Computer modeling of negative electrode operation in lithium-ion battery: Model of equal-sized grains,galvanostatic discharge mode,calculation of characteristic parameters

A computer simulation of the negative electrode (anode) operation in a lithium-ion battery is performed. A complete research program is carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the theory of porous electrodes: the “model of equal-sized grains of two types” was studied, percolation properties of the anode active layer were researched, values of effective coefficients were calculated for charge transfer and mass transport, a complete system of equations describing operation of the anode is presented. Two specific cases of galvanostatic mode of anode discharge are considered in detail: an “ideal” anode and anode with nanosize particles. Working anode parameters are calculated: optimum bulk concentration of graphite in the active layer, active layer thickness, time of complete anode discharge, its specific electric capacitance and final potential on the active/layer interelectrode space interface. Advisability of working with anodes with nanosize grains and electrolyte with enhanced specific conductivity is shown.     

Silicon-containing anodes with high capacity loading for lithium-ion batteries

Comparative analysis of cycling performance of hybrid electrodes based on the MAG synthetic graphite mechanic mixtures with silicon nanopowder and “nano-Si/SiO₂/hard carbon” ceramic frame-ordered composite in 1 M LiPF₆ solution in a monofluoroethylene carbonate-ethyl methyl carbonate mixture (30: 70, v/v), added with 3 wt % vinylene carbonate and 2 wt % ethylene sulfite, is performed. The high capacity loading (up to 6.8 mA h cm^?2 at the electrode layer thickness of 37 μm) and acceptable accumulated irreversible capacity of the composite-containing electrodes are achieved, due to the electrodes’ high density and stable silicon-containing electrode/electrolyte interface formation.     

The role of supporting electrolyte in heterogeneous electron transfer

The effects of supporting electrolyte on the kinetics of the elementary step of electron transfer are considered as unavoidable interplay of interfacial phenomena and ionic equilibria in solution. For the former, the problems to separate contributions of electrostatic electrode-reactant interactions and specific adsorption are addressed, and various aspects of the traditional Frumkin correction (“psi-prime effect”) are discussed. The construction of corrected Tafel plots is shown to be a procedure containing the internal contradiction resulting in an uncertainty. This uncertainty can be eliminated by combining the principles of traditional analysis of the “double layer” effects with physical theory instead of phenomenological approaches. Specific manifestations of parallel electron transfer to an ensemble of reacting species are presented in the context of “mean reactant charge in solution bulk.” The approach to account for non-spherical shape and inhomogeneous charge distribution in reacting species is considered in terms of “molecular psi-prime effect.” Finally, some comments are given on analogy of “double layer” effects at metal/solution interface and interfacial phenomena specific for more complex and highly relevant electrochemical systems.     

Effect of the diffuse double layer on the interpretation of EQCM results in dilute NaClO4 solutions

The response of the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) in dilute NaClO₄ solutions was studied with gold and iron electrodes during a stepwise increase of the perchlorate concentration. In the range from 10⁻⁴ M to 7.8×10⁻² M, the quartz resonant frequency of the 10 MHz AT cut crystals increased by about 700 Hz, indicating a mass loss on the electrode. A model was developed in which the diffuse double layer and the oscillating bulk electrolyte layer, characterised by the velocity decay length of the damped shear wave in solution, are treated as two independent, superimposed sheets. By assuming a characteristic thickness of the diffuse double layer according to the Gouy–Chapman theory and by treating the diffuse double layer as a rigid sheet, the measured mass loss could be simulated qualitatively. The viscosity changes in the diffuse double layer as well as in the sensed electrolyte bulk layer were found to be negligible in the concentration range investigated. In dilute solutions, the frequency shift following a concentration change is entirely due to thinning of the diffuse double layer with increasing concentration. The results demonstrate the importance of diffuse double layer effects for EQCM measurements in dilute electrolytes.     

