“In-N-out” design enabling high-content triethyl phosphate-based non-flammable and high-conductivity electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries

Safety issues related to flammable electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries(LIBs) remain a major challenge for their extended applications.The use of non-flammable phosphate-based electrolytes has proved the validity in inhibiting the combustion of LIBs.However,the strong interaction between Li^(+) and phosphate leads to a dominant solid electrolyte interphase(SEI) with limited electronic shielding,resulting in the poor Li^(+) intercalation at the graphite(Gr) anode when using high-phosphate-content electrolytes.To mitigate this issue and improve Li^(+) insertion,we propose an “In-N-Out” strategy to render phosphates “noncoordinative”.By employing a combination of strongly polar solvents for a “block effect” and weakly polar solvents for a “drag effect”,we reduce the Li^(+)–phosphate interaction.As a result,phosphates remain in the electrolyte phase(“In”),minimizing their impact on the incompatibility with the Gr electrode(“Out”).We have developed a non-flammable electrolyte with high triethyl phosphate(TEP) content(>60 wt.%),demonstrating the excellent ion conductivity(5.94 mS cm^(-1) at 30 ℃) and reversible Li^(+) intercalation at a standard concentration(~1 mol L^(-1)).This approach enables the manipulation of multiple electrolyte functions and holds the promise for the development of safe electrochemical energy storage systems using non-flammable electrolytes.

High-safety and high-voltage lithium metal batteries enabled by nonflammable diluted highly concentrated electrolyte

Lithium metal batteries(LMBs)show great promise for achieving energy densities over 400 Wh·kg^(-1).However,highly flammable organic electrolytes are a long-lasting problem that triggers safety hazards and hinders the commercial application of LMBs.Here,a nonflammable diluted highly concentrated electrolyte(DHCE)with ethoxy(pentafluoro)cyclotriphosphazene(PFPN)as a diluent is developed to simultaneously achieve high safety and cycling stability of high-voltage LMBs.The optimal DHCE not only ensures reversible Li deposition/dissolution behavior with a superior average Coulombic efficiency(CE)over 99.1%on lithium metal anode(LMA),but also suppresses side reactions and stress crack on the LiCoO_(2)(LCO)under high cut-off voltage.The newly developed DHCE exhibits high thermal stability,showing complete nonflammability and reduced heat generation between the electrolyte and delithiated LCO/cycled LMA.This work offers an opportunity for rational designing nonflammable electrolytes toward high-voltage and safe LMBs.

The effect of friction block hole configurations on the brake tribological performance of high-speed trains

Three triangular friction block configurations are commonly employed in high-speed train brake systems,namely,unperforated,perforated configuration with one circular hole,and perforated with three circular holes.In this study,we adopted these friction block types to investigate the effect of perforated friction block configurations on the brake performance of high-speed trains based on a self-developed brake test rig.The results indicate the significant impact of the number of the holes on the wear behavior,temperature distribution,and vibration characteristics of the brake interface.The friction surface of the unperforated block is covered by wear debris,while the perforated blocks produce less wear debris.Furthermore,the one-hole block exhibits a more uniform temperature distribution and better vibration behavior than that with three holes.The friction brake is a dynamic process,during which separation and attachment between the pad and disc alternatively occur,and the perforated structure on the friction block can both trap and expel the wear debris.