Electrodes and hydrogel electrolytes based on cellulose: fabrication and characterization as EDLC components

In the present work, the cellulose-based materials were manufactured and used as components of electrochemical double layer capacitors (EDLCs). The preparation method of cellulose membranes as well as composite electrodes containing cellulose as a binder was presented. These materials were prepared using for the first time ionic liquid/dimethyl sulfoxide (IL/DMSO) mixture solvent. Obtained components displayed a uniform structure, thermal stability, and good electrochemical properties. The electrochemical performances of these materials were studied in 2-electrode EDLC cells by common electrochemical techniques as cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The composite electrodes were investigated in three types of electrolytes: aqueous, organic, and ionic liquids. The cellulose membranes were, however, soaked in an aqueous electrolyte and tested as hydrogel polymer electrolytes. All investigated materials show high efficiency in terms of specific capacity. The studied cellulose-based capacitors exhibited specific capacitance values in the range of 20–22 F g^?1, depending on the type of applied electrolyte.     

Sodium‐ and Potassium‐Hydrate Melts Containing Asymmetric Imide Anions for High‐Voltage Aqueous Batteries

Aqueous Na‐ or K‐ion batteries could virtually eliminate the safety and cost concerns raised from Li‐ion batteries, but their widespread applications have generally suffered from narrow electrochemical potential window (ca. 1.23 V) of aqueous electrolytes that leads to low energy density. Herein, by exploring optimized eutectic systems of Na and K salts with asymmetric imide anions, we discovered, for the first time, room‐temperature hydrate melts for Na and K systems, which are the second and third alkali metal hydrate melts reported since the first discovery of Li hydrate melt by our group in 2016. The newly discovered Na‐ and K‐ hydrate melts could significantly extend the potential window up to 2.7 and 2.5 V (at Pt electrode), respectively, owing to the merit that almost all water molecules participate in the Na⁺ or K⁺ hydration shells. As a proof‐of‐concept, a prototype Na₃V₂(PO₄)₂F₃|NaTi₂(PO₄)₃ aqueous Na‐ion full‐cell with the Na‐hydrate‐melt electrolyte delivers an average discharge voltage of 1.75 V, that is among the highest value ever reported for all aqueous Na‐ion batteries.     

Synthesis of 3,6-dioxa-Δ-4-trifluoromethyl perfluorooctyl trifluoromethyl sulfonimide: bis[(perfluoroalkyl)sulfonyl] superacid monomer and polymer

A new type of ion exchange polymer, bis[(perfluoroalkyl)sulfonyl]imide ionomers (PFSI), were developed by the copolymerization of sodium 3,6-dioxa-Δ⁷-4-trifluoromethyl perfluorooctyl trifluoromethyl sulfonimide with tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) using an aqueous redox initiation system in an emulsion type polymerization. These polymers have been prepared in various equivalent weights and processed into functional membranes. The new ionomers exhibit excellent chemical and thermal stability. The materials have high potential for electrochemical applications especially as solid polymer electrolytes (SPE) in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells.     

Proton Intercalation/De‐Intercalation Dynamics in Vanadium Oxides for Aqueous Aluminum Electrochemical Cells

Understanding cation (H⁺, Li⁺, Na⁺, Al³⁺, etc.) intercalation/de‐intercalation chemistry in transition metal compounds is crucial for the design of cathode materials in aqueous electrochemical cells. Here we report that orthorhombic vanadium oxides (V₂O₅) supports highly reversible proton intercalation/de‐intercalation reactions in aqueous media, enabling aluminum electrochemical cells with extended cycle life. Empirical analyses using vibrational and x‐ray spectroscopy are complemented with theoretical analysis of the electrostatic potential to establish how and why protons intercalate in V₂O₅ in aqueous media. We show further that cathode coatings composed of cation selective membranes provide a straightforward method for enhancing cathode reversibility by preventing anion cross‐over in aqueous electrolytes. Our work sheds light on the design of cation transport requirements for high‐energy reversible cathodes in aqueous electrochemical cells.     