Interfacial Impregnation Chemistry in the Synthesis of Cobalt Catalysts Supported on Titania

The interfacial chemistry of the impregnation step involved in the synthesis of cobalt catalysts supported on titania was investigated with regard to the mode of interfacial deposition of the aqua complex [Co(H₂O)₆]²⁺ on the “titania/electrolyte solution” interface, the structure of the inner‐sphere complexes formed, and their relative interfacial concentrations. Several methodologies based on the application of deposition experiments and electrochemical techniques were used in conjunction with diffuse‐reflectance spectroscopy and EPR spectroscopy. These suggested the formation of mononuclear/oligonuclear inner‐sphere complexes on deposition of the [Co(H₂O)₆]²⁺ ions at the “titania/electrolyte solution” interface. The joint application of semiempirical quantum‐mechanical calculations, stereochemical considerations, and modeling of the deposition data revealed the exact structure of these complexes and allowed their relative concentrations at various Co^II surface concentrations to be determined. It was found that the interface speciation depends on the Co^II surface concentration. Mononuclear complexes are formed at the compact layer of the “titania/electrolyte solution” interface for low and medium Co^II surface concentrations. Formation of mono‐hydrolyzed Ti₂O–TiO and the dihydrolyzed TiO–TiO disubstituted configurations is very probable. In the first configuration one water ligand of the [Co(H₂O)₆]²⁺ ion is substituted by a bridging surface oxygen atom and another by a terminal surface oxygen atom. In the second configuration two water ligands of the [Co(H₂O)₆]²⁺ ion are substituted by two terminal surface oxygen atoms. Binuclear and trinuclear inner‐sphere complexes are formed, in addition to the mononuclear ones, at relatively high Co^II surface concentrations.     

Application of the hypernetted chain approximation to the electrical double layer for 2:1 and 1:2 electrolytes

The equations needed to estimate the potential drop across the diffuse layer according to the hypernetted chain approximation (HNCA) are derived in this paper for 2:1 and 1:2 electrolytes at the restricted primitive level. It is shown that HNCA results can be expressed in the same format as the corresponding Gouy-Chapman equations with inclusion of two modifying functions. One function depends on the fraction of the solution volume occupied by the ions, and the other depends on the reciprocal thickness of the ionic atmosphere surrounding each ion. In addition, an expression for the potential profile in the diffuse layer for 2:1 and 1:2 electrolyte solutions is derived according to Gouy-Chapman theory. The modifying functions in the HNCA are then estimated using the Henderson-Blum approach for solutions containing ions with diameters of 300 and 400 pm for concentrations in the range from 0.1 to 2 M. It is shown that the Henderson-Blum approach is inadequate for systems with multivalent ions except for charge densities very close to the point of zero charge.     

The effect of partial charge transfer on the electrochemical turbulent noise

Theoretical analysis of the effect of electrode potential on the spectral density of random alternating current emerged in electrochemical cell under the action of turbulent pulsations of the electrolyte solution velocity is carried out. An impedance model of metal electrode dissolution reaction, including two adsorption stages, is suggested, with allowance for the oxidized ion diffusion in electrolyte solution. It is known that in terms of the Ershler-Randles model, at low frequencies the experimentally measured slope of bilogarithmic frequency dependence of spectral density equals 3, which is characteristic of the diffusion control; at high frequencies the slope equals 4, which is characteristic of the kinetic control. It is shown that for the model of impedance of the two-stage adsorption oxidation process, in the middle segment of the spectrum the local slope must decrease down to 2, provided the first oxidation stage, which proceeds within the inner electrical double layer, is slow; the local slope must increase up to 6 (or 5, for diffusion control), provided the second oxidation stage (the partially oxidized ion desorption to solution) is slow. The “height” and “width” of the slope local changes appeared explicitly depending on the parameters of the partial charge transfer. This makes the turbulent noise method somewhat superior to the impedance method in the studying of the above-specified reaction type.     

