High‑Entropy Layered Oxide Cathode Enabling High‑Rate for Solid‑State Sodium‑Ion Batteries

Na-ion O3-type layered oxides are prospective cathodes for Na-ion batteries due to high energy density and low-cost.Nevertheless,such cathodes usually suffer from phase transitions,sluggish kinetics and air instability,making it difficult to achieve high performance solid-state sodium-ion batteries.Herein,the high-entropy design and Li doping strategy alleviate lattice stress and enhance ionic conductivity,achieving high-rate performance,air stability and electrochemically thermal stability for Na_(0.95)Li_(0.06)Ni_(0.25)Cu_(0.05)Fe_(0.15)Mn_(0.49)O_(2).This cathode delivers a high reversible capacity(141 mAh g^(−1)at 0.2C),excellent rate capability(111 mAh g^(−1)at 8C,85 mAh g^(−1)even at 20C),and long-term stability(over 85%capacity retention after 1000 cycles),which is attributed to a rapid and reversible O3–P3 phase transition in regions of low voltage and suppresses phase transition.Moreover,the compound remains unchanged over seven days and keeps thermal stability until 279℃.Remarkably,the polymer solid-state sodium battery assembled by this cathode provides a capacity of 92 mAh g^(−1)at 5C and keeps retention of 96%after 400 cycles.This strategy inspires more rational designs and could be applied to a series of O3 cathodes to improve the performance of solid-state Na-ion batteries.

Phase-engineering modulation of Mn-based oxide cathode for constructing super-stable sodium storage

The Mn-based oxide cathode with enriched crystal phase structure and component diversity can provide the excellent chemistry structure for Na-ion batteries.Nevertheless,the broad application prospect is obstructed by the sluggish Na^(+)kinetics and the phase transitions upon cycling.Herein,we establish the thermodynamically stable phase diagram of various Mn-based oxide composites precisely controlled by sodium content tailoring strategy coupling with co-doping and solid-state reaction.The chemical environment of the P2/P'3 and P2/P3 biphasic composites indicate that the charge compensation mechanism stems from the cooperative contribution of anions and cations.Benefiting from the no phase transition to scavenge the structure strain,P2/P'3 electrode can deliver long cycling stability(capacity retention of 73.8%after 1000 cycles at 10 C)and outstanding rate properties(the discharge capacity of 84.08 mA h g^(-1)at 20 C)than P2/P3 electrode.Furthermore,the DFT calculation demonstrates that the introducing novel P'3 phase can significantly regulate the Na^(+)reaction dynamics and modify the local electron configuration of Mn.The effective phase engineering can provide a reference for designing other high-performance electrode materials for Na-ion batteries.

Plasma potential measurements using an emissive probe made of oxide cathode

A novel emissive probe consisting of an oxide cathode coating is developed to achieve a low operating temperature and long service life.The properties of the novel emissive probe are investigated in detail,in comparison with a traditional tungsten emissive probe,including the operating temperature,the electron emission capability and the plasma potential measurement.Studies of the operating temperature and electron emission capability show that the tungsten emissive probe usually works at a temperature of 1800 K-2200 K while the oxide cathode emissive probe can function at about 1200 K-1400 K.In addition,plasma potential measurements using the oxide cathode emissive probe with different techniques have been accomplished in microwave electron cyclotron resonance plasmas with different discharge powers.It is found that a reliable plasma potential can be obtained using the improved inflection point method and the hot probe with zero emission limit method,while the floating point method is invalid for the oxide cathode emissive probe.

Cationic ordering transition in oxygen-redox layered oxide cathodes

Understanding the structural origin of the competition between oxygen 2p and transition-metal 3d orbitals in oxygen-redox(OR)layered oxides is eminently desirable for exploring reversible and high-energy-density Li/Na-ion cathodes.Here,we reveal the correlation between cationic ordering transition and OR degradation in ribbon-ordered P3-Na_(0.6)Li_(0.2)Mn_(0.8)O_(2) via in situ structural analysis.Comparing two different voltage windows,the OR capacity can be improved approximately twofold when suppressing the in-plane cationic ordering transition.We find that the intralayer cationic migration is promoted by electrochemical reduction from Mn^(4+)to Jahn–Teller Mn^(3+)and the concomitant NaO_(6) stacking transformation from triangular prisms to octahedra,resulting in the loss of ribbon ordering and electrochemical decay.First-principles calculations reveal that Mn^(4+)/Mn^(3+)charge ordering and alignment of the degenerate eg orbital induce lattice-level collective Jahn–Teller distortion,which favors intralayer Mn-ion migration and thereby accelerates OR degradation.These findings unravel the relationship between in-plane cationic ordering and OR reversibility and highlight the importance of superstructure protection for the rational design of reversible OR-active layered oxide cathodes.

