The preparation of porous graphite and its application in lithium ion batteries as anode material

Graphite is the most widely used anode material for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). However, the performance of graphite is limited by its slow charging rates. In this work, porous graphite was successfully prepared by nickel-catalyzed gasification. The existence of the pores and channels in graphite particles can greatly increase the number of sites for Li-ion intercalation-deintercalation in graphite lattice and reduce the Li-ion diffusion distance, which can greatly facilitate the rapid diffusion of lithium ions; meanwhile, the pores and channels can act as buffers for the volume change of the graphite in charging-discharging processes. As a result, the prepared graphite with pores and channels exhibits excellent cycling stability at high rate as anode materials for LIBs. The porous graphite offers better cycling performance than pristine graphite, retaining 81.4 % of its initial reversible capacity after 1500 cycles at 5 C rates. The effective synthesis strategy might open new avenues for the design of high-performance graphite materials. The porous graphite anode material is proposed in applications of high rate charging Li-ion batteries for electric vehicles.     

石墨/LiCoO_2电池充放电过程电极活性材料结构演变研究

利用X射线衍射分析(XRD)详细地研究了石墨/LiCoO2体系18650型锂离子电池充放电过程中正负极活性材料的晶体结构和微结构的变化.结果发现,在电池充电过程中,锂嵌入石墨层中,优先进入碳原子六方网格面间的间隙位置,导致石墨的点阵参数a和c,以及微应变ε增加和堆垛无序度P的变化,电池充电至20%后负极中形成Li-C化合物;电池充电时,正极LiCoO2中处于(000)位的Li原子优先脱离晶体点阵,随着正极材料脱锂量的增大,其晶格参数a减小,c增大,微应变ε也随之增加.LiCoO2在整个充电和放电过程中均未发生相变.最后,讨论了锂离子电池的导电机制.发现,充电时,锂离子的迁移从负极-电解液界面开始;放电时,其迁移从正极-电解液界面开始;在充放电过程中,正负极活性材料的嵌脱锂都有一个从活性材料颗粒表面到内层的过程.电池的充放电过程不完全可逆.     

An Atomic View of Cation Diffusion Pathways from Single-Crystal Topochemical Transformations

The diffusion pathways of Li-ions as they traverse cathode structures in the course of insertion reactions underpin many questions fundamental to the functionality of Li-ion batteries. Much current knowledge derives from computational models or the imaging of lithiation behavior at larger length scales; however, it remains difficult to experimentally image Li-ion diffusion at the atomistic level. Here, by using topochemical Li-ion insertion and extraction to induce single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformations in a tunnel-structured V₂O₅ polymorph, coupled with operando powder X-ray diffraction, we leverage single-crystal X-ray diffraction to identify the sequence of lattice interstitial sites preferred by Li-ions to high depths of discharge, and use electron density maps to create a snapshot of ion diffusion in a metastable phase. Our methods enable the atomistic imaging of Li-ions in this cathode material in kinetic states and provide an experimentally validated angstrom-level 3D picture of atomic pathways thus far only conjectured through DFT calculations.     

Controlled Synthesis of Cr‐Co0.85Se Nanoarrays for Water Splitting at an Ultralow Cell Voltage of 1.43 V

Water splitting has attracted more and more attention as a promising strategy for the production of clean hydrogen fuel. In this work, a new synthesis strategy was proposed, and Co_0.85Se was synthesized on nickel foam as the main matrix. The doping of appropriate Cr amount into the target of Co_0.85Se and the Cr‐Co_0.85Se resulted in an excellent electrochemical performance. The doping of Cr introduces Cr³⁺ ions which substitute Co²⁺ and Co³⁺ ions in Co_0.85Se, so that the lattice parameters of the main matrix were changed. It is worth noting that the Cr0.15‐Co_0.85Se/NF material exhibits an excellent performance in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) test. When the current density reaches 50 mA cm^?2 for OER, the overpotential is only 240 mV. For the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) tests, the overpotential is only 117 mV to drive 10 mA cm^?2 of current density. Moreover, when the Cr0.15‐Co_0.85Se/NF material is used as a two‐electrode device for whole water splitting, the required cell voltage is only 1.43 V to reach a current density of 10 mA cm^?2, which is among the lowest values of the published catalysts up to now. In addition, the Cr0.15‐Co_0.85Se/NF catalyst also exhibits excellent stability during a long period of water splitting. The experimental result demonstrates that the change of the lattice structure has an obvious influence on the electrocatalytic activity of the material. When an external electric field is applied, it facilitates the rapid electron transfer rate and enhances the electrocatalytic performance and stability of the material.     

