Cathode pre-lithiation/sodiation for next-generation batteries

Electrochemical energy storage is playing a pivotal role in the global pursuit of a clean and sustainable energy future. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are the state-of-the-art technology, but future energy requirements demand higher energy densities and a more diverse battery landscape to meet a wide variety of applications. Unfortunately, many next-generation LIB chemistries and beyond-LIB technologies suffer from large first-cycle irreversible capacity caused by active ion loss. The field of pre-lithiation/sodiation has recently emerged as researchers attempt to mitigate active ion loss and boost the energy density of next-generation LIBs and sodium-ion batteries. In this short review, we highlight recent advances in cathode pre-lithiation/sodiation using sacrificial additives and pre-lithiation/sodiation of cathode active materials.     

Hierarchical Surface Atomic Structure of a Manganese‐Based Spinel Cathode for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

The increasing use of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) in high‐power applications requires improvement of their high‐temperature electrochemical performance, including their cyclability and rate capability. Spinel lithium manganese oxide (LiMn₂O₄) is a promising cathode material because of its high stability and abundance. However, it exhibits poor cycling performance at high temperatures owing to Mn dissolution. Herein we show that when stoichiometric lithium manganese oxide is coated with highly doped spinels, the resulting epitaxial coating has a hierarchical atomic structure consisting of cubic‐spinel, tetragonal‐spinel, and layered structures, and no interfacial phase is formed. In a practical application of the coating to doped spinel, the material retained 90 % of its capacity after 800 cycles at 60 °C. Thus, the formation of an epitaxial coating with a hierarchical atomic structure could enhance the electrochemical performance of LIB cathode materials while preventing large losses in capacity.     

Advances in the Cathode Materials for Lithium Rechargeable Batteries

The accelerating development of technologies requires a significant energy consumption, and consequently the demand for advanced energy storage devices is increasing at a high rate. In the last two decades, lithium‐ion batteries have been the most robust technology, supplying high energy and power density. Improving cathode materials is one of the ways to satisfy the need for even better batteries. Therefore developing new types of positive electrode materials by increasing cell voltage and capacity with stability is the best way towards the next‐generation Li rechargeable batteries. To achieve this goal, understanding the principles of the materials and recognizing the problems confronting the state‐of‐the‐art cathode materials are essential prerequisites. This Review presents various high‐energy cathode materials which can be used to build next‐generation lithium‐ion batteries. It includes nickel and lithium‐rich layered oxide materials, high voltage spinel oxides, polyanion, cation disordered rock‐salt oxides and conversion materials. Particular emphasis is given to the general reaction and degradation mechanisms during the operation as well as the main challenges and strategies to overcome the drawbacks of these materials.     

Synthesis and Comparative Investigation of Silicon Transition Metal Silicide Composite Anodes for Lithium Ion Batteries

A significant increase in energy density of lithium ion batteries (LIBs) can be achieved by using high‐capacity, silicon (Si)‐based negative electrode materials. Several challenges arise from the enormous volumetric changes of Si during lithiation/delithiation, such as disintegration/pulverization of the active material and the electrode as well as ongoing electrolyte decomposition, leading to rapid capacity fading. Here, we synthesize and comparatively investigate three different porous transition metal‐Si‐carbon composite materials that are composed of an active Si phase and the corresponding inactive metal‐silicide phases. In this material design, the inactive phases, as well as the pores serve as a buffer to attenuate the previously mentioned detrimental effects. The synthesized materials are studied with respect to their structural and surface properties and are characterized electrochemically regarding their rate performance, and long‐term charge/discharge cycling stability. Thereby, the composite materials show a promising rate capability and a high specific capacity. Their low initial Coulombic efficiency, due to the porous structure, can be partially compensated by pre‐lithiation. This is demonstrated by the application of the synthesized materials in a LIB full‐cell set‐up vs. NMC‐111 cathodes, where the amount of lithium is confined due to anode/cathode capacity balancing.     

Facile synthesis and performance of polypyrrole-coated sulfur nanocomposite as cathode materials for lithium/sulfur batteries

In situ chemical oxidation polymerization of pyrrole on the surface of sulfur particles was carried out to synthesize a sulfur/polypyrrole （SIPPy） nanocomposite with core-shell structure. The composite was characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning/transmission electron microscopy, and electrochemical measurements. XRD and FTIR results showed that sulfur well dispersed in the core-shell structure and PPy structure was successfully obtained via in situ oxidative polymerization of pyrrole on the surface of sulfur particles. TEM observation revealed that PPy was formed and fixed to the surface of sulfur nanoparticle after polymerization, developing a well-defined core-shell structure and the thickness of PPy coating layer was in the range of 20-30 nm. In the composite, PPy worked as a conducting matrix as well as a coating agent, which confined the active materials within the electrode. Consequently, the as prepared SIPPy composite cathode exhibited good cycling and rate performances for rechargeable lithium/sulfur batteries. The resulting cell containing SIPPy composite cathode yields a discharge capacity of 1039 mAh·g^-1 at the initial cycle and retains 59% of this value over 50 cycles at 0.1 C rate. At 1 C rate, the SIPPy composite showed good cycle stability, and the discharge capacity was 475 mAh·g^-1 after 50 cycles.     