Unexpected Li displacement and suppressed phase transition enabling highly stabilized oxygen redox in P3-type Na layered oxide cathode

Oxygen redox is considered a new paradigm for increasing the practical capacity and energy density of the layered oxide cathodes for Na-ion batteries. However, severe local structural changes and phase transitions during anionic redox reactions lead to poor electrochemical performance with sluggish kinetics.Here, we propose a synergy of Li-Cu cations in harnessing the full potential of oxygen redox, through Li displacement and suppressed phase transition in P3-type layered oxide cathode. P3-type Na_(0.7)[Li_(0.1)Cu_(0.2)Mn_(0.7)]O_(2) cathode delivers a large specific capacity of ~212 mA h g^(-1)at 15 mA g^(-1). The discharge capacity is maintained up to ~90% of the initial capacity after 100 cycles, with stable occurrence of the oxygen redox in the high-voltage region. Through advanced experimental analyses and first-principles calculations, it is confirmed that a stepwise redox reaction based on Cu and O ions occurs for the charge-compensation mechanism upon charging. Based on a concrete understanding of the reaction mechanism, the Li displacement by the synergy of Li-Cu cations plays a crucial role in suppressing the structural change of the P3-type layered material under the oxygen redox reaction, and it is expected to be an effective strategy for stabilizing the oxygen redox in the layered oxides of Na-ion batteries.

Recent progress on electrolyte functional additives for protection of nickel-rich layered oxide cathode materials

In advantages of their high capacity and high operating voltage,the nickel(Ni)-rich layered transition metal oxide cathode materials(LiNi_(x)Co_(y)Mn_(z)O_(2)(NCMxyz,x+y+z=1,x≥0.5)and LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.15)Al_(0.05)O_(2)(NCA))have been arousing great interests to improve the energy density of LIBs.However,these Nirich cathodes always suffer from rapid capacity degradation induced by unstable cathode-electrolyte interphase(CEI)layer and destruction of bulk crystal structure.Therefore,varied electrode/electrolyte interface engineering strategies(such as electrolyte formulation,material coating or doping)have been developed for Ni-rich cathodes protection.Among them,developing electrolyte functional additives has been proven to be a simple,effective,and economic method to improve the cycling stability of Nirich cathodes.This is achieved by removing unfavorable species(such as HF,H_(2)O)or constructing a stable and protective CEI layer against unfavorable reactive species(such as HF,H_(2)O).Herein,this review mainly introduces the varied classes of electrolyte functional additives and their working mechanism for interfacial engineering of Ni-rich cathodes.Especially,key favorable species for stabilizing CEI layer are summarized.More importantly,we put forward perspectives for screening and customizing ideal functional additives for high performance Ni-rich cathodes based LIBs.

In/ex-situ Raman spectra combined with EIS for observing interface reactions between Ni-rich layered oxide cathode and sulfide electrolyte

The interfacial instability between Ni-rich layered oxide cathodes and sulfide electrolytes is a serious problem,leading to poor electrochemical properties of all-solid-state lithium batteries(ASSLB).The chemical/electrochemical side reactions are considered to be the origin of the interfacial deterioration.However,the influence of chemical and electrochemical side reactions on the interfacial deterioration is rarely studied specifically.In this work,the deterioration mechanism of the interface between LiNi0.85-xCo0.15AlxO2 and Li10GeP2S12 is investigated in detail by combining in/ex-situ Raman spectra and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy(EIS).It can be determined that chemical side reaction between LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 and Li10GeP2S12 will occur immediately once contacted,and the interfacial deterioration becomes more serious after charge-discharge process under the dual effects of chemical and electrochemical side reactions.Moreover,our research reveals that the interfacial stability and the cycle performance of ASSLB can be greatly enhanced by increasing Al-substitution for Ni in LiNi0.85-xCo0.15AlxO2.In particular,the capacity retention of LiNi0.6Co0.15Al0.25O2 cathode after 200 cycles can reach 81.9%,much higher than that of LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 cathode(12.5%@200 cycles).This work gives an insight to study the interfacial issues between Ni-rich layered oxide cathode and sulfide electrolyte for ASSLBs.

