Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research最新文献

Lithium Metal Batteries

Post- mortem analysis of an end-of-life Li metal battery reveals that electrolyte amount is still present (no “dry-out”), even at lean electrolyte conditions. Rather, the Li metal itself suffers from the latter. More details can be found in the Research Article by Isidora Cekic-Laskovic, Johannes Kasnatscheew, and co-workers (DOI: 10.1002/aesr.202500233).

In the ICARUS project, European partners collaborate to develop and scale innovative technologies for recovering and refining secondary raw materials from silicon photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing. The production of photovoltaic modules generates significant quantities of waste, particularly silicon kerf, graphite, and silica residues from ingot and wafer manufacturing. ICARUS aims to transform these waste streams into high-value secondary materials suitable for reintegration into the PV value chain and other industrial applications. Four industrial pilot-scale processes are developed, targeting the purification and reuse of these materials. Results from the pilots demonstrate both the technical feasibility and economic potential of substituting these recovered materials for virgin and critical raw materials. This work provides a viable pathway toward a more resource-efficient and circular PV manufacturing industry.

Solid polymer electrolytes hold great promise for achieving improved processability and safety in solid-state lithium-ion batteries (LIBs); however, several inherent challenges arise from the use of polymers. One critical issue is the ultrahigh interfacial resistance between the cathode and electrolyte, which has emerged as a main research focus in recent years. In this study, a dual functional cathode (DFC) is developed by uniformly dispersing the cathode material (LiFePO₄) into the polymer electrolyte poly(vinylidenfluorid-co-hexafluorpropylene):lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide, resulting in a conformable lamella structure with embedded microspheres. Simultaneous enhancement of the interfacial contact and the ion transport efficiency is observed. Solid-state LIBs incorporating the proposed DFC demonstrate exceptional electrochemical performance at room temperature, exhibiting a high discharge capacity of 138 mAh g⁻¹ at 1 C, along with an impressive capacity retention of over 80% after 250 cycles, all while preserving the intricate spherical structure. The discharge capacity reaches 98 mAh g⁻¹ even at a high rate of 5 C. At an elevated temperature of 60 °C, a capacity retention of 80% is obtained after 500 cycles. Therefore, this work provides a simple but effective design concept for improving interfacial compatibility between the cathodes and polymer electrodes in solid-state LIBs.

The development of lead-free perovskites as environmentally sustainable materials has gained significant attention for their applications in solar cells and photocatalysis. In this study, Cs₂PtCl₆ and Cs₂PtBr₆ vacancy-ordered double perovskites are synthesized via a hydrothermal method and evaluated as ligand-free photocatalysts for solar-driven water splitting, targeting the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Structural characterization confirms their cubic phase, and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy reveals optical bandgaps of 2.17 eV for Cs₂PtCl₆ and 1.94 eV for Cs₂PtBr₆. Theoretical calculations based on density of states analysis confirms their semiconductor behavior. Photocatalytic studies show that Cs₂PtBr₆ exhibits superior O₂ evolution rates (368.9 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹) compared to Cs₂PtCl₆ (237.4 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹), attributed to its favorable electronic structure. Also, photoluminescence (PL) studies reveals that Cs₂PtBr₆ exhibits lower PL intensity and a longer emission lifetime (2.5 μs) compared to Cs₂PtCl₆ (1.3 μs). Long-term stability tests highlight moderate photostability, with Pt⁴⁺ reduction due to precipitation of Pt⁰ under prolonged irradiation or reuses. This research highlights the potential of Cs₂PtX₆ perovskites for efficient, sustainable OER catalysis while identifying challenges related to structural stability and charge recombination.

A novel multifunctional structural electrolyte is developed using plain–weave glass fiber reinforced with a composite polymer matrix for load-bearing energy-storage applications such as structural batteries. The composite matrix comprises polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) blended with epoxy, LiTFSI salt, and Al₂O₃ at optimized ratios. A set of techniques is used to evaluate and optimize the thermo-electro-mechanical properties of the matrix, including dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), potentiostatic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (PEIS), thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction. The optimization reveals a clear trade-off: increasing salt content enhances ionic conductivity but compromises mechanical properties, while the addition of nanofiller improves stiffness but reduces ionic conductivity. Based on multifunctionally balancing, a formulation of PVA_0.34/epoxy_0.14/LiTFSI_0.32/(Al₂O₃)_0.2 is obtained. The structural electrolyte, composed of glass fiber impregnated with the optimized matrix, is characterized using PEIS, DMA, tensile testing, and charge–discharge tests within lithium iron phosphate (LFP)/lithium metal and LFP/graphite cells. The electrolyte exhibits a storage modulus of 3 GPa, an ionic conductivity of 1.74 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹, a bulk stiffness of 1.82 GPa, and a tensile strength of 56.9 MPa. Full-cell testing demonstrates long cycle life and stable cyclability for ≈240 cycles, maintaining a high Coulombic efficiency of around 95% throughout cycling.

