Battery Energy最新文献

Lithium carbonate, a solid discharge product, is closely associated with the discharge performance of oxygen-involved lithium-carbon dioxide batteries that exacerbates concentration polarization and electrode passivation. Although numerous strategies to enhance battery performance have progressed, the mechanistic understanding of lithium carbonate on oxygen-involved lithium-carbon dioxide batteries is still confusing. Herein, the effects of lithium carbonate over past decades are traced, including the lithium carbonate product morphology, reaction pathway, formation intermediate, and growth mechanism. The lithium carbonate nucleation and growth are crucial factors that influence battery performance. This perspective proposes a brand-new growth mechanism coupling of solution and surface mechanisms based on experimental results and theories, which extends the growth space of the product and enhances the discharge capacity. Developing advanced technologies are expected to reveal complex lithium carbonate formation pathways and spearhead advanced oxygen-involved lithium-carbon dioxide batteries.

Potassium batteries are very appealing for stationary applications and domestic use, offering a promising alternative to lithium-ion systems. To improve their safety and environmental impact, gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) based on bioderived materials can be employed. In this work, a series of biobased membranes are developed by crosslinking pre-oxidized Kraft lignin as bio-based component and poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PEGDGE) as functional linker with 200, 500, and 1000 g mol⁻¹ molecular weight. The influence of PEGDGE chain length on the physicochemical properties and electrochemical performance of GPEs for potassium batteries is investigated. These membranes exhibit thermal stability above 240°C and tunable glass transition temperatures depending on the PEGDGE molecular weight. Their mechanical properties are determined by rheology measurements in dry and swollen states, evidencing a slight decrease of elastic modulus (G′) by increasing PEGDGE chain length. An approximately one-order-of-magnitude lower G′ value is observed in swollen membranes versus their dry counterpart. Upon successful activation of the lignin-based membranes by swelling in the liquid electrolyte embedding potassium salts, these GPEs are tested in potassium metal cell prototypes. These systems exhibit ionic conductivity of ~10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ at ambient temperature. Interestingly, battery devices equipped with the GPE based on PEGDGE 1000 g mol⁻¹ withstand current densities as high as 1.5 mA cm⁻² during operation. Moreover, the same devices reach specific capacities of 130 mAh g^‒1 at 0.05 A g⁻¹ in the first 100 cycles and long-term operation for over 2500 cycles, representing outstanding achievements as bio-sourced systems for potassium batteries.

Sodium-layered oxides are a promising category of cathodes for sodium-ion batteries with high energy densities. The solid-state method is the typical approach to synthesizing these oxides because of its simple procedure and low cost. Although the reaction conditions have usually been understated, the effect of reagents has often been overlooked. Thus, fundamental insight into the chemical reagents is required to perform well. Here we report in situ structural and electrochemical methods of studying the effect of using different reagents. The materials have a composite structure containing layered NaMnO₂ and Li₂MnO₃ components, where oxygen anionic redox can be triggered at high voltage by forming Na–O–Li configurations. The samples synthesized via MnCO₃-based precursors form the Li₂MnO₃ phase at evaluated temperature and perform better than those through MnO₂-based precursors. This work demonstrates that the reagents also impact the structure and performance of sodium-layered oxides, which provides new insight into developing high-energy cathode material.

Although lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have found an unprecedented place among portable electronic devices owing to their attractive properties such as high energy density, single cell voltage, long shelf-life, etc., their application in electric vehicles still requires further improvements in terms of power density, better safety, and fast-charging ability (i.e., 15 min charging) for long driving range. The challenges of fast charging of LIBs have limitations such as low lithium-ion transport in the bulk and solid electrode/electrolyte interfaces, which are mainly influenced by the ionic conductivity of the electrolyte. Therefore, electrolyte engineering plays a key role in enhancing the fast-charging capability of LIBs. Here, we synthesize a novel propionic acid-based viologen that contains a 4,4′-bipyridinium unit and a terminal carboxylic acid group with positive charges that confine PF₆^‒ anions and accelerate the migration of lithium ions due to electrostatic repulsion, thus increasing the overall rate capability. The LiFePO₄/Li cells with 0.25% of viologen added to the electrolyte show a discharge capacity of 110 mAh g^‒1 at 6C with 95% of capacity retention even after 500 cycles. The added viologen not only enhances the electrochemical properties, but also significantly reduces the self-extinguishing time.

The increasing amounts of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries (EOL LIBs) require novel and safe solutions allowing for the minimisation of health and environmental hazards. Arguably, the best approach to the problem of EOL LIBs is recycling and recovery of the metals contained within the cells. This allows the diversion of the EOL battery cells from the environment and the recovery of precious metals that can be reused in the manufacturing of new products, allowing the reduction of the requirements of virgin materials from the mining industry. The most significant hindrance to the recycling process of EOL LIBs is their unstable chemical nature and significant safety hazards related to opening the air-tight casings. To minimise these issues, the end-of-life cells must be stabilised in one of the few available ways. This review aims at a comprehensive presentation of the studied chemical methods of EOL LIB cell discharge and stabilisation. The advantages and disadvantages of the method and its variations are discussed based on the literature published to date. The literature review found that a significant number of authors make use of chemical stabilisation techniques without proper comprehension of the associated risks. Many authors focus solely on the cheapest and fastest way to stop a cell from producing an electrical charge without extra thought given to the downstream recycling processes of safety hazards related to the proposed stabilisation method. Only a few studies highlighted the risks and problems associated with chemical stabilisation techniques.