Enhancing the performances of Li-ion batteries by carbon-coating: present and future

With progress of knowledge of electrode materials, it has been found that their surface structures are of great importance to the electrochemical performance of Li-ion batteries. Carbon coating can effectively increase the electrode conductivity, improve the surface chemistry of the active material, and protect the electrode from direct contact with electrolyte, leading to enhanced cycle life of the batteries. Carbon coating together with nanotechnology provides good conductivity as well as fast Li-ion diffusion, and thus also results in good rate capabilities. The recent development of carbon coating techniques in lithium-ion batteries is discussed with detailed examples of typical cathode and anode materials. The limitation of current technology and future perspective of the new concept of "hybrid coating" are also pointed out.     

An Approach towards Synthesis of Nanoarchitectured LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 Cathode Material for Lithium Ion Batteries

To explore advanced cathode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIBs), a nanoarchitectured LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂ (LNCM) material is developed using a modified carbonate coprecipitation method in combination with a vacuum distillation‐crystallisation process. Compared with the LNCM materials produced by a traditional carbonate coprecipitation method, the prepared LNCM material synthesized through this modified method reveals a better hexagonal layered structure, smaller particle sizes (ca. 110.5 nm), and higher specific surface areas. Because of its unique structural characteristics, the as‐prepared LNCM material demonstrates excellent electrochemical properties including high rate capability and good cycleability when it is utilized as a cathode in the lithium ion battery (LIB).     

A redox-active conjugated microporous polymer cathode for highperformance lithium/potassium-organic batteries

Organic redox-active materials have emerged as a class of electrode materials for rechargeable batteries due to their high redox activity,low cost,structure diversity and flexibility.However,the high solubility of organic small molecules in organic electrolytes commonly leads to the fast capacity decay with cycling.Herein,we report a redox-active conjugated microporous polymer of poly(pyrene-co-anthraquinone)(Py Aq)cathode material consisting of pyrene and anthraquinone units.Benefiting from the highly cross-linked polymer structure with insoluble nature in organic electrolytes,the high surface area and the plentiful redox-active carbonyl groups,the Py Aq cathode demonstrates outstanding electrochemical performances for both lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)and potassium-ion batteries(KIBs).Specifically,the Py Aq cathode for LIBs delivers a high reversible capacity of 169 m Ah g^-1 at the current density of 20 m A g^-1,a high rate capability(142 m Ah g^-1 at 1000 m A g^-1)and an excellent cycling stability for 4000 cycles.Additionally,the Py Aq cathode for KIBs also exhibits a high reversible capacity of143 m Ah g^-1 with a long cycling life over 800 cycles.The excellent electrochemical performance demonstrates that the newly developed Py Aq could be an attractive cathode material for the advanced energy storage technologies.     

LiNbO_3-coated LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_2 cathode with high discharge capacity and rate performance for all-solid-state lithium battery

In order to obtain high power density, energy density and safe energy storage lithium ion batteries(LIB)to meet growing demand for electronic products, oxide cathodes have been widely explored in all-solidstate lithium batteries(ASSLB) using sulfide solid electrolyte. However, the electrochemical performances are still not satisfactory, due to the high interfacial resistance caused by severe interfacial instability between sulfide solid electrolyte and oxide cathode, especially Ni-rich oxide cathodes, in charge-discharge process. Ni-rich LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_2(NCM811) material at present is one of the most key cathode candidates to achieve the high energy density up to 300 Wh kg~(-1) in liquid LIB, but rarely investigated in ASSLB using sulfide electrolyte. To design the stable interface between NCM811 and sulfide electrolyte should be extremely necessary. In this work, in view of our previous work, LiNbO_3 coating with about 1 wt%content is adopted to improve the interfacial stability and the electrochemical performances of NCM811 cathode in ASSLB using Li_(10)GeP_2S_(12) solid electrolyte. Consequently, LiNbO_3-coated NCM811 cathode displays the higher discharge capacity and rate performance than the reported oxide electrodes in ASSLB using sulfide solid electrolyte to our knowledge.     

