Germanium‐Based Nanomaterials for Rechargeable Batteries

Germanium‐based nanomaterials have emerged as important candidates for next‐generation energy‐storage devices owing to their unique chemical and physical properties. In this Review, we provide a review of the current state‐of‐the‐art in germanium‐based materials design, synthesis, processing, and application in battery technology. The most recent advances in the area of Ge‐based nanocomposite electrode materials and electrolytes for solid‐state batteries are summarized. The limitations of Ge‐based materials for energy‐storage applications are discussed, and potential research directions are also presented with an emphasis on commercial products and theoretical investigations.     

An Amorphous Molybdenum Polysulfide Cathode for Rechargeable Magnesium Batteries

Rechargeable magnesium batteries (RMBs) attract research interest owing to the low cost and high reliability, but the design of cathode materials is the major difficulty of their development. The bivalent magnesium cation suffers from a strong interaction with the anion and is difficult to intercalate into traditional magnesium intercalation cathodes. Herein, an amorphous molybdenum polysulfide (a-MoS_x) is synthesized via a simple one-step solvothermal reaction and used as the cathode material for RMBs. The a-MoS_x cathode provides a high capacity (185 mAh g⁻¹) and a good rate performance (50 mAh g⁻¹ at 1000 mA g⁻¹), which are much superior compared with crystalline MoS₂ and demonstrate the privilege of amorphous RMB cathodes. A mechanism study demonstrates both of molybdenum and sulfur undergo redox reactions and contribute to the capacity. Further optimizations indicate low-temperature synthesis would favor the magnesium storage performance of a-MoS_x.     

Aqueous Rechargeable Zn/ZnO Battery Based on Deposition/Dissolution Chemistry

Recently, a novel electrochemical regulation associated with a deposition/dissolution reaction on an electrode surface has been proven to show superiority in large-scale energy storage systems (ESSs). Hence, in the search for high-performance electrodes showcasing these novel regulations, we utilized a low-cost ZnO microsphere electrode to construct aqueous rechargeable batteries (ARBs) that supplied a harvestable and storable charge through electrochemical deposition/dissolution via a reversible manganese oxidation reaction (MOR)/manganese reduction reaction (MRR), respectively, induced by the inherent formation/dissolution of zinc basic sulfate in a mild aqueous electrolyte solution containing 2 M ZnSO₄ and 0.2 M MnSO₄.     

Halide‐Based Materials and Chemistry for Rechargeable Batteries

Rechargeable batteries are considered one of the most effective energy storage technologies to bridge the production and consumption of renewable energy. The further development of rechargeable batteries with characteristics such as high energy density, low cost, safety, and a long cycle life is required to meet the ever‐increasing energy‐storage demands. This Review highlights the progress achieved with halide‐based materials in rechargeable batteries, including the use of halide electrodes, bulk and/or surface halogen‐doping of electrodes, electrolyte design, and additives that enable fast ion shuttling and stable electrode/electrolyte interfaces, as well as realization of new battery chemistry. Battery chemistry based on monovalent cation, multivalent cation, anion, and dual‐ion transfer is covered. This Review aims to promote the understanding of halide‐based materials to stimulate further research and development in the area of high‐performance rechargeable batteries. It also offers a perspective on the exploration of new materials and systems for electrochemical energy storage.     

VOCl as a Cathode for Rechargeable Chloride Ion Batteries

A novel room temperature rechargeable battery with VOCl cathode, lithium anode, and chloride ion transporting liquid electrolyte is described. The cell is based on the reversible transfer of chloride ions between the two electrodes. The VOCl cathode delivered an initial discharge capacity of 189 mAh g^?1. A reversible capacity of 113 mAh g^?1 was retained even after 100 cycles when cycled at a high current density of 522 mA g^?1. Such high cycling stability was achieved in chloride ion batteries for the first time, demonstrating the practicality of the system beyond a proof of concept model. The electrochemical reaction mechanism of the VOCl electrode in the chloride ion cell was investigated in detail by ex situ X‐ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results confirm reversible deintercalation–intercalation of chloride ions in the VOCl electrode.     

