Hyphae-mediated bioassembly of carbon fibers derivatives for advanced battery energy storage

Ingenious design and fabrication of advanced carbon-based sulfur cathodes are extremely important to the development of high-energy lithium-sulfur batteries,which hold promise as the next-generation power source.Herein,for the first time,we report a novel versatile hyphae-mediated biological assembly technology to achieve scale production of hyphae carbon fibers(HCFs)derivatives,in which different components including carbon,metal compounds,and semiconductors can be homogeneously assembled with HCFs to form composite networks.The mechanism of biological adsorption assembly is also proposed.As a representative,reduced graphene oxides(rGOs)decorated with hollow carbon spheres(HCSs)successfully co-assemble with HCFs to form HCSs@rGOs/HCFs hosts for sulfur cathodes.In this unique architecture,not only large accommodation space for sulfur but also restrained volume expansion and fast charge transport paths are realized.Meanwhile,multiscale physical barriers plus chemisorption sites are simultaneously established to anchor soluble lithium polysulfides.Accordingly,the designed HCSs@rGOs/HCFs-S cathodes deliver a high capacity(1189 mA h g^(-1)at 0.1 C)and good high-rate capability(686 mA h g^(-1)at 5 C).Our work provides a new approach for the preparation of high-performance carbon-based electrodes for energy storage devices.

Ultra-homogeneous dense Ag nano layer enables long lifespan solid-state lithium metal batteries

The unstable electrolyte/lithium(Li)anode interface has been one of the key challenges in realizing high energy density solid-state lithium metal batteries(LMBs)applications.Herein,a dense and uniform silver(Ag)nano interlayer with a thickness of∼35 nm is designed accurately by magnetron sputtering technology to optimize the electrolyte/Li anode interface.This Ag nano layer reacts with Li metal anode to in-situ form Li-Ag alloy,thus enhancing the physical interfacial contact,and further improving the interfacial wettability and compatibility.In particular,the Li-Ag alloy is inclined to form AgLi phase proved by cryo-TEM and DFT,effectively preventing SN from continuously“attacking”the Li metal anode due to the lower adsorption of succinonitrile(SN)molecules on AgLi than that of pure Li metal,thereby significantly reinforcing the interfacial stability.Hence,the enhanced physical and chemical stability of electrolyte/Li anode interface promotes the homogeneous deposition of Li^(+)and inhibits the dendrite growth.The Li-symmetric cell maintains stable operation for up to 1700 h and the cycling stability of LiFePO_(4)|SPE|Li full cell is remarkably improved at room temperature(capacity retention rate of 91.9%for 200 cycles).This work opens an effective way for accurate and controllable interface design of long lifespan solid-state LMBs.

Revisiting Scientific Issues for Industrial Applications of Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Inspired by high theoretical energy density(-2600 W h kg^(-1))and cost-effectiveness of sulfur cathode,lithium–sulfur batteries are receiving great attention and considered as one of the most promising next-generation high-energy-density batteries.However,over the past decades,the energy density and reliable safety levels as well as the commercial progress of lithium-sulfur batteries are still far from satisfactory due to the disconnection and huge gap between fundamental research and practical application.

In-situ construction of a Mg-modified interface to guide uniform lithium deposition for stable all-solid-state batteries

Uniform lithium(Li)deposition in all-solid-state Li metal batteries is greatly influenced by the anode/electrolyte interface.Herein,a Mg-modified interface was constructed via the simple in-situ electrochemical reduction of Mg^(2+)from Mg(TFSI)_(2) in polyethylene oxide(PEO)and a Li bis(trifluoromethane)sulfoni mide(Li TFSI)formulae.As confirmed by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy,the anode/electrolyte interface exhibited hybrids consisting of crystalline Mg,Li_(2)O,and Li dots embedded in an amorphous polymer electrolyte.The crystalline Mg dots guided the uniform Li nucleation and growth,inducing a smoother anode/electrolyte interface compared with the pristine electrolyte.With 1 wt%Mg(TFSI)_(2) in the PEO-Li TFSI electrolyte,the Mg-modified electrolyte enabled the Li/Li symmetric cells with cycling performance of over 1700 and 1400 h at current densities of 0.1 and 0.2 m A cm^(-2),respectively.Moreover,the full LFP/Li cells using the novel Mg-modified electrolyte delivered a cycling lifespan of over 450 cycles with negligible capacity loss.