氟代碳酸乙烯酯添加剂对钠离子电池正极的影响

使用电解液成膜添加剂是一种简单高效的提高电池循环稳定性的方法。氟代碳酸乙烯酯(FEC)的最低未被占据分子轨道(LUMO)能量较低,易被还原,通常被认为是很好的负极成膜添加剂,但因其最高占据分子轨道(HOMO)能量也较低,抗氧化性较好,故其被认为不在正极上发生作用。本工作结合电化学,形貌分析,化学成分表征,原位结构分析等方法研究了FEC添加剂在钠离子电池中的作用。我们发现适量的FEC添加剂不仅可以显著抑制电解液溶剂碳酸丙烯酯(PC)的分解,而且会在正极上形成一层富NaF的保护层,提高循环过程中正极晶格结构稳定性,从而提高电池的循环稳定性。密度泛函理论(DFT)计算表明,FEC之所以能在正极上形成保护层,可能与其容易在正极界面与钠盐阴离子ClO_4~-结合反应有关。     

富锂正极材料结构设计和表面调控的研究进展

富锂正极材料因具有较高的理论能量密度,被视为极具发展潜能的新一代正极材料,但该材料在循环过程中容量和电压衰减显著,导致其实际商业应用受阻.本文综合评述了通过结构设计和表面调控提高富锂正极材料储锂性能的研究进展,介绍了富锂正极材料的充放电工作机制,及导致其比容量和电压衰减的原因,讨论了近年来通过新型结构设计(如构筑蛋黄-蛋壳中空结构、中空多壳层结构等)和表面调控(如尺寸控制、暴露晶面控制、表面尖晶石化、表面包覆、表面掺杂等）策略,抑制富锂正极材料表面氧析出和晶型转变并稳定材料结构,从而抑制电压和比容量衰减,有效提高电池的循环寿命和库伦效率的相关研究成果,最后,提出了通过结构设计和表面调控提高富锂正极材料电化学性能面临的挑战,并对未来发展方向进行了展望.     

Al_2O_3包覆对Na_(0.44)MnO_2正极材料高温储钠性能的改善

Na_(0.44)MnO_2具有特殊的三维隧道结构和良好的化学稳定性,是一种理想的钠离子电池正极材料。本文研究了Na_(0.44)MnO_2正极材料的高温电化学性能,采用液相法对Na_(0.44)MnO_2正极材料进行Al_2O_3包覆改性,并通过电化学、形貌分析、结构分析、化学成分表征等方法研究Al_2O_3包覆的改性机制。结果表明:Al_2O_3包覆层有效地隔离了Na_(0.44)MnO_2与电解液的直接接触,缓解了高温下锰的溶解,从而维持了稳定的电极/溶液界面结构。Na_(0.44)MnO_2@Al_2O_3在55°C下的电化学性能相比未包覆Na_(0.44)MnO_2有显著提升:循环100次后容量保持率达79.2%,远高于未包覆的66.5%;在10C (1C=120 mAh·g~(-1))的大电流密度下放电比容量达到63.6 mAh·g~(-1),而未包覆的仅有12.3 mAh·g~(-1)。     

Review and prospect of layered lithium nickel manganese oxide as cathode materials for Li-ion batteries

Layered structural lithium metal oxides with rhombohedral α-NaFeO₂ crystal structure have been proven to be particularly suitable for application as cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries. Compared with LiCoO₂, lithium nickel manganese oxides are promising, inexpensive, nontoxic, and have high thermal stability; thus, they are extensively studied as alternative cathode electrode materials to the commercial LiCoO₂ electrode. However, a lot of work needs to be done to reduce cost and extend the effective lifetime. In this paper, the development of the layered lithium nickel manganese oxide cathode materials is reviewed from synthesis method, coating, doping to modification, lithium-rich materials, nanostructured materials, and so on, which can make electrochemical performance better. The prospects of lithium nickel manganese oxides as cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries are also looked forward to.     

Research progress of tunnel-type sodium manganese oxide cathodes for SIBs

Among the large energy storage batteries, the sodium ion batteries（SIBs） are attracted huge interest due to the fact of its abundant raw materials and low cost, and has become the most promising secondary battery. Tunnel-type sodium manganese oxides（TMOs） are industrialized cathode materials because of their simple synthesis method and proficient electrochemical performance. Na_0.44MnO₂（NMO） is considered the best candidate material for all tunnel-type structural materials. ...     