Air-Stable Mn doped CuCl/CuO Hybrid Triquetrous Nanoarrays as Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for Overall Water Splitting

The development of highly efficient non-precious metal catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is key for large-scale hydrogen evolution through water splitting technology. Here, we report an air-stable Cu-based nanostructure consisting of Mn doped CuCl and CuO (CuCl/CuO(Mn)-NF) as a dual functional electrocatalyst for water splitting. CuCl is identified as the main active component, together with Mn doping and the synergistic effect between CuCl and CuO are found to make responsibility for the excellent OER and HER catalytic activity and stability. The assembled electrolyzes also exhibit decent water splitting performance. This work not only provides a simple method for preparing Cu-based composite catalyst, but also demonstrates the great potential of Cu-based non-noble metal electrocatalysts for water splitting and other renewable energy conversion technologies.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of the Li-ion diffusion in the amorphous solid electrolyte interphase

The solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), a passivation film covering the electrode surface, is crucial to the lifetime and efficiency of the lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery. Understanding the Li-ion diffusion mechanism within possible components in the mosaic-structured SEI is an essential step to improve the Li-ion conductivity and thus the battery performance. Here, we investigate the Li-ion diffusion mechanism within three amorphous SEI components (i.e., the inorganic inner layer, organic outer layer, and their mixture with 1:1 molar ratio) via ab initio molecular dynamic (AIMD) simulations. Our simulations show that the Li-ion diffusion coefficient in the inorganic layer is two orders of magnitude faster than that in the organic layer. Therefore, the inorganic layer makes a major contribution to the Li-ion diffusion. Furthermore, we find that the Li-ion diffusivity in the organic layer decreases slightly with the increase of the carbon chain from the methyl to ethyl owing to the steric hindrance induced by large groups. Overall, our current work unravels the Li-ion diffusion mechanism, and provides an atomic-scale insight for the understanding of the Li-ion transport in the SEI components.     

GaN:ZnO solid solution as a photocatalyst for visible-light-driven overall water splitting

Photocatalytic overall water splitting has been studied extensively from the viewpoint of solar energy conversion. Despite numerous attempts, none have yielded satisfactory results for the development of photocatalysts, which work under visible light irradiation to efficiently utilize solar energy. We report here the first example of visible-light-driven overall water splitting on a novel oxynitride photocatalyst, a solid solution of GaN and ZnO with a band gap of 2.58-2.76 eV, modified with RuO2 nanoparticles. In contrast to the conventional non-oxide photocatalysts, such as CdS, the solid solution is stable during the overall water splitting reaction. This is the first example of achieving overall water splitting by a photocatalyst with a band gap in the visible light region, which opens the possibility of new non-oxide-type photocatalysts for energy conversion.     

All boron-based 2D material as anode material in Li-ion batteries

To design the high-energy-density Li-ion batteries, the anode materials with high specific capacity have attracted much attention. In this work, we adopt the first principles calculations to investigate the possibility of a new two dimensional boron material, named BG, as anode material for Li-ion batteries. The calculated results show that the maximum theoretical specific capacity of B_G is 1653 m Ah g~(-1)(LiB1.5).Additionally, the energy barriers of Li ion and Li vacancy diffusion are 330 meV and 110 meV, respectively, which imply fast charge and discharge ability for BGas an anode material. The theoretical findings reported in this work suggest that BGis a potential candidate as anode material of high-energy-density Li-ion batteries.     

Inorganic Photocatalysts for Overall Water Splitting

Photocatalytic water splitting using semiconductor photocatalysts has been considered as a “green” process for converting solar energy into hydrogen. The pioneering work on electrochemical photolysis of water at TiO₂ electrode, reported by Fujishima and Honda in 1972, ushered in the area of solar fuel. As the real ultimate solution for solar fuel‐generation, overall water splitting has attracted interest from researchers for some time, and a variety of inorganic photocatalysts have been developed to meet the challenge of this dream reaction. To date, high‐efficiency hydrogen production from pure water without the assistance of sacrificial reagents remains an open challenge. In this Focus Review, we aim to provide a whole picture of overall water splitting and give an outlook for future research.     