A critical review on composite solid electrolytes for lithium batteries:Design strategies and interface engineering

The rapid development of new energy vehicles and 5G communication technologies has led to higher demands for the safety,energy density,and cycle performance of lithium-ion batteries as power sources.However,the currently used liquid carbonate compounds in commercial lithium-ion battery electrolytes pose potential safety hazards such as leakage,swelling,corrosion,and flammability.Solid electrolytes can be used to mitigate these risks and create a safer lithium battery.Furthermore,high-energy density can be achieved by using solid electrolytes along with high-voltage cathode and metal lithium anode.Two types of solid electrolytes are generally used:inorganic solid electrolytes and polymer solid electrolytes.Inorganic solid electrolytes have high ionic conductivity,electrochemical stability window,and mechanical strength,but suffer from large solid/solid contact resistance between the electrode and electrolyte.Polymer solid electrolytes have good flexibility,processability,and contact interface properties,but low room temperature ionic conductivity,necessitating operation at elevated temperatures.Composite solid electrolytes(CSEs) are a promising alternative because they offer light weight and flexibility,like polymers,as well as the strength and stability of inorganic electrolytes.This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent advances in CSEs to help researchers optimize CSE composition and interactions for practical applications.It covers the development history of solid-state electrolytes,CSE properties with respect to nanofillers,morphology,and polymer types,and also discusses the lithium-ion transport mechanism of the composite electrolyte,and the methods of engineering interfaces with the positive and negative electrodes.Overall,the paper aims to provide an outlook on the potential applications of CSEs in solid-state lithium batteries,and to inspire further research aimed at the development of more systematic optimization strategies for CSEs.

Liquid-source plasma technology for construction of dual bromine-fluorine-enriched interphases on lithium metal anodes with enhanced performance

The electrochemical performance of Li metal anode is closely bound up with the interphase between Li and lithium-loaded skeleton as well as solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)on Li surface.Herein,for the first time,we propose a novel liquid-source CHBr_(2)F plasma technology to simultaneously construct dual bromine-fluorine-enriched interphases:NiBr_(2)-NiF_(2) interphase on sponge Ni(SN)skeleton and LiBr-LiF-enriched SEI on Li anode,respectively.Based on density functional theory(DFT)calculations and COMSOL multiphysics simulation results,SN skeleton with NiBr_(2)-NiF_(2)interphase can effectively decrease the local current density with good lithiophilicity.And the LiBr-LiF-enriched SEI on Li surface can function to block electron tunneling and hinder side electrochemical reduction of electrolyte components,thus suppressing the growth of dendrite and facilitating the homogeneous transportation of lithium ions.Consequently,the Li/SN electrodes with modified interphases show remarkable stability with a low overpotential of 22.6 mV over 1800 h at 1 mA cm^(-2)/1 mAh cm^(-2)and an exceptional average Coulombic efficiency of 99.6%.When coupled with LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_(2)(NCM811)cathode,the full cells deliver improved cycling stability with a capacity retention of 79.5%even after 350 cycles at 0.5 C.This study provides a facile and new plasma method for the construction of advanced Li anodes for energy storage.