Recent advances in electrospun electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries

Sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)have been considered as an ideal choice for the next generation large-scale energy storage applications owing to the rich sodium resources and the analogous working principle to that of lithium-ion batteries(LIBs).Nevertheless,the larger size and heavier mass of Na⁺ion than those of Li⁺ion often lead to sluggish reaction kinetics and inferior cycling life in SIBs compared to the LIB counterparts.The pursuit of promising electrode materials that can accommodate the rapid and stable Na-ion insertion/extraction is the key to promoting the development of SIBs toward a commercial prosperity.One-dimensional(1 D)nanomaterials demonstrate great prospects in boosting the rate and cycling performances because of their large active surface areas,high endurance for deformation stress,short ions diffusion channels,and oriented electrons transfer paths.Electrospinning,as a versatile synthetic technology,features the advantages of controllable preparation,easy operation,and mass production,has been widely applied to fabricate the 1 D nanostructured electrode materials for SIBs.In this review,we comprehensively summarize the recent advances in the sodium-storage cathode and anode materials prepared by electrospinning,discuss the effects of modulating the spinning parameters on the materials’micro/nano-structures,and elucidate the structure-performance correlations of the tailored electrodes.Finally,the future directions to harvest more breakthroughs in electrospun Na-storage materials are pointed out.     

低温等离子体在锂离子电池材料中的应用

综合评述了低温等离子体技术的基本原理、 常用方法及其在锂离子电池材料领域中的研究进展, 重点评述了等离子体技术在锂离子电池正极、 负极、 隔膜及固态电解质等重要组分中的材料制备与表面改性方面的主要研究结果和应用优势, 并对其所面临的挑战和未来的应用方向进行了展望.     

Redox-Flow Batteries: From Metals to Organic Redox-Active Materials

Research on redox-flow batteries (RFBs) is currently experiencing a significant upturn, stimulated by the growing need to store increasing quantities of sustainably generated electrical energy. RFBs are promising candidates for the creation of smart grids, particularly when combined with photovoltaics and wind farms. To achieve the goal of “green”, safe, and cost-efficient energy storage, research has shifted from metal-based materials to organic active materials in recent years. This Review presents an overview of various flow-battery systems. Relevant studies concerning their history are discussed as well as their development over the last few years from the classical inorganic, to organic/inorganic, to RFBs with organic redox-active cathode and anode materials. Available technologies are analyzed in terms of their technical, economic, and environmental aspects; the advantages and limitations of these systems are also discussed. Further technological challenges and prospective research possibilities are highlighted.     

Suppression of lithium deposition at sub-zero temperatures on graphite by surface modification

Lithium deposition on graphite anodes is considered as a main reason for failures and safety for lithium ion batteries (LIB). Different amounts of carbon coating on the surface of natural graphite are used in this work to suppress the amount of lithium deposited at − 10 °C. Pulse polarization experiments reveal relative polarization of graphite anodes at various temperatures and show that lithium deposition is accelerated at lowered temperatures. Electrochemical experiments, along with photographs, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and ex-situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) data suggest that carbon coating not only suppresses the lithium deposition but also enhances the formation of LiC₆ at − 10 °C. The homogeneous potential profile on the graphite surface attained by the carbon coating explains such an improved low temperature performance, as it allows efficient Solid Electrolyte Interface (SEI) film formation, which is a prerequisite for safety LIB.     

锂硫电池用石墨烯基材料的研究进展

锂硫电池因其理论能量密度高、资源丰富和环境友好等优势,被认为是最有发展前景的下一代电化学储能系统之一。然而,硫的绝缘性、充放电中间产物多硫化物的溶解和扩散、硫的体积膨胀以及锂负极安全性等问题,严重制约着锂硫电池的商业应用。石墨烯因其具有高导电、高柔性等诸多优异特性而被广泛研究,将其用于锂硫电池的正极载体、隔膜涂层和集流体中,以期实现高比能、高稳定性的锂硫电池。本文综述了石墨烯基材料,包括石墨烯、功能化石墨烯、掺杂石墨烯和石墨烯复合物,在锂硫电池中应用的研究进展,并展望了锂硫电池用石墨烯基材料的未来发展方向。     

锂离子电池用富锂正极材料的研究进展

富锂材料xLi₂MnO₃·(1-x)LiMO₂（0-1）和低廉的价格已引起人们的广泛兴趣. 但其首次充放电循环的较大不可逆容量损失、较差的倍率性能和循环过程的材料相变等关键问题制约了其发展. 富锂材料结构解析和充放电机理探索一直是研究的热点. 目前,富锂材料是否为固溶体仍有争论,首次充电4.5 V平台的氧流失机理已得到确认. 为了提高富锂材料的电化学性能,可从体相掺杂、表面包覆和结构形貌控制等方面对材料进行改性,其电化学性能有显著提升. 本文综述了富锂材料最新研究进展,归纳了相关制备方法,重点介绍了富锂材料的结构特点、锂嵌脱机理和改性方法,并展望了今后的研究方向.