Phase Transformation of Lithium-rich Oxide Cathode in Full Cell and its Suppression by Solid Electrolyte Interphase on Graphite Anode

Lithium-rich oxide is one of the most promising cathodes that meet high energy density requirement for batteries of the future, but its phase transformation from layer to spinel structure caused by the lattice instability presents severe challenge to cycling stability and the actually accessible capacity. The currently available approaches to suppress this undesired irreversible process often resort to limit the high voltages that lithium-rich oxide is exposed to. However, cycling stability thus improved is at the expense of the eventual energy output. In this work, we identified a new mechanism that is directly responsible for the lithium-rich oxide phase transformation and established a clear correlation between the successive consumption of Li+on anode due to incessant interphase repairing and the over-delithiation of lithium-rich oxide cathode. This new mechanism enables a simple but effective solution to the cathode degradation, in which an electrolyte additive is used to build a dense and protective interphase on anode with the intention to minimize Li depletion at cathode. The application of this new interphase effectively suppresses both electrolyte decomposition at anode and the phase transformation of lithium-rich oxide cathode, leading to high capacity and cycling stability.

Recent progress in Li and Mn rich layered oxide cathodes for Li-ion batteries

Li and Mn rich(LMR)layered oxides,written as xLi_(2) MnO_(3)·(1-x)LiMO_(2)(M=Mn,Ni,Co,Fe,etc.),have been widely reported in recent years due to their high capacity and high energy density.The stable structure and superior performance of LMR oxides make them one of the most promising candidates for the next-generation cathode materials.However,the commercialization of these materials is hindered by several drawbacks,such as low initial Coulombic efficiency,the degradation of voltage and capacity during cycling,and poor rate performance.This review summarizes research progress in solving these concerns of LMR cathodes over the past decade by following three classes of strategies:morphology design,bulk design,and surface modification.We elaborate on the processing procedures,electrochemical performance,mechanisms,and limitations of each approach,and finally put forward the concerns left and the possible solutions for the commercialization of LMR cathodes.

Layered oxide cathodes for sodium-ion batteries:microstructure design,local chemistry and structural unit

Because of the low price and abundant reserves of sodium compared with lithium,the research of sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)in the field of large-scale energy storage has returned to the research spotlight.Layered oxides distinguish themselves from the mains cathode materials of SIBs owing to their advantages such as high specific capacity,simple synthesis route,and environmental benignity.However,the commercial development of the layered oxides is limited by sluggish kinetics,complex phase transition and poor air stability.Based on the research ideas from macro-to micro-scale,this review systematically summarizes the current optimization strategies of sodium-ion layered oxide cathodes(SLOC)from different dimensions:microstructure design,local chemistry regulation and structural unit construction.In the dimension of microstructure design,the various structures such as the microspheres,nanoplates,nanowires and exposed active facets are prepared to improve the slow kinetics and electrochemical performance.Besides,from the view of local chemistry regulation by chemical element substitution,the intrinsic electron/ion properties of SLOC have been enhanced to strengthen the structural stability.Furthermore,the optimization idea of endeavors to regulate the physical and chemical properties of cathode materials essentially is put forward from the dimension of structural unit construction.The opinions and strategies proposed in this review will provide some inspirations for the design of new SLOC in the future.