Plasma enhanced reduction method for synthesis of reduced graphene oxide fiber/Si anode with improved performance

Silicon(Si)is considered as one of the most promising anode materials for advanced lithium-ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity,environmental friendliness,and widespread availability.However,great challenges such as volumetric expansion,limited ionic/electronic conductivity properties and complex manufacturing processes hinder its practical applications.Herein,a novel plasma-enhanced reduced graphene oxide fibers/Si(PrGOFs/Si)composite anode is first proposed by using wet-spinning technology followed by plasma-enhanced reduction method.The PrGOFs provide large space to accommodate the volume expansion of Si nanoparticles(SiNPs)by forming a flexible 3D conductive network.Compared to the conventional thermally reduced graphene oxide fibers/Si(TrGOFs/Si)sample,the PrGOFs/Si anodes demonstrate higher conductivity,specific surface area,and superior fabrication efficiency.Accordingly,the Pr GOFs/Si anodes exhibit a reversible capacity of 698.3 mA h/g,and maintain a specific capacity of 602.5m Ah/g at a current density of 200 m A/g after 100 cycles,superior to conventional Tr GOFs/Si counterparts.This research presents a novel strategy for the preparation of high-performance Si/carbon anodes for energy storage applications.

Interface issues of lithium metal anode for high-energy batteries: Challenges, strategies, and perspectives

Lithium(Li)metal is considered as one of the most promising anode materials for next-generation high-energy-density storage systems.However,the practical application of Li metal anode is hindered by interfacial instability and air instability due to the highly reactivity of Li metal.Unstable interface in Li metal batteries(LMBs)directly dictates Li dendrite growth,“dead Li”and low Coulombic efficiency,resulting in inferior electrochemical performance of LMBs and even safety issues.In addition,its sensitivity to ambient air leads to the severe corrosion of Li metal anode,high requirements of production and storage,and increased manufacturing cost.Plenty of efforts in recent years have overcome many bottlenecks in these fields and hastened the practical applications of high-energy-density LMBs.In this review,we focus on emerging methods of these two aspects to fulfill a stable and low cost electrode.In this perspective,design artificial solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)layers,construct three-dimensional conductive current collectors,optimize electrolytes,employ solid-state electrolytes,and modify separators are summarized to be propitious to ameliorate interfacial stability.Meanwhile,ex situ/in situ formed protective layers are highlighted in favor of heightening air stability.Finally,several possible directions for the future research on advanced Li metal anode are addressed.

Enhanced sulfide chemisorption by conductive AI-doped ZnO decorated carbon nanoflakes for advanced Li-S batteries

Lithium-sulfur batteries have attracted significant attention recently due to their high theoretical capacity, energy density and cost effectiveness. However, sulfur cathodes suffer from issues such as shuttle effects, uncontrollable deposition of lithium sulfides species, and volume expansion of sulfur, which result in rapid capacity fading and low Coulombic efficiency. In recent years, metal-oxide nanostructures have been widely used in Li-S batteries, owing to their effective inhibition of the shuttle effect and controlled deposition of lithium sulfide. However, the nonconductive metal-oxides used in Li-S batteries suffer from extra diffusion process, which slows down the electrochemical reaction kinetics. Herein, we report the synthesis of carbon nanoflakes decorated with conductive aluminium-doped zinc oxide （AZO@C） nanoparticles, through a facile biotem- plating method using kapok fibers as both the template and carbon source. A sulfur cathode based on the AZO@C nanocomposites shows better electrochemical performance than those of cathodes based on ZnO and A1203 with poor conductivity, with a stable capacity of 927 mAh.g-1 at 0.1C （1C = 1,675 mA.g-1） after 100 cycles. A reversible capacity of 544 mAh.g-1 after 300 cycles was obtained even after increasing the current density to 0.5C, with a 0.039% capacity decay per cycle under a sulfur loading of 3.3 mg-cm-2. Moreover, a capacity of 466 mAh.g-1 after 100 cycles at 0.5C could still be obtained when the sulfur loading was increased to 6.96 mg.cm-2. The excellent electrochemical performance of the AZO@C/S composite can be attributed to its high conductivity of the polar AZO host, which suppresses the shuttle effect while simultaneously improving the redox kinetics in the reciprocal transformation of lithium sulfide species.