Ultraviolet-Cured Semi-Interpenetrating Network Polymer Electrolytes for High-Performance Quasi-Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries

Solid polymer electrolytes with relatively low ionic conductivity at room temperature and poor mechanical strength greatly restrict their practical applications. Herein, we design semi-interpenetrating network polymer (SNP) electrolyte composed of an ultraviolet-crosslinked polymer network (ethoxylated trimethylolpropane triacrylate), linear polymer chains (polyvinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) and lithium salt solution to satisfy the demand of high ionic conductivity, good mechanical flexibility, and electrochemical stability for lithium metal batteries. The semi-interpenetrating network has a pivotal effect in improving chain relaxation, facilitating the local segmental motion of polymer chains and reducing the polymer crystallinity. Thanks to these advantages, the SNP electrolyte shows a high ionic conductivity (1.12 mS cm⁻¹ at 30 °C), wide electrochemical stability window (4.6 V vs. Li⁺/Li), good bendability and shape versatility. The promoted ion transport combined with suppressed impedance growth during cycling contribute to good cell performance. The assembled quasi-solid-state lithium metal batteries (LiFePO₄/SNP/Li) exhibit good cycling stability and rate capability at room temperature.     

Lithium Chlorides and Bromides as Promising Solid‐State Chemistries for Fast Ion Conductors with Good Electrochemical Stability

Enabling all‐solid‐state Li‐ion batteries requires solid electrolytes with high Li ionic conductivity and good electrochemical stability. Following recent experimental reports of Li₃YCl₆ and Li₃YBr₆ as promising new solid electrolytes, we used first principles computation to investigate the Li‐ion diffusion, electrochemical stability, and interface stability of chloride and bromide materials and elucidated the origin of their high ionic conductivities and good electrochemical stabilities. Chloride and bromide chemistries intrinsically exhibit low migration energy barriers, wide electrochemical windows, and are not constrained to previous design principles for sulfide and oxide Li‐ion conductors, allowing for much greater freedom in structure, chemistry, composition, and Li sublattice for developing fast Li‐ion conductors. Our study highlights chloride and bromide chemistries as a promising new research direction for solid electrolytes with high ionic conductivity and good stability.     

On the interaction of carbon electrodes and non conventional electrolytes in high-voltage electrochemical capacitors

This study is essentially based on innovative electrolytes such as the organic salt N-methyl-N-butylpyrrolidinium tetrafluoroborate (Pyr₁₄BF₄) dissolved in propylene carbonate (PC) and the pure ionic liquid (N-butyl-N-methyl-pyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (Pyr₁₄TFSI) and its solution in PC. Activated carbon cloths were used as self-standing binder-free electrodes. It is found that the presence of impurities in carbon electrodes may lead to electrolyte decomposition and electrode degradation which notably affect the electrochemical double-layer capacitor (EDLC) performance. Such processes greatly depend on the composition of both the electrode and the electrolyte, being much less significant with solvent-containing electrolytes. By raising the operation temperature to 60 °C, the EDLC performance in the ionic liquid Pyr₁₄TFSI is notably improved due to a relevant decrease in the viscosity and increase in ionic conductivity. By contrast, the presence of impurities, e.g., Zn and Al, in the electrodes remarkably reduces the electrolyte stability and a thick layer of decomposition products completely covers the carbon fibers after cycling at high temperature. The ionic liquid in solution maintains the high maximum operative voltage of the net ionic liquid whereas its viscosity and ionic conductivity are close to those of the conventional Et₄NBF₄/PC. Furthermore, the presence of propylene carbonate as solvent prevents to some extent the ionic liquid degradation.     

Hydrogen in Porous Tetrahydrofuran Clathrate Hydrate

The lack of practical methods for hydrogen storage is still a major bottleneck in the realization of an energy economy based on hydrogen as energy carrier. ¹ Storage within solid‐state clathrate hydrates, ² – ⁴ and in the clathrate hydrate of tetrahydrofuran (THF), has been recently reported. ⁵ , ⁶ In the latter case, stabilization by THF is claimed to reduce the operation pressure by several orders of magnitude close to room temperature. Here, we apply in situ neutron diffraction to show that—in contrast to previous reports^{[5, 6]}—hydrogen (deuterium) occupies the small cages of the clathrate hydrate only to 30 % (at 274 K and 90.5 bar). Such a D₂ load is equivalent to 0.27 wt. % of stored H₂. In addition, we show that a surplus of D₂O results in the formation of additional D₂O ice Ih instead of in the production of sub‐stoichiometric clathrate that is stabilized by loaded hydrogen (as was reported in ref. ⁶ ). Structure‐refinement studies show that [D₈]THF is dynamically disordered, while it fills each of the large cages of [D₈]THF?17D₂O stoichiometrically. Our results show that the clathrate hydrate takes up hydrogen rapidly at pressures between 60 and 90 bar (at about 270 K). At temperatures above ≈220 K, the H‐storage characteristics of the clathrate hydrate have similarities with those of surface‐adsorption materials, such as nanoporous zeolites and metal–organic frameworks, ⁷ , ⁸ but at lower temperatures, the adsorption rates slow down because of reduced D₂ diffusion between the small cages.     