Current developments in composites-based electrocatalysts and polymer-based support materials have been given significant consideration in direct alcohol fuel cells. The structure and composition of the catalysts and electrode materials significantly impact the efficacy of fuel cells. In addition, various parameters, such as the nanoparticle's size and shape, the nature of the electrolyte, the type of support materials, and their fabrication process, also play essential roles in the functioning of the fuel cells. The catalyst has a pivotal role in enhancing the electrochemical activity of methanol fuel cells (MFCs), influencing their efficiency, durability, and overall viability. Through a meticulous examination of the latest studies, this review explores novel catalyst materials, innovative synthesis techniques, and breakthroughs in catalytic design. Additionally, it discusses critical challenges and future directions, shedding light on the ongoing efforts to propel MFC technology toward commercialization.

Lithium Ion Batteries

Incorporating lithium directly on the anode is a possible prelithiation strategy to compensate capacity losses in a lithium ion battery. Physical vapor deposition (PVD) is regarded as beneficial due to a homogenous lithium distribution. However, it is only valid for low degree of prelithiation (DOP) while high DOPs limit the PVD technique, as even Li agglomerates can emerge. More details can be found in the Research Article by Johannes Kasnatscheew and co-workers (DOI: 10.1002/aesr.202500150)

The inherently poor conductivity of the olivine structure in LiFePO₄ results in limited electrochemical performance, thus restricting its applications in Li-ion batteries. To address this issue, this manuscript explores the use of an ion-conducting binder based on a high-density functional poly(ionic liquid) (HFPIL) and investigates the impact of enhanced ion conductivity on electrochemical performance. High-density water-soluble polymethylene-based functional binders, such as poly(hydroxycarbonylmethylene) (PFA), poly(hydroxycarbonylmethylene-co-oxycarbonylmethylene 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium) (PMIF), and poly(oxycarbonylmethylene 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium) (PMAI), are synthesized and characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Water-soluble binders show better long cycling and rate studies compared to N-methyl pyrrolidone-soluble poly(vinylidene fluoride) binders. The PMAI binder shows excellent cycle stability, retaining 103% of initial capacity at 1C after 200 cycles and 94% at 5C after 290 cycles. The densely imidazolium-functionalized poly(ionic liquid) reduces charge transfer resistance, lowers Li-ion desolvation activation energy, and increases Li⁺ diffusion coefficient. The improved performance of the cathodic half-cell containing the PMAI binder (PMAI/LFP) is attributed to the ion conduction properties of the imidazolium-functionalized polymer, which participates in cathode-electrolyte interphase (CEI) formation as confirmed by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and mitigates thick CEI formation. The HFPIL also shows better peeling strength and crack-free cycled electrode. These findings provide valuable insights into designing better binders for active materials suffering from poor ionic conductivity.

Li plating significantly contributes to the ageing of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). An in-depth understanding of Li-ion intercalation kinetics into graphite, still being widely used as anode material, and the subsequent phase formation of Li_xC₆ compounds, is necessary to understand kinetic limits and prevent Li plating. Diffraction and colorimetric studies have explored these processes, noting graphite color changes during (de)intercalation. However, these methods fall short of examining graphite intercalation at a microscopic scale, essential for understanding intercalation kinetics and Li plating onset conditions. This study employs a high-resolution light microscope under inert gas to examine lithiation processes in graphite anodes at the particle level across various C-rates. Qualitative descriptions and quantitative assessments are achieved through colorimetric analysis based on hue and saturation, complemented by machine learning-based segmentation. The results show an increased spatial heterogeneity of lithiation stages both between particles and within individual particles, with increasing C-rate. Notably, up to three stages coexist in one particle, and LiC₆ is present at 50% (SOC) state of charge even when lithiated with 0.2C. At 1C charging, 4% and 32.5% of the surface is covered with Li deposits at 30% and 50% SOC, respectively, with underlying graphite particles showing LiC₆.

Freshwater scarcity is an escalating global challenge, necessitating sustainable and efficient water purification technologies. Solar steam generation (SSG) has emerged as a promising approach, utilizing solar energy to convert seawater or wastewater into potable water. Aerogels incorporating photothermal agents have been extensively explored for SSG due to their porous structures that support capillary-driven water transport, coupled with the photothermal agents’ ability to convert solar irradiation into thermal energy to drive evaporation. This integrated functionality facilitates both freshwater production and wastewater treatment. However, traditional aerogels are limited by single-mode water transport mechanisms, capillary flow within internal pores, which constrain water transport efficiency. Inspired by the dual-mode water transport mechanisms observed in desert grasses, this study develops reduced graphene oxide-doped polyacrylamide aerogels featuring engineered longitudinal surface grooves. These aerogels are fabricated using microcontinuous liquid interface production, a high-speed 3D printing technique, followed by freeze-drying to tune porosity. Characterization reveals that surface-grooved aerogels achieve a water transport distance of 2.16 ± 0.11 cm within 10 min and an evaporation rate of 2.1 kg·m⁻²·h⁻¹ under standard solar irradiation (100 mW·cm⁻²). This biomimetic design improves both water transport and solar-powered water evaporation, offering a scalable and effective approach to advance solar-driven freshwater production.