Layered oxide cathodes for sodium-ion batteries: From air stability, interface chemistry to phase transition

Sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)are considered as a low-cost complementary or alternative system to prestigious lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)because of their similar working principle to LIBs,cost-effectiveness,and sustainable availability of sodium resources,especially in large-scale energy storage systems(EESs).Among various cathode candidates for SIBs,Na-based layered transition metal oxides have received extensive attention for their relatively large specific capacity,high operating potential,facile synthesis,and environmental benignity.However,there are a series of fatal issues in terms of poor air stability,unstable cathode/electrolyte interphase,and irreversible phase transition that lead to unsatisfactory battery performance from the perspective of preparation to application,outside to inside of layered oxide cathodes,which severely limit their practical application.This work is meant to review these critical problems associated with layered oxide cathodes to understand their fundamental roots and degradation mechanisms,and to provide a comprehensive summary of mainstream modification strategies including chemical substitution,surface modification,structure modulation,and so forth,concentrating on how to improve air stability,reduce interfacial side reaction,and suppress phase transition for realizing high structural reversibility,fast Na+kinetics,and superior comprehensive electrochemical performance.The advantages and disadvantages of different strategies are discussed,and insights into future challenges and opportunities for layered oxide cathodes are also presented.

Insights into layered-tunnel dynamic structural evolution based on local coordination chemistry regulation for high-energy-density and long-cycle-life sodium-ion oxide cathodes

The pursuit of high energy density while achieving long cycle life remains a challenge in developing transition metal(TM)oxide cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries(SIBs).Here,we present a concept of precisely manipulating structural evolution via local coordination chemistry regulation to design high-performance composite cathode materials.The controllable structural evolution process is realized by tuning magnesium content in Na0.6Mn1-xMgxO2,which is elucidated by a combination of experimental analysis and theoretical calculations.The substitution of Mg into Mn sites not only induces a unique structural evolu-tion from layered–tunnel structure to layered structure but also mitigates the Jahn–Teller distortion of Mn3+.Meanwhile,benefiting from the strong ionic inter-action between Mg2+and O2-,local environments around O2-coordinated with electrochemically inactive Mg2+are anchored in the TM layer,providing a pinning effect to stabilize crystal structure and smooth electrochemical profile.The layered–tunnel Na0.6Mn0.95Mg0.05O2 cathode material delivers 188.9 mAh g-1 of specific capacity,equivalent to 508.0 Wh kg-1 of energy density at 0.5C,and exhibits 71.3%of capacity retention after 1000 cycles at 5C as well as excellent compatibility with hard carbon anode.This work may provide new insights of manipulating structural evolution in composite cathode materials via local coordi-nation chemistry regulation and inspire more novel design of high-performance SIB cathode materials.

Doping Strategy in Nickel-Rich Layered Oxide Cathode for Lithium-Ion Battery

Ni-rich layered oxides have been regarded as the most promising cathode material for next-generation high energy density Li-ion batteries because of their advantages in capacity and cost.However,these cathodes suffer from irreversible structural degradation,fast capacity attenuation as well as seriously reduced safety in their practical applications.Doping strategies with different elements have been employed to address the above issues.In this review,we summarize the research advances of the elemental doping in a Ni-rich layered oxide cathode.The experimental methods and dopant selection rules are briefly introduced.Then we discuss here the effects of the elemental doping from the aspects of the crystal lattice,electronic structure,nanomorphology,and surface stability.In addition,this review surveys the first-principles calculation and advanced structural characterization techniques,which have played important roles in elucidating the structure-performance correlations.Finally,perspectives regarding the future of doping strategy are given.

An amorphous manganese iron oxide hollow nanocube cathode for aqueous zinc ion batteries

Aqueous zinc ion batteries(ZIBs) are attracting considerable attentions for practical energy storage because of their low cost and high safety.Nevertheless,the traditional manganese oxide cathode materials suffer from the low intrinsic electronic conductivity,sluggish ions diffusion kinetics,and structural collapse,hindering their large-scale application.Herein,we successfully developed a latent amorphous Mn_(1.8)Fe_(1.2)O_(4) hollow nanocube(a-H-MnFeO) cathode material derived from Prussian blue analogue precursor.The amorphous nature endows the cathode with lower diffusion barrier and narrower band gap compared with crystalline counterpart,resulting in the superior Zn^(2+) ions and electrons transport kinetics.Hollow structure can furnish abundant surface sites and suppress the structural collapse during the repeated charge/discharge processes.By virtue of the multiple advantageous features,the a-H-MnFeO cathode exhibits exceptional electrochemical performance,in terms of high capacity,excellent rate capability,and prolonged cycle life.This strategy will pave the way for the structural design of emerging cathode materials.

