An Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Cathode Based on S–Se Dynamic Covalent Bonds

A diphenyl trisulfide–selenium nanowire (DPTS-Se) organic–inorganic hybrid cathode material is presented for rechargeable lithium batteries. During discharge, three voltage plateaus associated with three lithiation processes are observed. During recharge, the combination of the radicals formed upon delithiation leads to several new phenyl sulfoselenide compounds which are confirmed by HPLC-QTof-MS. The hybrid cathode exhibits superior cycling stability over pristine Se or DPTS as cathode alone. The first discharge shows a capacity of 96.5 % of the theoretical specific capacity and the cell retains 69.2 % of the initial capacity over 250 cycles. The hybrid cathode also shows a high Coulombic efficiency of over 99 % after 250 cycles. This study demonstrates that the combination of organic polysulfide and selenium can not only improve the utilization of active materials but also enhance the cycling performance.     

A Plastic–Crystal Electrolyte Interphase for All‐Solid‐State Sodium Batteries

The development of all‐solid‐state rechargeable batteries is plagued by a large interfacial resistance between a solid cathode and a solid electrolyte that increases with each charge–discharge cycle. The introduction of a plastic–crystal electrolyte interphase between a solid electrolyte and solid cathode particles reduces the interfacial resistance, increases the cycle life, and allows a high rate performance. Comparison of solid‐state sodium cells with 1) solid electrolyte Na₃Zr₂(Si₂PO₄) particles versus 2) plastic–crystal electrolyte in the cathode composites shows that the former suffers from a huge irreversible capacity loss on cycling whereas the latter exhibits a dramatically improved electrochemical performance with retention of capacity for over 100 cycles and cycling at 5 C rate. The application of a plastic–crystal electrolyte interphase between a solid electrolyte and a solid cathode may be extended to other all‐solid‐state battery cells.     

Basil Seed Inspired Design for a Monodisperse Core–Shell Sn@C Hybrid Confined in a Carbon Matrix for Enhanced Lithium‐Storage Performance

Tin anode materials have attracted much attention owing to their high theoretical capacity, although rapid capacity fade is commonly observed mainly because of structural degradation resulting from volume expansion. Herein, we report a versatile strategy based on a basil seed inspired design for constructing a monodisperse core–shell Sn@C hybrid confined in a carbon matrix (Sn basil seeds). Analogous to the structure of basil seeds soaked in water, Sn basil seeds are used to tackle the volume expansion problem in lithium‐ion batteries. Monodisperse Sn cores are encapsulated by a thick carbon layer, which thus lowers the electrolyte contact area. The obtained Sn basil seeds are closely packed to construct a framework that supplies fast electron transport and provides a reinforced mechanical backbone. As a consequence, an ensemble of this hybrid network shows significantly enhanced lithium‐storage performance with a high capacity of 870 mAh g^?1 at a current density of 0.4 A g^?1 over 600 cycles. After the intense cycling, the Sn cores transform into ultrafine nanocrystals with sizes of 3–6 nm. The structural and morphological evolution of the Sn cores can reasonably explain the gradual increase in the capacity and the long‐term cycling ability of our Sn basil seeds.     

Mesoporous Carbon@Titanium Nitride Hollow Spheres as an Efficient SeS2 Host for Advanced Li–SeS2 Batteries

The introduction of a certain proportion of selenium into sulfur‐based cathodes is an effective strategy for enhancing the integrated battery performance. However, similar to sulfur, selenium sulfide cathodes suffer from poor cycling stability owing to the dissolution of reaction intermediate products. In this study, to exploit the advantages of SeS₂ to the full and avoid its shortcomings, we designed and synthesized a hollow mesoporous carbon@titanium nitride (HMC@TiN) host for loading 70 wt % of SeS₂ as a cathode material for Li–SeS₂ batteries. Benefiting from both physical and chemical entrapment by hollow mesoporous carbon and TiN, the HMC@TiN/SeS₂ cathode manifests high utilization of the active material and excellent cycling stability. Moreover, it exhibits promising areal capacity (up to 4 mAh cm⁻²) with stable cell performance in the high‐mass‐loading electrode.     