Organotrisulfide: A High Capacity Cathode Material for Rechargeable Lithium Batteries

An organotrisulfide (RSSSR, R is an organic group) has three sulfur atoms which could be involved in multi‐electron reduction reactions; therefore it is a promising electrode material for batteries. Herein, we use dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS) as a model compound to study its redox reactions in rechargeable lithium batteries. With the aid of XRD, XPS, and GC‐MS analysis, we confirm DMTS could undergo almost a 4 e^? reduction process in a complete discharge to 1.0 V. The discharge products are primarily LiSCH₃ and Li₂S. The lithium cell with DMTS catholyte delivers an initial specific capacity of 720 mAh g^?1_DMTS and retains 82 % of the capacity over 50 cycles at C/10 rate. When the electrolyte/DMTS ratio is 3:1 mL g^?1, the reversible specific energy for the cell including electrolyte can be 229 Wh kg^?1. This study shows organotrisulfide is a promising high‐capacity cathode material for high‐energy rechargeable lithium batteries.     

金属锂二次电池研究进展

本文综述了近年来金属锂二次电池的研究进展,主要包括金属锂负极的表面改性、SEI膜的形成和调制、电解质体系的改进及研发,以及电池制备工艺等,并在综述各方面进展的基础上对金属锂二次电池未来的研究方向进行了展望。     

Defect Engineering of Two-Dimensional Molybdenum Disulfide

Two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) holds great promise in electronic and optoelectronic applications owing to its unique structure and intriguing properties. The intrinsic defects such as sulfur vacancies (SVs) of MoS₂ nanosheets are found to be detrimental to the device efficiency. To mitigate this problem, functionalization of 2D MoS₂ using thiols has emerged as one of the key strategies for engineering defects. Herein, we demonstrate an approach to controllably engineer the SVs of chemically exfoliated MoS₂ nanosheets using a series of substituted thiophenols in solution. The degree of functionalization can be tuned by varying the electron-withdrawing strength of substituents in thiophenols. We find that the intensity of 2LA(M) peak normalized to A_1g peak strongly correlates to the degree of functionalization. Our results provide a spectroscopic indicator to monitor and quantify the defect engineering process. This method of MoS₂ defect functionalization in solution also benefits the further exploration of defect-free MoS₂ for a wide range of applications.     

可充镁电池电解液

由于金属镁具有能量密度较高、价格低、操作安全等优点,可充镁电池是在大负荷储能方面极具发展潜力的二次电池。本文综述了可充镁电池电解液的研究进展,其中包括溶于醚溶剂中的格氏试剂、Mg(BR₂R′₂)₂(其中R、R′为烷基或芳基)、Mg(AX_4-nR_n′R′_n″)₂络合物(其中A=Al、B、Sb、P、As、Fe和Ta等,X =Cl、Br和F,R、R′为烷基或芳基,0相似文献   

Bio‐Inspired Isoalloxazine Redox Moieties for Rechargeable Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Batteries

Organic electrode materials hold great potential for fabricating sustainable energy storage systems, however, the development of organic redox‐active moieties for rechargeable aqueous zinc‐ion batteries is still at an early stage. Here, we report a bio‐inspired riboflavin‐based aqueous zinc‐ion battery utilizing an isoalloxazine ring as the redox center for the first time. This battery exhibits a high capacity of 145.5 mAh g^?1 at 0.01 A g^?1 and a long‐life stability of 3000 cycles at 5 A g^?1. We demonstrate that isoalloxazine moieties are active centers for reversible zinc‐ion storage by using optical and photoelectron spectroscopies as well as theoretical calculations. Through molecule‐structure tailoring of riboflavin, the obtained alloxazine and lumazine molecules exhibit much higher theoretical capacities of 250.3 and 326.6 mAh g^?1, respectively. Our work offers an effective redox‐active moiety for aqueous zinc batteries and will enrich the valuable material pool for electrode design.     