Water‐Mediated Synthesis of a Superionic Halide Solid Electrolyte

To promote the development of solid‐state batteries, polymer‐, oxide‐, and sulfide‐based solid‐state electrolytes (SSEs) have been extensively investigated. However, the disadvantages of these SSEs, such as high‐temperature sintering of oxides, air instability of sulfides, and narrow electrochemical windows of polymers electrolytes, significantly hinder their practical application. Therefore, developing SSEs that have a high ionic conductivity (>10^?3 S cm^?1), good air stability, wide electrochemical window, excellent electrode interface stability, low‐cost mass production is required. Herein we report a halide Li⁺ superionic conductor, Li₃InCl₆, that can be synthesized in water. Most importantly, the as‐synthesized Li₃InCl₆ shows a high ionic conductivity of 2.04×10^?3 S cm^?1 at 25 °C. Furthermore, the ionic conductivity can be recovered after dissolution in water. Combined with a LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ cathode, the solid‐state Li battery shows good cycling stability.     

Li7P3S11电解质的合成、传导及应用

固态电解质是固态电池中的关键材料,开发具有高离子电导率、高化学/电化学稳定性、电极兼容性良好的固态电解质正成为研究热点。硫化物固态电解质相较其它固态电解质具有更高的离子电导率和良好的机械加工性能等优势,是最有前景实现实用化的固态电解质之一。在众多硫化物固态电解质中,Li₇P₃S₁₁因其高的离子电导率和较低的原料成本而极具研究意义。本文首先介绍了Li₇P₃S₁₁电解质的结构、Li+传导机理及合成路径;其次,针对该电解质的电导率提高、空气/水稳定性提升、固固界面稳定性及电解质自身稳定性改善等问题,综述了目前常用的改性策略研究;再次,总结了基于Li₇P₃S₁₁电解质的全固态锂离子电池和全固态锂硫电池的构筑;最后,本文分析了Li₇P₃S₁₁电解质的研究和应用面临的挑战,并指出该电解质未来发展的趋势。     

Design of plasticized proton conducting Chitosan:Dextran based biopolymer blend electrolytes for EDLC application: Structural,impedance and electrochemical studies

In this work, for the use of an electrical double-layer capacitor (EDLC) device applications, the fabrication and characterization of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) based on chitosan-dextran (CS-DN) blended polymer doped and plasticized with ammonium thiocyanate (NH₄SCN) and glycerol are studied, respectively. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy method has been used to investigate the structural behavior of electrolytes. It was observed that the FTIR bands are shifted and decreased in their intensities with the increased glycerol plasticizer content and it results in the complex formation. According to the electrical impedance spectra (EIS), the electrolyte incorporated with high contents of plasticizer (42 wt%) revealed the highest ionic conductivity of (3.08 × 10⁻⁴ S/cm). The electrical equivalent circuits (EEC) were used to investigate the circuit elements of the electrolytes further. Increasing glycerol plasticizers verified an improvement in ions density number (n), mobility (μ), and diffusion coefficient (D). The transference number measurements (TNM) indicated that the predominant charge carriers in the conduction process are ions where the (t_ion) is 0.95. According to the linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) study, the uppermost conducting sample was found to have sufficient anode stability with a breakdown voltage of 1.9 V that can be used in electrochemical devices. The absence of peaks in the cyclic voltammetry (CV) demonstrated that the charge storage mechanism within the constructed EDLC is fully capacitive. Based on this finding, the starting specific capacitance (C_s), energy density (E_d), and power density (P_d) have been identified to be 118F/g, 13.2 Wh/kg, and 1560 W/kg, respectively. Throughout its 100 cycles, the equivalence series resistance ESR value was between 53 and 117 Ω.     