Boosting Photocatalytic Water Splitting: Interfacial Charge Polarization in Atomically Controlled Core–Shell Cocatalysts

Platinum is a commonly used cocatalyst for improved charge separation and surface reactions in photocatalytic water splitting. It is envisioned that its practical applications can be facilitated by further reducing the material cost and improving the efficacy of Pt cocatalysts. In this direction, the use of atomically controlled Pd@Pt quasi‐core–shell cocatalysts in combination with TiO₂ as a model semiconductor is described. As demonstrated experimentally, the electron trapping necessary for charge separation is substantially promoted by combining a Schottky junction with interfacial charge polarization, enabled by the three‐atom‐thick Pt shell. Meanwhile, the increase in electron density and lattice strain would significantly enhance the adsorption of H₂O onto Pt surface. Taken together, the improved charge separation and molecular activation dramatically boost the overall efficiency of photocatalytic water splitting.     

Electronic and local structural changes in Li(2+x)Ti3O7 ramsdellite compounds upon electrochemical Li-ion insertion reactions by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Electronic and local structural changes in ramsdellite-type Li(2+x)Ti3O7 compound were investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements. Upon electrochemical Li-ion insertions, the host lattice with ramsdellite structure is retained, indicated by X-ray powder diffraction. Ti K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis shows, however, slight local structural distortions around Ti ions. The energy shifts and the changes in the peak intensity of Ti K-edge and Ti L-edge XAS reveal the reducing oxidation states of Ti ions as the amount of electrochemically-inserted Li-ion increases. Equally important, oxide ions have a significant effect on the electronic transfer process, suggested by O K-edge XAS. These results on electronic structural changes were interpreted using the Zaanen-Sawatzky-Allen scheme.     

A Tantalum Nitride Photoanode Modified with a Hole‐Storage Layer for Highly Stable Solar Water Splitting

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is an ideal approach for renewable solar fuel production. One of the major problems is that narrow bandgap semiconductors, such as tantalum nitride, though possessing desirable band alignment for water splitting, suffer from poor photostability for water oxidation. For the first time it is shown that the presence of a ferrihydrite layer permits sustainable water oxidation at the tantalum nitride photoanode for at least 6 h with a benchmark photocurrent over 5 mA cm^?2, whereas the bare photoanode rapidly degrades within minutes. The remarkably enhanced photostability stems from the ferrihydrite, which acts as a hole‐storage layer. Furthermore, this work demonstrates that it can be a general strategy for protecting narrow bandgap semiconductors against photocorrosion in solar water splitting.     

Folded nanosheet-like Co<Subscript>0.85</Subscript>Se array for overall water splitting

Active, stable, and earth-abundant bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting is pivotal to actualize large-scale water splitting via electrolysis. In this work, the hierarchical folded nanosheet-like Co_0.85Se array on Ni foam is constructed by liquid-phase chemical conversion with cobalt precursor nanorod array. It can serve as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for both oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline electrolyte, with a current density of 10 mA cm^?2 at overpotential of 232 mV for OER and 129 mV for HER and Tafel slope of 78.9 mV dec^?1 for OER and 95.0 mV dec^?1 for HER, respectively. The two-electrode alkaline water electrolyzer utilizing this folded nanosheet-like Co_0.85Se array as both anode and cathode toward overall water splitting offered a current of 10 mA cm^?2 at a cell voltage of 1.60 V. This work explores an efficient and low-cost electrocatalyst for overall water splitting application in alkaline electrolytes.     

Black Tungsten Nitride as a Metallic Photocatalyst for Overall Water Splitting Operable at up to 765 nm

Semiconductor photocatalysts are hardly employed for overall water splitting beyond 700 nm, which is due to both thermodynamic aspects and activation barriers. Metallic materials as photocatalysts are known to overcome this limitation through interband transitions for creating electron–hole pairs; however, the application of metallic photocatalysts for overall water splitting has never been fulfilled. Black tungsten nitride is now employed as a metallic photocatalyst for overall water splitting at wavelengths of up to 765 nm. Experimental and theoretical results together confirm that metallic properties play a substantial role in exhibiting photocatalytic activity under red‐light irradiation for tungsten nitride. This work represents the first red‐light responsive photocatalyst for overall water splitting, and may open a promising venue in searching of metallic materials as efficient photocatalysts for solar energy utilization.     