Carbon materials for metal-ion batteries

Metal-ion(Li-,Na-,Zn-,K-,Mg-,and Al-ion)batteries(MIBs)play an important role in realizing the goals of“emission peak and carbon neutralization”because of their green production techniques,lower pollution,high voltage,and large energy density.Carbon-based materials are indispensable for developing MIBs and are widely adopted as active or auxiliary materials in the anodes and cathodes.For example,carbon-based materials,includ-ing graphite,Si/C and hard carbon,have been used as anode materials for Li-and Na-ion batteries.Carbon can also be used as a conductive coating for cathodes,such as in LiFePO 4/C,to achieve better performance.In addition,as new high-valence MIBs(Zn-,Al-,and Mg-ion)have emerged,a growing number of novel carbon-based mate-rials have been utilized to construct high-performance MIBs.Herein,we discuss the recent development trends in advanced carbon-based materials for MIBs.The impact of the structure properties of advanced carbon-based materials on energy storage is addressed,and a perspective on their development is also proposed.

Correction:Interfaces in Sulfide Solid Electrolyte‑Based All‑Solid‑State Lithium Batteries:Characterization,Mechanism and Strategy

Correction to:Electrochemical Energy Reviews(2023)6:10 https://doi.org/10.1007/s41918-022-00176-0 The publication of this article unfortunately contained mistakes.The conflict of interest of one of the authors was missing.

基于无机电致变色材料的变色储能器件

电致变色和电化学储能的原理均是基于电荷在电极中的嵌入或脱出而发生的氧化还原反应,具有相同的电化学本质。将电致变色和电化学储能功能集成在一起的电化学器件即电致变色储能器件。以锂离子电池为代表的电化学储能器件已广泛商业化,单一功能的电致变色器件也已被广泛报道并有商业化应用,但有关电致变色储能器件的研究仍然停留在实验阶段。该类器件在电化学储能的同时,可以改变其在可见光甚至红外波段的透射率,并可用颜色指示器件的荷电状态,为电化学器件提供新的应用前景。电致变色储能器件主要包括电致变色超级电容器、电致变色电池和光驱动电致变色智能窗等。电致变色超级电容器和电致变色电池以同时具有电致变色效应和电荷存储性质的材料为正负电极,光驱动电致变色智能窗则还包括将光能转化为电能的光电转换部分。这些器件可用于建筑节能智能窗、静态显示、智能传感等。此外,在柔性基底上制备的可穿戴电致变色储能器件在智能服装、植入显示器和电子皮肤等方面具有应用潜力。本文从基本原理、研究进展和应用领域等方面对无机电致变色储能材料与器件进行综述,并提出未来的研究展望。

Interfaces in Sulfide Solid Electrolyte‑Based All‑Solid‑State Lithium Batteries:Characterization,Mechanism and Strategy

Owing to the advantages of high energy density and environmental friendliness,lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)have been widely used as power sources in electric vehicles,energy storage systems and other devices.Conventional LIBs composed of liquid electrolytes(LEs)have potential safety hazards;thermal runaway easily leads to battery explosion and spontaneous combustion.To realize a large-scale energy storage system with higher safety and higher energy density,replacing LEs with solid-state electrolytes(SSEs)has been pursued.Among the many SSEs,sulfide SSEs are attractive because of their high ionic conductivities,easy processabilities and high thermostabilities.However,interfacial issues(interfacial reactions,chemo-mechanical failure,lithium dendrite formation,etc.)between sulfide SSEs and electrodes are factors limiting widespread application.In addition,the intrinsic interfacial issues of sulfide SSEs(electrochemical windows,diffusion mechanisms of Li^(+),etc.)should not be ignored.In this review,the behaviors,properties and mechanisms of interfaces in all-solid-state lithium batteries with a variety of sulfide SSEs are comprehensively summarized.Additionally,recent research progress on advanced characterization methods and designs used to stabilize interfaces is discussed.Finally,outlooks,challenges and possible interface engineering strategies are analyzed and proposed.