Electrolyte Additives for Room‐Temperature,Sodium‐Based,Rechargeable Batteries

Owing to resource abundance, and hence, a reduction in cost, wider global distribution, environmental benignity, and sustainability, sodium‐based, rechargeable batteries are believed to be the most feasible and enthralling energy‐storage devices. Accordingly, they have recently attracted attention from both the scientific and industrial communities. However, to compete with and exceed dominating lithium‐ion technologies, breakthrough research is urgently needed. Among all non‐electrode components of the sodium‐based battery system, the electrolyte is considered to be the most critical element, and its tailored design and formulation is of top priority. The incorporation of a small dose of foreign molecules, called additives, brings vast, salient benefits to the electrolytes. Thus, this review presents progress in electrolyte additives for room‐temperature, sodium‐based, rechargeable batteries, by enlisting sodium‐ion, Na−O₂/air, Na−S, and sodium‐intercalated cathode type‐based batteries.     

纳米尺寸二硫化钼的制备与应用研究进展

二硫化钼(MoS₂)作为一种与石墨烯具有类似结构的材料, 近些年来受到了科学家们的越来越多的关注. 它凭借自身的层状结构, 独特的电子学、电化学性质, 大的比表面积以及表面改性的潜能, 在许多领域都有着广泛的应用. 本文简单论述了目前纳米尺寸MoS₂的制备方法, 包括微机械剥离、液相剥离、嵌锂法、水热反应、气相沉积以及热分解法等, 并对这些方法在制备纳米MoS₂中具备的优点和存在的不足作了简单点评. 另外, 介绍了纳米MoS₂在光电子器件、催化、传感、能量存储与转化等领域的应用研究进展, 并着重介绍了其在电化学和生物传感分析方面的应用研究现状, 并对未来纳米MoS₂的重点研究方向作出了展望. 从目前的研究来看, 纳米MoS₂在器件、能量存储和传感分析等应用方面存在着巨大的潜质, 有望成为一种继石墨烯之后性能十分优良的多功能材料.     

Multi-Electron Reactions Enabled by Anion-Based Redox Chemistry for High-Energy Multivalent Rechargeable Batteries

The development of multivalent metal (such as Mg and Ca) based battery systems is hindered by lack of suitable cathode chemistry that shows reversible multi-electron redox reactions. Cationic redox centres in the classical cathodes can only afford stepwise single-electron transfer, which are not ideal for multivalent-ion storage. The charge imbalance during multivalent ion insertion might lead to an additional kinetic barrier for ion mobility. Therefore, multivalent battery cathodes only exhibit slope-like voltage profiles with insertion/extraction redox of less than one electron. Taking VS₄ as a model material, reversible two-electron redox with cationic–anionic contributions is verified in both rechargeable Mg batteries (RMBs) and rechargeable Ca batteries (RCBs). The corresponding cells exhibit high capacities of >300 mAh g⁻¹ at a current density of 100 mA g⁻¹ in both RMBs and RCBs, resulting in a high energy density of >300 Wh kg⁻¹ for RMBs and >500 Wh kg⁻¹ for RCBs. Mechanistic studies reveal a unique redox activity mainly at anionic sulfides moieties and fast Mg²⁺ ion diffusion kinetics enabled by the soft structure and flexible electron configuration of VS₄.     

Applications of Low-Melting-Point Metals in Rechargeable Metal Batteries

Low-melting-point (LMP) metals represent an interesting family of electrode materials owing to their high ionic conductivity, good ductility or fluidity, low hardness and/or superior alloying capability, all of which are crucial characteristics to address battery challenges such as interfacial incompatibility, electrode pulverization, and dendrite growth. This minireview summarizes recent research progress of typical LMP metals including In, Ga, Hg, and their alloys in rechargeable metal batteries. Emphasis is placed on mainstream electrochemical storage devices of Li, Na, and K batteries as well as the representative multi-valent metal batteries. The fundamental correlations between unique physiochemical properties of LMP metals and the battery performance are highlighted. In addition, this article also provides insights into future development and potential directions of LMP metals/alloys for practical applications.     