Black Tungsten Nitride as a Metallic Photocatalyst for Overall Water Splitting Operable at up to 765 nm

Semiconductor photocatalysts are hardly employed for overall water splitting beyond 700 nm, which is due to both thermodynamic aspects and activation barriers. Metallic materials as photocatalysts are known to overcome this limitation through interband transitions for creating electron–hole pairs; however, the application of metallic photocatalysts for overall water splitting has never been fulfilled. Black tungsten nitride is now employed as a metallic photocatalyst for overall water splitting at wavelengths of up to 765 nm. Experimental and theoretical results together confirm that metallic properties play a substantial role in exhibiting photocatalytic activity under red-light irradiation for tungsten nitride. This work represents the first red-light responsive photocatalyst for overall water splitting, and may open a promising venue in searching of metallic materials as efficient photocatalysts for solar energy utilization.     

光催化制氢中助催化剂表面氢氧复合反应的抑制

在光催化分解水产氢的过程中,Pt等助催化剂在催化产生氢的同时也会诱导催化氢气和氧气重新复合为水的逆反应,严重降低了悬浮体系光催化全分解水产氢的效率。本文综述了近年来在逆反应抑制方面的研究进展,总结和对比分析了各种抑制逆反应策略的特点,并对这些方法的应用于悬浮体系光催化全分解水制氢的前景进行了展望。     

明嘉靖朝北京太庙改建规划方案生成之始末

近年来,基于BiVO_4光阳极的光电催化分解水技术引起人们的关注.我们通过水热-氨化法制备出Ni_3N纳米颗粒,首次将其作为助催化剂修饰到BiVO_4光阳极上光电催化分解水.实验表明, Ni_3N纳米颗粒成功负载到BiVO_4光阳极表面并可有效抑制表面电荷复合以及提高光电催化分解水性能.在1.23 V v. RHE处光电流密度可达3.23mA/cm~2.此外, Ni_3N/BiVO_4光阳极的最大值ABPE值达0.88%,并呈现出良好的稳定性.     

Coupling Transition Metal Compound with Single-Atom Site for Water Splitting Electrocatalysis

Single-atom site catalysts (SACs) provide an ideal platform to identify the active centers, explore the catalytic mechanism, and establish the structure-property relationships, and thus have attracted increasing interests for electrocatalytic energy conversion. Substantial endeavors have been devoted to the construction of carbon-supported SACs, and their progress have been comprehensively reviewed. Compared with carbon-supported SACs, transition metal compounds (TMCs)-supported SACs are still in their infancy in the field of electrocatalysis. However, they have also aroused ever-increasing attention for driving electrocatalytic water splitting, and emerged as an indispensable class of SACs in recent years, predominately owing to their inherently structural features, such as rich anchoring sites, surface defects, and lattice vacancy. Herein, in this review, we have systematically summarized the recent advances of a variety of TMC supported SACs toward electrocatalytic water splitting. The advanced characterization techniques and theoretical analyses for identifying and monitoring the atomic structure of SACs are firstly manifested. Subsequently, the anchoring and stabilization mechanisms for TMC supported SACs are also highlighted. Thereafter, the advances of TMC supported SACs for driving water electrolysis are systematically unraveled.     

泡沫铜支撑Ru掺杂Cu3P自支撑催化剂及其析氢性能

过渡金属磷化物(TMP)是一种用于碱性条件下析氢反应(HER)的有效催化剂, 然而其活性严重受限于水解离步。本文通过在泡沫铜(CF)上生长Cu(OH)₂纳米阵列, RuCl₃溶液浸泡和磷酸化, 制备了一种具有较大比表面积和适当Ru掺杂的Ru-Cu₃P自支撑催化剂(Ru-Cu₃P/CF)。作为一种优良的HER催化剂,在电流密度为10 mA·cm^-2时, 其过电位为95.6 mV, 比Cu₃P/CF降低149.4 mV。其决速步由Volmer向Heyrovsky机制过渡。HER性能的提高可以归因于Ru掺杂磷化铜促进水解离过程,以及Cu(OH)₂纳米阵列衍生Cu₃P纳米结构具有更高的电化学活性面积, 从而保证了更多的活性位点。本论文突出了具有空的d轨道的金属掺杂促进水解离的重要性,为高性能电解水析氢催化剂的设计提供了新思路。     

光催化全分解水制氢中助催化剂表面氢氧复合反应的抑制

在光催化全分解水产氢的过程中, Pt等助催化剂在催化产生氢的同时也会诱导催化氢气和氧气重新复合为水的逆反应,严重降低了悬浮体系光催化全分解水产氢的效率.我们综述了近年来在逆反应抑制方面的研究进展,总结和对比分析了各种抑制逆反应策略的特点,并对将这些方法应用于悬浮体系光催化全分解水制氢的前景进行了展望.