca. 3.3 V. Trace water, which is needed for high capacities also drives parasitic chemistry. Controlling the highly reactive singlet oxygen is thus crucial for achieving highly reversible cell operation.     

Nitrogen‐Doped Mesoporous Carbon‐Encapsulated MoO2 Nanobelts as a High‐Capacity and Stable Host for Lithium‐Ion Storage

N‐doped mesoporous carbon‐capped MoO₂ nanobelts (designated as MoO₂@NC) were synthesized and applied to lithium‐ion storage. Owing to the stable core–shell structural framework and conductive mesoporous carbon matrix, the as‐prepared MoO₂@NC shows a high specific capacity of around 700 mA h g⁻¹ at a current of 0.5 A g⁻¹, excellent cycling stability up to 100 cycles, and superior rate performance. The N‐doped mesoporous carbon can greatly improve the conductivity and provide uninhibited conducting pathways for fast charge transfer and transport. Moreover, the core–shell structure improved the structural integrity, leading to a high stability during the cycling process. All of these merits make the MoO₂@NC to be a suitable and promising material for lithium ion battery.     

Dual-Metal Electrolytes for Hybrid-Ion Batteries: Synergism or Antagonism?

The construction of hybrid metal-ion batteries faces a plethora of challenges. A critical one is to unveil the solvation/desolvation processes at the molecular level in electrolytes that ensure efficient transfer of several types of charge carriers. This study reports first results on simulations of mixed-ion electrolytes. All combinations of homo- and hetero-binuclear complexes of Li⁺, Na⁺ and Mg²⁺, solvated with varying number of ethylene carbonate (EC) molecules are modeled in non-polar and polar environment by means of first principles calculations and compared to the mononuclear analogues in terms of stability, spatial organization, charge distribution and solvation/desolvation behavior. The used PF₆⁻ counterion is shown to have minor impact on the geometry of the complexes. The desolvation energy penalty of binuclear complexes can be lowered by the fluoride ions, emerging upon the PF₆⁻ decay. These model investigations could be extended to rationalize the solvation structure and ionic mobility in dual-ion electrolytes.     

一步硫/磷热处理制备空心Co9S8/CoP/C纳米复合材料及其储钠性能研究

低成本、高性能的钠离子电池有望成为代替锂离子电池的下一代核心器件.但是开发出高比容量、高倍率的钠离子电池负极材料依然是瓶颈.本文通过水热/溶剂热法制备了Co基前驱体,然后将其一步硫/磷热处理制得具有空心多孔结构的h-Co₉S₈/CoP/C纳米复合材料.通过X-射线粉末衍射(XRD)、拉曼光谱(Raman)、扫描电镜(SEM)、透射电镜(TEM)和X-射线光电子能谱(XPS)等表征以确定纳米复合物的物相以及形貌特征.当h-Co₉S₈/CoP/C作为钠离子电池负极材料时,该电极材料展示了高的比容量(561 mAh g^-1@0.1 Ag^-1)、较好的循环性能(可逆比容量200 mAh g^-1@2 Ag^-1)和倍率性能.h-Co₉S₈/CoP/C之所以显示出良好的储钠性能,主要得益于其空心多孔结构不仅提供更多的空间缓解钠在反复嵌入和脱出过程造成的体积膨胀效应,而且可以缩短离子/电荷扩散途径以加快反应动力学,此外,Co₉S₈、CoP和C独特的电子结构优势得以共同发挥.     

Recent Progress in High-Performance Lithium Sulfur Batteries: The Emerging Strategies for Advanced Separators/Electrolytes Based on Nanomaterials and Corresponding Interfaces

Lithium-sulfur (Li−S) batteries, possessing excellent theoretical capacities, low cost and nontoxicity, are one of the most promising energy storage battery systems. However, poor conductivity of elemental S and the “shuttle effect” of lithium polysulfides hinder the commercialization of Li−S batteries. These problems are closely related to the interface problems between the cathodes, separators/electrolytes and anodes. The review focuses on interface issues for advanced separators/electrolytes based on nanomaterials in Li−S batteries. In the liquid electrolyte systems, electrolytes/separators and electrodes system can be decorated by nano materials coating for separators and electrospinning nanofiber separators. And, interface of anodes and electrolytes/separators can be modified by nano surface coating, nano composite metal lithium and lithium nano alloy, while the interface between cathodes and electrolytes/separators is designed by nano metal sulfide, nanocarbon-based and other nano materials. In all solid-state electrolyte systems, the focus is to increase the ionic conductivity of the solid electrolytes and reduce the resistance in the cathode/polymer electrolyte and Li/electrolyte interfaces through using nanomaterials. The basic mechanism of these interface problems and the corresponding electrochemical performance are discussed. Based on the most critical factors of the interfaces, we provide some insights on nanomaterials in high-performance liquid or state Li−S batteries in the future.