Employing functional additives can facilitate the formation of stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), which has emerged as a promising strategy to improve the electrochemical properties of lithium metal batteries (LMBs). Typical SEI containing inorganic components, such as lithium fluoride (LiF) and lithium nitride (LiN_xO_y and Li₃N), have been confirmed to construct an ideal SEI for LMBs. Here, we designed and synthesized a novel molecule named BTFN to act as an SEI-forming additive containing fluorine and nitro groups. The strong electron-withdrawing effect greatly reduces the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy, facilitating its preferential decomposition during the SEI-forming process. An SEI with rich LiF, LiN_xO_y, and Li₃N forms after its preferential and complete decomposition, greatly enhancing stabilization and uniformity. The lifespan of symmetric LMBs with BTFN significantly increases more than 12 times under the same conditions; the Li/SPE/LFP full batteries cycle more than four times the contrast batteries with a capacity retention of 99.7%. This work provides some experiences and opinions for exploring complex SEI-forming additives.

Although lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs) are promising next-generation secondary batteries, their mass commercialization has not yet been achieved primarily owing to critical issues such as the “shuttle effect” of soluble lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and uncontrollable Li dendrite growth. Thus, most reviews on LSBs are focused on strategies for inhibiting shuttle behavior and achieving dendrite-free LSBs to improve the cycle life and Coulombic efficiency of LSBs. However, LSBs have various promising advantages, including an ultrahigh energy density (2600 Wh kg⁻¹), cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, low weight, and flexible attributes, which suggest the feasibility of their current and near-future practical applications in fields that require these characteristics, irrespective of their moderate lifespan. Here, for the first time, challenges impeding the current and near-future applications of LSBs are comprehensively addressed. In particular, the latest progress and novel materials based on their electrochemical characteristics are summarized, with a focus on the gravimetric/volumetric energy density (capacity), loading mass and sulfur content in cathodes, electrolyte-to-sulfur ratios, rate capability, and maximization of these advantageous characteristics for applications in specific areas. Additionally, potential areas for practical applications of LSBs are suggested, with insights for improving LSB performances from a different standpoint and facilitating their integration into various application domains.

Micro-supercapacitors (mSCs) have emerged as next-generation energy storage components suitable for portable, flexible, and eco-friendly electronic device system. In particular, electric double-layer (EDL) mSCs utilizing flexible graphene electrodes have gained significant attention due to their quick and efficient charge/discharge capabilities. Despite significant progress in fabricating mSCs, particularly through the development of laser-induced graphene (LIG) for creating 3D porous electrodes, challenges remain in increasing both energy and power densities. One promising strategy to address these challenges is the incorporation of pseudo-capacitive materials into the 3D graphene structure. However, conventional methods for embedding pseudo-capacitive materials often involve complex and additional labor-intensive steps to the manufacturing process. In this work, we introduce a high-speed mSC fabrication method (< 5 min) that employs a continuous laser-scribing process to directly integrate Mn₂O₃, a pseudo-capacitive material, onto LIG electrodes, forming hierarchical Mn₂O₃/LIG structure. By precisely controlling the fabrication parameter, this approach can significantly improve the electrochemical performance by optimizing the density and thickness of Mn₂O₃, leading to 550.5% increase in capacitance and energy density compared to the LIG electrode. Additionally, the mSCs exhibit outstanding cyclic (> 88% @ 20,000 cycles) and mechanical stability (@ bending radius of 5 mm), confirming their potential for seamless integration into electronic circuits. This innovation not only simplifies the production process of high-performance mSCs but also broadens their potential applications in sustainable and compact electronic device system.

Silicon (Si)-based materials have emerged as promising alternatives to graphite anodes in lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries due to their exceptionally high theoretical capacity. However, their practical deployment remains constrained by challenges such as significant volume changes during lithiation, poor electrical conductivity, and the instability of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). This review critically examines recent advancements in Si-based nanostructures to enhance stability and electrochemical performance. Distinct from prior studies, it highlights the application of Si anodes in commercial domains, including electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and renewable energy storage systems, where prolonged cycle life and improved power density are crucial. Special emphasis is placed on emerging fabrication techniques, particularly scalable and cost-effective methods such as electrospinning and sol–gel processes, which show promise for industrial adoption. By addressing both the technical innovations and economic considerations surrounding Si anodes, this review provides a comprehensive roadmap for overcoming existing barriers, paving the way for next-generation, high-performance batteries.

Due to the strong affinity between the solvent and Li⁺, the desolvation process of Li⁺ at the interface as a rate-controlling step slows down, which greatly reduces the low-temperature electrochemical performance of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and thus limits its wide application in energy storage. Herein, to improve the low-temperature tolerance, a localized high-concentration electrolyte based on weak solvation (Wb-LHCE) has been designed by adding a diluent hexafluorobenzene (FB) in a weak solvating solvent tetrahydrofuran (THF). Combining theoretical calculations with characterization tests, it is found that with the addition of diluent FB, the dipole–dipole interaction between the diluent and the solvent causes FB to compete with Li⁺ for THF. This competition causes the solvent to move away from Li⁺, weakening the binding energy between Li⁺ and THF, whereas the anions are transported into the solvation shell of Li⁺, forming an anion-rich solvation structure. In addition to accelerating the Li⁺ desolvation process, this unique solvation structure optimizes the composition of the CEI film, making it thin, dense, homogeneous, and rich in inorganic components, and thus improving the interfacial stability of the battery. As a result, the assembled LiFePO₄/Li half-cell shows excellent electrochemical performances at low temperature. That is, it can maintain a high discharge specific capacity of 124.2 mAh g⁻¹ after 100 cycles at a rate of 0.2C at −20°C. This provides an attractive avenue for the design of advanced low-temperature electrolytes and improvement of battery tolerance to harsh conditions.