Electrochemical behavior of tungsten-containing nanocomposite with siloxane matrix

Electrochemical properties of a thin-film nanocomposite “silicon-carbon matrix-tungsten carbide” deposited onto pyroceramics (“sitall”) substrate are studied by potentiodynamic curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Transfer coefficients in model redox system [Fe(CN)₆]^3?/4? are measured. With the decreasing of the films’ electrical resistance, their experiment behavior gradually changed from that of “poor conductor” till nearly metal-like one. In particular, the electrode differential capacitance increases, which is explained by the increase in the number of conducting metal-containing clusters in the film bulk and at the film/electrolyte solution interface. Some specific features of the complex-plane plots of impedance spectra are tentatively explained by the adsorption at the nanocomposite surface elements.     

An Anderson model for electrosorption

The Anderson model is applied to adsorption on a metal electrode from an electrolyte solution. Self-consistent equations are derived for the partial charge on an adsorbate. Numerical model calculations are performed for a series of s- and p-electron systems, taking into account the interaction with the solvent. The results are in line with experimentally determined electrosorption valencies.     

ELECTROCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF ASPHALTENE PARTICLES IN AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS

The electrical properties of colloidal asphaltene/water solution interface were determined by carrying out the potentiometric titration and electrokinetic measurements. Asphaltenes in aqueous solutions exhibit typical organic colloid properties i.e. surface charge and electrophoretic mobility. It was considered that the surface charge at the asphaltene particles is a result of protonation and dissociation reactions of surface functional groups. On the base of the surface charge density data vs. pH the surface reaction constants were calculated by numerical method. The agreement of these values with calculated ones, on the base of ζ potential data, is noticeable.

The characteristic feature of the investigated systems is the maximum, appearing on the curve ζ potential vs. electrolyte concentration. This behaviour is explained by _”hair layer ” structure of the asphaltene surface     

Effective thickness of the diffusion layer during hydrogen ion reduction in aqueous hydrochloric acid solutions

The process of mass transport during hydrogen ion reduction in aqueous hydrochloric acid solutions is examined both with and without excess supporting electrolyte. The study of this process is based on a numerical solution to a system of equations of material balance and the movement of particles in solution under the influence of forces for diffusion, migration, and convection. The homogeneous chemical reaction of water dissociation is also taken into account. The results of calculations show that a diffusion layer forms near the electrode during the passage of current in these solutions and that the effective thickness of this layer is the same at any instant for all particles participating in mass transport in solution in spite of differences in their diffusion coefficients. The value of the diffusion coefficient measured in these multicomponent solutions by the methods of chronopotentiometry and rotating disk electrode should differ little from that of hydrogen ions in spite of the fact that other particles with different diffusion coefficients participate in the mass transport.     

Search for a model to describe the specific adsorption of anions A? in Ga/[N-Methylformamide + mc KCl + (1 ? m)c KClO4] Systems, where KA is KCl, KBr, or KI

The adsorption parameters for systems Ga/[NMF + 0.1m M KCl + 0.1(1 ? m) M KClO₄], Ga/[NMF + 0.1m M KBr + 0.1(1 ? m) M KClO₄], and Ga/[NMF + 0.1m M KI + 0.1(1 ? m) M KClO₄] are calculated by using the regression analysis of the adsorption potential shift vs. electrode charge dependences for the following molar fractions m of the surface-active anion: 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, and 1 within the framework of two models. The models are based on the Frumkin isotherm with the free adsorption energy dependent on the electrode charge, of which one model takes into account the diffuse layer and the other ignores it. It is shown that for electrode charges q ?? 16 ??C/cm², both models provide equal accuracy; however, for higher q, preference should be given to the model that takes into account the contribution of the double layer diffuse part.     