Solvate Ionic Liquids for Li,Na, K,and Mg Batteries

From the viewpoint of element strategy, non‐Li batteries with promising negative and positive electrodes have been widely studied to support a sustainable society. To develop non‐Li batteries having high energy density, research on electrolyte materials is pivotal. Solvate ionic liquids (SILs) are an emerging class of electrolytes possessing somewhat superior properties for battery applications compared to conventional ionic liquid electrolytes. In this account, we describe our recent efforts regarding SIL‐based electrolytes for Li, Na, K, and Mg batteries with respect to structural, physicochemical, and electrochemical characteristics. Systematic studies based on crystallography and Raman spectroscopy combined with thermal/electrochemical stability analysis showed that the balance of competitive cation?anion and cation?solvent interactions predominates the stability of the solvate cations. We also demonstrated battery applications of SILs as electrolytes for non‐Li batteries, particularly for Na batteries.     

A universal model for nanoporous carbon supercapacitors applicable to diverse pore regimes, carbon materials, and electrolytes

Supercapacitors, commonly called electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs), are emerging as a novel type of energy-storage device with the potential to substitute batteries in applications that require high power densities. In response to the latest experimental breakthrough in nanoporous carbon supercapacitors, we propose a heuristic theoretical model that takes pore curvature into account as a replacement for the EDLC model, which is based on a traditional parallel-plate capacitor. When the pore size is in the mesopore regime (2-50 nm), counterions enter mesoporous carbon materials and approach the pore wall to form an electric double-cylinder capacitor (EDCC); in the micropore regime (<2 nm), solvated/desolvated counterions line up along the pore axis to form an electric wire-in-cylinder capacitor (EWCC). In the macropore regime (>50 nm) at which pores are large enough so that pore curvature is no longer significant, the EDCC model can be reduced naturally to the EDLC model. We present density functional theory calculations and detailed analyses of available experimental data in various pore regimes, which show the significant effects of pore curvature on the supercapacitor properties of nanoporous carbon materials. It is shown that the EDCC/EWCC model is universal for carbon supercapacitors with diverse carbon materials, including activated carbon materials, template carbon materials, and novel carbide-derived carbon materials, and with diverse electrolytes, including organic electrolytes, such as tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEABF(4)) and tetraethylammonium methylsulfonate (TEAMS) in acetonitrile, aqueous H(2)SO(4) and KOH electrolytes, and even an ionic liquid electrolyte, such as 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (EMI-TFSI). The EDCC/EWCC model allows the supercapacitor properties to be correlated with pore size, specific surface area, Debye length, electrolyte concentration and dielectric constant, and solute ion size It may lend support for the systematic optimization of the properties of carbon supercapacitors through experiments. On the basis of the insight obtained from the new model, we also discuss the effects of the kinetic solvation/desolvation process, multimodal (versus unimodal) pore size distribution, and exohedral (versus endohedral) capacitors on the electrochemical properties of supercapacitors.     

Chemistry Design Towards a Stable Sulfide‐Based Superionic Conductor Li4Cu8Ge3S12

Sulfide‐based superionic conductors with high ionic conductivity have been explored as candidates for solid‐state Li batteries. However, moisture hypersensitivity has made their manufacture complicated and costly and also impeded applications in batteries. Now, a sulfide‐based superionic conductor Li₄Cu₈Ge₃S₁₂ with superior stability was developed based on the hard/soft acid–base theory. The compound is stable in both moist air and aqueous LiOH aqueous solution. The electrochemical stability window was up to 1.5 V. An ionic conductivity of 0.9×10^?4 S cm with low activation energy of 0.33 eV was achieved without any optimization. The material features a rigid Cu‐Ge‐S open framework that increases its stability. Meanwhile, the weak bonding between Li⁺ and the framework promotes ionic conductivity. This work provides a structural configuration in which weak Li bonding in the rigid framework promotes an environment for highly conductive and stable solid‐state electrolytes.     

Phase Transition of a Structure II Cubic Clathrate Hydrate to a Tetragonal Form

The crystal structure and phase transition of cubic structure II (sII) binary clathrate hydrates of methane (CH₄) and propanol are reported from powder X‐ray diffraction measurements. The deformation of host water cages at the cubic–tetragonal phase transition of 2‐propanol+CH₄ hydrate, but not 1‐propanol+CH₄ hydrate, was observed below about 110 K. It is shown that the deformation of the host water cages of 2‐propanol+CH₄ hydrate can be explained by the restriction of the motion of 2‐propanol within the 5¹²6⁴ host water cages. This result provides a low‐temperature structure due to a temperature‐induced symmetry‐lowering transition of clathrate hydrate. This is the first example of a cubic structure of the common clathrate hydrate families at a fixed composition.     