A Redox‐Active 2D Metal–Organic Framework for Efficient Lithium Storage with Extraordinary High Capacity

Metal–organic framework cathodes usually exhibit low capacity and poor electrochemical performance for Li‐ion storage owing to intrinsic low conductivity and inferior redox activity. Now a redox‐active 2D copper–benzoquinoid (Cu‐THQ) MOF has been synthesized by a simple solvothermal method. The abundant porosity and intrinsic redox character endow the 2D Cu‐THQ MOF with promising electrochemical activity. Superior performance is achieved as a Li‐ion battery cathode with a high reversible capacity (387 mA h g^?1), large specific energy density (775 Wh kg^?1), and good cycling stability. The reaction mechanism is unveiled by comprehensive spectroscopic techniques: a three‐electron redox reaction per coordination unit and one‐electron redox reaction per copper ion mechanism is demonstrated. This elucidatory understanding sheds new light on future rational design of high‐performance MOF‐based cathode materials for efficient energy storage and conversion.     

An Aligned and Laminated Nanostructured Carbon Hybrid Cathode for High‐Performance Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

An aligned and laminated sulfur‐absorbed mesoporous carbon/carbon nanotube (CNT) hybrid cathode has been developed for lithium–sulfur batteries with high performance. The mesoporous carbon acts as sulfur host and suppresses the diffusion of polysulfide, while the CNT network anchors the sulfur‐absorbed mesoporous carbon particles, providing pathways for rapid electron transport, alleviating polysulfide migration and enabling a high flexibility. The resulting lithium–sulfur battery delivers a high capacity of 1226 mAh g⁻¹ and achieves a capacity retention of 75 % after 100 cycles at 0.1 C. Moreover, a high capacity of nearly 900 mAh g⁻¹ is obtained for 20 mg cm⁻², which is the highest sulfur load to the best of our knowledge. More importantly, the aligned and laminated hybrid cathode endows the battery with high flexibility and its electrochemical performances are well maintained under bending and after being folded for 500 times.     

A Deep‐Cycle Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Battery Containing an Oxygen‐Deficient Vanadium Oxide Cathode

Rechargeable aqueous zinc‐ion batteries are attractive because of their inherent safety, low cost, and high energy density. However, viable cathode materials (such as vanadium oxides) suffer from strong Coulombic ion–lattice interactions with divalent Zn²⁺, thereby limiting stability when cycled at a high charge/discharge depth with high capacity. A synthetic strategy is reported for an oxygen‐deficient vanadium oxide cathode in which facilitated Zn²⁺ reaction kinetic enhance capacity and Zn²⁺ pathways for high reversibility. The benefits for the robust cathode are evident in its performance metrics; the aqueous Zn battery shows an unprecedented stability over 200 cycles with a high specific capacity of approximately 400 mAh g^?1, achieving 95 % utilization of its theoretical capacity, and a long cycle life up to 2 000 cycles at a high cathode utilization efficiency of 67 %. This work opens up a new avenue for synthesis of novel cathode materials with an oxygen‐deficient structure for use in advanced batteries.     

Sulfur‐Impregnated Core–Shell Hierarchical Porous Carbon for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Core–shell hierarchical porous carbon spheres (HPCs) were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method and used as host to incorporate sulfur. The microstructure, morphology, and specific surface areas of the resultant samples have been systematically characterized. The results indicate that most of sulfur is well dispersed over the core area of HPCs after the impregnation of sulfur. Meanwhile, the shell of HPCs with void pores is serving as a retard against the dissolution of lithium polysulfides. This structure can enhance the transport of electron and lithium ions as well as alleviate the stress caused by volume change during the charge–discharge process. The as‐prepared HPC‐sulfur (HPC‐S) composite with 65.3 wt % sulfur delivers a high specific capacity of 1397.9 mA h g^?1 at a current density of 335 mA g^?1 (0.2 C) as a cathode material for lithium–sulfur (Li‐S) batteries, and the discharge capacity of the electrode could still reach 753.2 mA h g^?1 at 6700 mA g^?1 (4 C). Moreover, the composite electrode exhibited an excellent cycling capacity of 830.5 mA h g^?1 after 200 cycles.     