The modelling of solvent structure in the electrical double layer

A Civilized Model electrolyte is one in which the ions and solvent molecules are regarded as distinct molecular species and treated on an equal basis. Recent efforts to use a Civilized Model to study the effects of solvent structure in the properties of the electrical double layer are discussed. By modelling the electrolyte as a simple ion-dipole mixture, it is possible to gain valuable insight in areas such as: 1) the successes and limitations of the Gouy-Chapman-Stern picture; 2) the derivation as opposed to a postulation of the Stern layer; 3) the influence of the charged surface on the magnitudes of the apparent Stern capacities (e.g. the “low” capacitances of the mercury/solution interface vs. the “high” capacitance of inorganic oxides); 4) the effect of solvent structure on the potential profile in the diffuse layer; 5) the interpretation of the electrokinetic potential; and 6) the role of solvent orientation on the x potential.     

Effect of 15-crown-5 on the charge transfer resistance at the polymer electrolyte/modified Li-electrode interface

The effect of 15-crown-5, which is applied immediately to pure and modified surface of a lithium electrode, on the charge transfer resistance at the electrode/polymer electrolyte interface is studied. The polymer electrolyte consists of a 1: 1 mixture of oligourethan dimethacrylate and polypropylene glycol monomethacrylate (20 wt %), an initiator (azobisisobutyronitrile) (2 wt %), and a 1 M LiClO₄ solution in gamma-butyrolactone (78 wt %). The conductivity of this gel electrolyte is 3 × 10^?3 S cm^?1. The temperature dependence of the impedance of the Li/gel electrolyte/Li electrochemical cells is measured for electrodes of four types. The activation energies for the charge transfer at the Li/electrolyte interface are calculated. It is found that, after treating the test lithium electrodes with 15-crown-5, the charge transfer resistance decreases, and in the case of the modified lithium surface, the activation energy for the process decreases by 1.8 times.     

“Electrocapillary” curve on solid metal obtained by holographic interferometry

A new very sensitive method was developed for obtaining the “electrocapillary” curve of a solid metal. The method is based on the measurement of small elastic deformations of a strip caused by the changes of the surface tension forces. For the precise measurement of the strip bending (the radius of curvature) holographic interferometry was applied. It is shown that a change of the surface tension ±0.1 mN m^?1 can be registered. The “electrocapillary” curve of platinum in 0.05 M H₂SO₄ solution was obtained. It was found that the zero charge potential is +0.25 V versus normal hydrogen electrode. The double layer capacity was evaluated. The method is not very sensitive to temperature changes and can be applied in any case when the working electrode (metal strip) is mounted in a transparent glass cell.     

Anion-modulated Ion Conductor with Chain Conformational Transformation for stabilizing Interfacial Phase of High-Voltage Lithium Metal Batteries

In solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs), the inhomogeneous electrolyte-electrode interphase layer aggravates the interfacial stability, leading to discontinuous interfacial ion/charge transport and continuous degradation of the electrolyte. Herein, we constructed an anion-modulated ionic conductor (AMIC) that enables in situ construction of electrolyte/electrode interphases for high-voltage SSLMBs by exploiting conformational transitions under multiple interactions between polymer and lithium salt anions. Anions modulate the decomposition behavior of supramolecular poly (vinylene carbonate) (PVC) at the electrode interface by changing the spatial conformation of the polymer chains, which further enhances ion transport and stabilizes the interfacial morphology. In addition, the AMIC weakens the “Li⁺-solvation” and increases Li⁺ vehicle sites, thereby enhancing the lithium-ion transport number (t_Li⁺=~0.67). Consequently, Li || LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ cell maintains about 85 % capacity retention and Coulombic efficiency >99.8 % in 200 cycles at a charge cut-off voltage of 4.5 V. This study provides a new understanding of lithium salt anions regulating polymer chain segment behavior in the solid-state polymer electrolyte (SPE) and highlights the importance of the ion environment in the construction of interfacial phases and ionic conduction.     