锂二次电池中的原位聚合电解质

聚合物电解质主要分为凝胶聚合物电解质和固态聚合物电解质两种类型,均能够提升锂二次电池的性能.其中,凝胶聚合物电解质是利用增塑剂实现聚合物基质的凝胶化,将有机液态电解液固定在三维网络结构中,因此同时具备液态的离子扩散速率和固态材料的机械性能;而固态聚合物电解质是一种完全没有液态电解质的体系,利用聚合物基体的极性实现锂盐的...     

Oxocarbon Salts for Fast Rechargeable Batteries

Oxocarbon salts (M₂(CO)_n) prepared through one‐pot proton exchange reactions with different metal ions (M=Li, Na, K) and frameworks (n=4, 5, 6) have been rationally designed and used as electrodes in rechargeable Li, Na, and K‐ion batteries. The results show that M₂(CO)₅/M₂(CO)₆ salts can insert two or four metal ions reversibly, while M₂(CO)₄ shows less electrochemical activity. Especially, we discover that the K₂C₆O₆ electrode enables ultrafast potassium‐ion insertion/extraction with 212 mA h g^?1 at 0.2 C and 164 mA h g^?1 at 10 C. This behavior can be ascribed to the natural semiconductor property of K₂C₆O₆ with a narrow band gap close to 0.9 eV, the high ionic conductivity of the K‐ion electrolyte, and the facilitated K‐ion diffusion process. Moreover, a first example of a K‐ion battery with a rocking‐chair reaction mechanism of K₂C₆O₆ as cathode and K₄C₆O₆ as anode is introduced, displaying an operation voltage of 1.1 V and an energy density of 35 Wh kg^?1. This work provides an interesting strategy for constructing rapid K‐ion batteries with renewable and abundant potassium materials.     

Multi‐Electron Reactions Enabled by Anion‐Based Redox Chemistry for High‐Energy Multivalent Rechargeable Batteries

The development of multivalent metal (such as Mg and Ca) based battery systems is hindered by lack of suitable cathode chemistry that shows reversible multi‐electron redox reactions. Cationic redox centres in the classical cathodes can only afford stepwise single‐electron transfer, which are not ideal for multivalent‐ion storage. The charge imbalance during multivalent ion insertion might lead to an additional kinetic barrier for ion mobility. Therefore, multivalent battery cathodes only exhibit slope‐like voltage profiles with insertion/extraction redox of less than one electron. Taking VS₄ as a model material, reversible two‐electron redox with cationic–anionic contributions is verified in both rechargeable Mg batteries (RMBs) and rechargeable Ca batteries (RCBs). The corresponding cells exhibit high capacities of >300 mAh g^?1 at a current density of 100 mA g^?1 in both RMBs and RCBs, resulting in a high energy density of >300 Wh kg^?1 for RMBs and >500 Wh kg^?1 for RCBs. Mechanistic studies reveal a unique redox activity mainly at anionic sulfides moieties and fast Mg²⁺ ion diffusion kinetics enabled by the soft structure and flexible electron configuration of VS₄.     

可充锂空气电池多孔纳米催化剂

可充锂空气电池是当前化学电源研究热点和重点, 近年来取得了重要进展. 简要介绍了该领域在空气电极多孔纳米催化材料的设计与应用方面的最新研究成果, 讨论了碳、贵金属、氧化物三类催化材料的特征及性能, 展望了新型高效氧还原/氧析出双功能阴极纳米催化剂的发展方向.     

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.     

Molybdenum Disulfide Sheathed Carbon Nanotubes

Single and double layered MoS2-coated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNs) were successfully prepared by pyrolyzing (NH4)2MoS4-coated multiwalled carbon nanotubes in an H2 atmosphere at 900℃. MoS2-coated MWCNs would be expected to have different tribological and mechanical properties compared to MoS2, so it may have potential applications in many fields.