Graphite‐Nanoplate‐Coated Bi2S3 Composite with High‐Volume Energy Density and Excellent Cycle Life for Room‐Temperature Sodium–Sulfide Batteries

Graphite‐nanoplate‐coated Bi₂S₃ composite (Bi₂S₃@C) has been prepared by a simple, scalable, and energy‐efficient precipitation method combined with ball milling. The Bi₂S₃@C composite was used as the cathode material for sodium–sulfide batteries. It delivered an initial capacity of 550 mAh g^?1 and high stable specific energy in the range of 275–300 Wh kg^?1 at 0.1 C, with an enhanced capacity retention of 69 % over 100 cycles. The unique structure demonstrates superior cycling stability, with a capacity drop of 0.3 % per cycle over 100 cycles, compared with that of bare Bi₂S₃. The sodium storage mechanism of Bi₂S₃ was investigated based on ex situ X‐ray diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscopy.     

A Long‐Life Lithium Ion Battery with Enhanced Electrode/Electrolyte Interface by Using an Ionic Liquid Solution

In this paper, we report an advanced long‐life lithium ion battery, employing a Pyr₁₄TFSI‐LiTFSI non‐flammable ionic liquid (IL) electrolyte, a nanostructured tin carbon (Sn‐C) nanocomposite anode, and a layered LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂ (NMC) cathode. The IL‐based electrolyte is characterized in terms of conductivity and viscosity at various temperatures, revealing a Vogel–Tammann–Fulcher (VTF) trend. Lithium half‐cells employing the Sn‐C anode and NMC cathode in the Pyr₁₄TFSI‐LiTFSI electrolyte are investigated by galvanostatic cycling at various temperatures, demonstrating the full compatibility of the electrolyte with the selected electrode materials. The NMC and Sn‐C electrodes are combined into a cathode‐limited full cell, which is subjected to prolonged cycling at 40 °C, revealing a very stable capacity of about 140 mAh g^?1 and retention above 99 % over 400 cycles. The electrode/electrolyte interface is further characterized through a combination of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations upon cell cycling. The remarkable performances reported here definitively indicate that IL‐based lithium ion cells are suitable batteries for application in electric vehicles.     

A Nitrogen‐Rich 2D sp2‐Carbon‐Linked Conjugated Polymer Framework as a High‐Performance Cathode for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

A two‐dimensional (2D) sp²‐carbon‐linked conjugated polymer framework (2D CCP‐HATN) has a nitrogen‐doped skeleton, a periodical dual‐pore structure and high chemical stability. The polymer backbone consists of hexaazatrinaphthalene (HATN) and cyanovinylene units linked entirely by carbon–carbon double bonds. Profiting from the shape‐persistent framework of 2D CCP‐HATN integrated with the electrochemical redox‐active HATN and the robust sp² carbon‐carbon linkage, 2D CCP‐HATN hybridized with carbon nanotubes shows a high capacity of 116 mA h g^?1, with high utilization of its redox‐active sites and superb cycling stability (91 % after 1000 cycles) and rate capability (82 %, 1.0 A g^?1 vs. 0.1 A g^?1) as an organic cathode material for lithium‐ion batteries.     

Nanoscale Surface Modification of Lithium‐Rich Layered‐Oxide Composite Cathodes for Suppressing Voltage Fade

Lithium‐rich layered oxides are promising cathode materials for lithium‐ion batteries and exhibit a high reversible capacity exceeding 250 mAh g⁻¹. However, voltage fade is the major problem that needs to be overcome before they can find practical applications. Here, Li_1.2Mn_0.54Ni_0.13Co_0.13O₂ (LLMO) oxides are subjected to nanoscale LiFePO₄ (LFP) surface modification. The resulting materials combine the advantages of both bulk doping and surface coating as the LLMO crystal structure is stabilized through cationic doping, and the LLMO cathode materials are protected from corrosion induced by organic electrolytes. An LLMO cathode modified with 5 wt % LFP (LLMO–LFP5) demonstrated suppressed voltage fade and a discharge capacity of 282.8 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.1 C with a capacity retention of 98.1 % after 120 cycles. Moreover, the nanoscale LFP layers incorporated into the LLMO surfaces can effectively maintain the lithium‐ion and charge transport channels, and the LLMO–LFP5 cathode demonstrated an excellent rate capacity.     