Inhomogeneous polymer solutions: Theory of the interfacial free energy and the composition profile near the consolute point

The Flory–Huggins formulation of the combinatorial entropy, supplemented with residual free energy, is applied locally to obtain the interfacial free energy and the concentration profile of polymer in the interface between two demixed polymer solution phases. Two choices were investigated for the residual free energy: a “regular solution” formulation and an empirical formulation of Koningsveld for polystyrene in cyclohexane. Asymptotic, analytical solutions of the equations near the critical solution point and solutions obtained by numerical calculations are given as a function of temperature for several molecular weights. At temperatures farther below the critical temperature the equations have no solutions. The reason for this is not entirely clear. The local formulation of the free energy used here is an improved version of a previous one, which gave wrong results for asymmetric systems (polymer in a low molecular weight solvent). This newer version is consistent with our theory of critical opalescence and gives a relation between the interface “thickness” and the correlation range of the concentration fluctuations. The calculated correlation ranges were in good accord with those found experimentally by Debye, Chu, and Woerman. That the newer version of our equations for an interface gives no acceptable solutions at lower temperatures could be caused by a “collapse” of a diffuse to a sharp interface as suggested by Nose.     

Electrochemistry,ion adsorption and dynamics in the double layer: a study of NaCl(aq) on graphite

Graphite and related sp² carbons are ubiquitous electrode materials with particular promise for use in e.g., energy storage and desalination devices, but very little is known about the properties of the carbon–electrolyte double layer at technologically relevant concentrations. Here, the (electrified) graphite–NaCl(aq) interface was examined using constant chemical potential molecular dynamics (CμMD) simulations; this approach avoids ion depletion (due to surface adsorption) and maintains a constant concentration, electroneutral bulk solution beyond the surface. Specific Na⁺ adsorption at the graphite basal surface causes charging of the interface in the absence of an applied potential. At moderate bulk concentrations, this leads to accumulation of counter-ions in a diffuse layer to balance the effective surface charge, consistent with established models of the electrical double layer. Beyond ∼0.6 M, however, a combination of over-screening and ion crowding in the double layer results in alternating compact layers of charge density perpendicular to the interface. The transition to this regime is marked by an increasing double layer size and anomalous negative shifts to the potential of zero charge with incremental changes to the bulk concentration. Our observations are supported by changes to the position of the differential capacitance minimum measured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and are explained in terms of the screening behaviour and asymmetric ion adsorption. Furthermore, a striking level of agreement between the differential capacitance from solution evaluated in simulations and measured in experiments allows us to critically assess electrochemical capacitance measurements which have previously been considered to report simply on the density of states of the graphite material at the potential of zero charge. Our work shows that the solution side of the double layer provides the more dominant contribution to the overall measured capacitance. Finally, ion crowding at the highest concentrations (beyond ∼5 M) leads to the formation of liquid-like NaCl clusters confined to highly non-ideal regions of the double layer, where ion diffusion is up to five times slower than in the bulk. The implications of changes to the speciation of ions on reactive events in the double layer are discussed.

CμMD reveals multi-layer electrolyte screening in the double layer beyond 0.6 M, which affects ion activities, speciation and mobility; asymmetric charge screening explains concentration dependent changes to electrochemical properties.     

Analysis of diffuse-layer effects on time-dependent interfacial kinetics

We investigate the subtle effects of the diffuse charged layer on interfacial kinetics by solving the governing equations for ion transport (Nernst–Planck) with realistic boundary conditions representing reaction kinetics (Butler–Volmer) and compact-layer capacitance (Stern) in the asymptotic limit =λ_D/L→0, where λ_D is the Debye screening length and L is the distance between the working and counter electrodes. Using the methods of singular perturbation theory, we derive the leading-order steady-state response to a nonzero applied current in the case of the oxidation of a neutral species into cations, without any supporting electrolyte. In certain parameter regimes, the theory predicts a reaction-limited current smaller than the classical diffusion-limited current; this over potential effect is not due to ohmic drop effects in the bulk of the cell but rather to antagonist processes involved in the surface charge transfer and diffuse layer charging respectively. We demonstrate that the charging of diffuse charge, since it is intimately coupled to the surface reaction and cannot be considered independently, plays a fundamental role in nonequilibrium surface reactions when the transport of one of the reacting species is coupled to the total interfacial response of the compact and diffuse layers.