Review on gel polymer electrolytes for lithium batteries

This paper reviews the state-of-art of polymer electrolytes in view of their electrochemical and physical properties for the applications in lithium batteries. This review mainly encompasses on five polymer hosts namely poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVdF) and poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoro propylene) (PVdF-HFP) as electrolytes. Also the ionic conductivity, morphology, porosity and cycling behavior of PVdF-HFP membranes prepared by phase inversion technique with different non-solvents have been presented. The cycling behavior of LiMn₂O₄/polymer electrolyte (PE)/Li cells is also described.     

Boosting Proton Conductivity in Highly Robust 3D Inorganic Cationic Extended Frameworks through Ion Exchange with Dihydrogen Phosphate Anions

The limited long‐term hydrolytic stability of rapidly emerging 3D‐extended framework materials (MOFs, COFs, MOPs, etc.) is still one of major barriers for their practical applications as new solid‐state electrolytes in fuel cells. To obtain hydrolytically stable materials, two H₂PO₄^?‐exchanged 3D inorganic cationic extended frameworks (CEFs) were successfully prepared by a facile anion‐exchange method. Both anion‐exchanged CEFs (YbO(OH)P and NDTBP) show significantly enhanced proton conductivity when compared with the original materials (YbO(OH)Cl and NDTB) with an increase of up to four orders‐of‐magnitude, reaching 2.36×10^?3 and 1.96×10^?2 S cm^?1 at 98 % RH and 85 °C for YbO(OH)P and NDTBP, respectively. These values are comparable to the most efficient proton‐conducting MOFs. In addition, these two anion‐exchanged materials are stable in boiling water, which originates from the strong electrostatic interaction between the H₂PO₄^? anion and the cationic host framework, showing a clear advance over all the acid‐impregnated materials (H₂SO₄@MIL‐101, H₃PO₄@MIL‐101, and H₃PO₄@Tp‐Azo) as practical solid‐state fuel‐cell electrolytes. This work offers a new general and efficient approach to functionalize 3D‐extended frameworks through an anion‐exchange process and achieves water‐stability with ultra‐high proton conductivity above 10^?2 S cm^?1.     

染料敏化太阳电池用聚合物电解质

综述了本研究小组近年来用于染料敏化太阳电池中聚合物电解质的研究概况.设计合成了几类性能优良的聚合物电解质,较好地改进了液体电解质染料敏化太阳电池(DSSC)的使用稳定性,研究结果具有实际应用的价值,并提出了此领域研究今后的发展方向.     

电流型电化学气体传感器电解液的研究进展

综述了电流型电化学气体传感器电解液的发展状况。 研究发现,用离子液体作电解液,与水溶液电解液相比,具有不挥发、电导率高和电化学窗口宽等优点,其与聚合物结合得到的离子液体聚合物电解质兼具离子液体和聚合物电解质的优点。 用有机溶剂作电流型电化学气体传感器电解液的研究还刚刚开始,但它是很有应用前景的。     

Proton dynamics in the perchloric acid clathrate hydrate HClO4.5.5H2O

In the perchloric acid clathrate hydrate HClO4.5.5H2O, the perchlorate anions are contained inside an aqueous host crystalline matrix, positively charged because of the presence of delocalized acidic protons. Our experimental results demonstrate that the microscopic mechanisms of proton conductivity in this system are effective on a time scale ranging from nanosecond to picosecond. In the present paper, we discuss more specifically on the relaxation processes occurring on a nanosecond time scale by combining high-resolution quasielastic neutron scattering and 1H pulse-field-gradient nuclear magnetic resonance experiments. The combination of these two techniques allows us to probe proton dynamics in both space and time domains. The existence of two types of proton dynamical processes has been identified. The slowest one is associated to long-range translational diffusion of protons between crystallographic oxygen sites and has been precisely characterized with a self-diffusion coefficient of 3.5 x 10(-8) cm2/s at 220 K and an activation energy of 29.2+/-1.4 kJ/mol. The fastest dynamical process is due to water molecules' reorientations occurring every 0.7 ns at 220 K with an activation energy of 17.4+/-1.5 kJ/mol. This powerful multitechnique approach provides important information required to understand the microscopic origin of proton transport in an ionic clathrate hydrate.