Full four‐component relativistic calculations of the one‐bond 77Se–13C spin‐spin coupling constants in the series of selenium heterocycles and their parent open‐chain selenides

Four‐component relativistic calculations of ⁷⁷Se–¹³C spin–spin coupling constants have been performed in the series of selenium heterocycles and their parent open‐chain selenides. It has been found that relativistic effects play an essential role in the selenium–carbon coupling mechanism and could result in a contribution of as much as 15–25% of the total values of the one‐bond selenium–carbon spin‐spin coupling constants. In the overall contribution of the relativistic effects to the total values of ¹J(Se,C), the scalar relativistic corrections (negative in sign) by far dominate over the spin‐orbit ones (positive in sign), the latter being of less than 5%, as compared to the former (ca 20%). A combination of nonrelativistic second‐order polarization propagator approach (CC2) with the four‐component relativistic density functional theory scheme is recommended as a versatile tool for the calculation of ¹J(Se,C). Solvent effects in the values of ¹J(Se,C) calculated within the polarizable continuum model for the solvents with different dielectric constants (ε 2.2–78.4) are next to negligible decreasing negative ¹J(Se,C) in absolute value by only about 1 Hz. The use of the locally dense basis set approach applied herewith for the calculation of ⁷⁷Se–¹³C spin‐spin coupling constants is fully justified resulting in a dramatic decrease in computational cost with only 0.1–0.2‐Hz loss of accuracy. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Conjugated Copolymer of N‐Phenyl‐p‐phenylenediamine and Pyrene as Promising Cathode for Rechargeable Lithium–Ion Batteries

A novel conjugated copolymer has been synthesized and employed as an organic cathode material in rechargeable lithium–ion batteries (LIBs). Due to the synergistic effects from conducting aniline and pyrene units, the resultant batteries based on the as‐obtained copolymer can deliver a promising reversible specific capacity of 113 mAh g^?1 with a high voltage output of 3.2 V and a remarkable 75.2 % capacity retention after 180 cycles. Moreover, an excellent rate performance is also achieved with a fast recovery of the capacity at different current densities.     

A Freestanding Selenium Disulfide Cathode Based on Cobalt Disulfide‐Decorated Multichannel Carbon Fibers with Enhanced Lithium Storage Performance

SeS₂ shows attractive advantages beyond bare S and Se as a cathode material for lithium storage. Here, a freestanding lotus root‐like carbon fiber network decorated with CoS₂ nanoparticles (denoted as CoS₂@LRC) has been designed and prepared as the SeS₂ host for enhancing the lithium storage performance. The integrated electrode is constructed by three‐dimensional interconnected multichannel carbon fibers, which can not only accommodate high content of SeS₂ (70 wt %), but also promise excellent electron and ion transport for achieving high capacity utilization of 1015 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.2 A g⁻¹. What is more, there are numerous CoS₂ nanoparticles decorated all over the inner walls and surfaces of the carbon fibers, providing efficient sulfiphilic sites for restricting the dissolution of polysulfides and polyselenides during the electrochemical processes, thus successfully suppressing the shuttle effect and maintaining excellent cycling stability over 400 cycles at 0.5 A g⁻¹.     

Triple‐Shelled Manganese–Cobalt Oxide Hollow Dodecahedra with Highly Enhanced Performance for Rechargeable Alkaline Batteries

Precisely carving of multi‐shelled manganese–cobalt oxide hollow dodecahedra (Co/Mn‐HD) with shell number up to three is achieved by a controlled calcination of the Mn‐doped zeolitic imidazolate framework ZIF‐67 precursor (Co/Mn‐ZIF). The unique multi‐shelled and polycrystalline structure not only provides a very large electrochemically active surface area (EASA), but also enhances the structural stability of the material. The residual C and N in the final structures might aid stability and increase their conductivity. When used in alkaline rechargeable battery, the triple‐shelled Co/Mn‐HD exhibits high electrochemical performance, reversible capacity (331.94 mAh g^?1 at 1 Ag^?1), rate performance (88 % of the capacity can be retained with a 20‐fold increase in current density), and cycling stability (96 % retention over 2000 cycles).     

Tailored Organic Electrode Material Compatible with Sulfide Electrolyte for Stable All‐Solid‐State Sodium Batteries

All‐solid‐state sodium batteries (ASSSBs) with nonflammable electrolytes and ubiquitous sodium resource are a promising solution to the safety and cost concerns for lithium‐ion batteries. However, the intrinsic mismatch between low anodic decomposition potential of superionic sulfide electrolytes and high operating potentials of sodium‐ion cathodes leads to a volatile cathode–electrolyte interface and undesirable cell performance. Here we report a high‐capacity organic cathode, Na₄C₆O₆, that is chemically and electrochemically compatible with sulfide electrolytes. A bulk‐type ASSSB shows high specific capacity (184 mAh g^?1) and one of the highest specific energies (395 Wh kg^?1) among intercalation compound‐based ASSSBs. The capacity retentions of 76 % after 100 cycles at 0.1 C and 70 % after 400 cycles at 0.2 C represent the record stability for ASSSBs. Additionally, Na₄C₆O₆ functions as a capable anode material, enabling a symmetric all‐organic ASSSB with Na₄C₆O₆ as both cathode and anode materials.     

Polyanthraquinone as a Reliable Organic Electrode for Stable and Fast Lithium Storage

In spite of recent progress, there is still a lack of reliable organic electrodes for Li storage with high comprehensive performance, especially in terms of long‐term cycling stability. Herein, we report an ideal polymer electrode based on anthraquinone, namely, polyanthraquinone (PAQ), or specifically, poly(1,4‐anthraquinone) (P14AQ) and poly(1,5‐anthraquinone) (P15AQ). As a lithium‐storage cathode, P14AQ showed exceptional performance, including reversible capacity almost equal to the theoretical value (260 mA h g^?1; >257 mA h g^?1 for AQ), a very small voltage gap between the charge and discharge curves (2.18–2.14=0.04 V), stable cycling performance (99.4 % capacity retention after 1000 cycles), and fast‐discharge/charge ability (release of 69 % of the low‐rate capacity or 64 % of the energy in just 2 min). Exploration of the structure–performance relationship between P14AQ and related materials also provided us with deeper understanding for the design of organic electrodes.     

Synergistic Dual‐Additive Electrolyte Enables Practical Lithium‐Metal Batteries

A rechargeable Li metal anode coupled with a high‐voltage cathode is a promising approach to high‐energy‐density batteries exceeding 300 Wh kg^?1. Reported here is an advanced dual‐additive electrolyte containing a unique solvation structure and it comprises a tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane additive and LiNO₃ in a carbonate‐based electrolyte. This system generates a robust outer Li₂O solid electrolyte interface and F‐ and B‐containing conformal cathode electrolyte interphase. The resulting stable ion transport kinetics enables excellent cycling of Li/LiNi_0.8Mn_0.1Co_0.1O₂ for 140 cycles with 80 % capacity retention under highly challenging conditions (≈295.1 Wh kg^?1 at cell‐level). The electrolyte also exhibits high cycling stability for a 4.6 V LiCoO₂ (160 cycles with 89.8 % capacity retention) cathode and 4.95 V LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄ cathode.     

A Four‐Electron Sulfur Electrode Hosting a Cu2+/Cu+ Redox Charge Carrier

The elemental sulfur electrode with Cu²⁺ as the charge carrier gives a four‐electron sulfur electrode reaction through the sequential conversion of S?CuS?Cu₂S. The Cu‐S redox‐ion electrode delivers a high specific capacity of 3044 mAh g^?1 based on the sulfur mass or 609 mAh g^?1 based on the mass of Cu₂S, the completely discharged product, and displays an unprecedently high potential of sulfur/metal sulfide reduction at 0.5 V vs. SHE. The Cu‐S electrode also exhibits an extremely low extent of polarization of 0.05 V and an outstanding cycle number of 1200 cycles retaining 72 % of the initial capacity at 12.5 A g^?1. The remarkable utility of this Cu‐S cathode is further demonstrated in a hybrid cell that employs an Zn metal anode and an anion‐exchange membrane as the separator, which yields an average cell discharge voltage of 1.15 V, the half‐cell specific energy of 547 Wh kg^?1 based on the mass of the Cu₂S/carbon composite cathode, and stable cycling over 110 cycles.