Air-stability of sodium-based layered-oxide cathode materials

Sodium-ion batteries have the potential to be an alternative to lithium-ion batteries especially for applications such as large-scale grid energy storage. The development of suitable cathode materials is crucial to the commercialization of sodium-ion batteries.Sodium-based layered-type transition metal oxides are promising candidates as cathode materials as they offer decent energy density and are easy to be synthesized. Unfortunately, most layered oxides suffer from poor air-stability, which greatly increases the cost of manufacturing and handling. The air-sensitivity severely limits the development and commercial application of sodium-ion batteries. A review that summarizes the latest understanding and solutions of air-sensitivity is desired. In this review,the background and fundamentals of sodium-based layered-type cathode materials are presented, followed by a discussion on the latest research on air-sensitivity of these materials. The mechanism is complex and involves multiple chemical and physical reactions. Various strategies are shown to alleviate some of the corresponding problems and promote the feasible application of sodium-ion batteries, followed by an outlook on current and future research directions of air-stable cathode materials. It is believed that this review will provide insights for researchers to develop practically relevant materials for sodium-ion batteries.

A comprehensive understanding of the anionic redox chemistry in layered oxide cathodes for sodium-ion batteries

Sodium-ion batteries(SIBs) have demonstrated great application prospects in large-scale energy storage systems and low-speed electric vehicles due to the cost effectiveness and abundant resources. Layered transition-metal oxides are recognized as one of the most attractive sodium-ion storage cathode candidates by virtue of their high compositional diversity, environmental friendliness, ease of synthesis, and promising theoretical capacities. The practicability, however, is still limited by the fact that the energy densities of most Na-storage layered oxide cathodes solely using the conventional cationic redox are not comparable to those of the lithium-ion storage counterparts. Recently, the strategy of activating anionic redox(O^(2-)/O^(n-)) which is popular in Li-rich layered materials has been successfully applied in oxide cathodes of SIBs to promote the energy density to a new level. It is interesting to note that excess Na is not the prerequisite to induce anionic redox in sodium oxides, indicating a new mechanism underlying Na-ion materials. Herein, the latest advances on the anionic redox chemistry in layered oxide cathodes for SIBs,including the fundamental theories, triggering strategies, and applicable cathode materials, are comprehensively reviewed.Moreover, the challenges(mainly O_(2) release) facing anionic redox are discussed, and the possible remedies are outlined for future developments toward a highly reversible oxygen usage. We believe that this review can provide a valuable guidance for the exploration of high-energy layered oxide cathode materials of SIBs.

How Do Polymer Binders Assist Transition Metal Oxide Cathodes to Address the Challenge of High‑Voltage Lithium Battery Applications?

Research on the chemistry of high-energy-density transition metal oxide cathodes(TMOCs)is at the forefront in the pursuit of lithium-ion batteries with increased energy density.As a critical component of these cathodes,binders not only glue cathode active material particles and conducting carbons together and to current collectors but also play pivotal roles in building multiscale compatible interphases between electrolytes and cathodes.In this review,we outline several vital design considerations of high-voltage binders,several of which are already present in traditional binder design that need to be highlighted,and systematically reveal the chemistry and mechanisms underpinning such binders for in-depth understanding.Further optimization of the design of polymer binders to improve battery performance is also discussed.Finally,perspec-tives regarding the future rational design and promising research opportunities of state-of-the-art binders for high-voltage TMOCs are presented.

Stable Ni-rich layered oxide cathode for sulfide-based all-solid-state lithium battery

Sulfide-based all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries(ASSLIBs)are one of the most promising energy storage technologies due to their high safety and ionic conductivity.To achieve greater energy density,a Ni-rich layered oxide LiNi_(x)Co_(y)M_(1-x-y)O_(2)(NCM,MMn/Al,x≥0.6)is desirable due to its relatively high voltage and large capacity.However,interfacial side reactions between the NCM and sulfide solid electrolytes lead to undesirable interfacial passivation layers and low ionic conductivity,thereby degrading the electrochemical performance of NCM sulfide all-solid-state batteries.Herein,a time-/cost-effective sulfidation strategy is exploited to sulfidize a Ni-rich NCM_(88) cathode in a mixed gas atmosphere of N_(2) and CS_(2).A new type of cathode(NCM88-S)with an ultrathin(∼2nm)surface layer is obtained,which significantly reduces the interfacial side reactions/resistance and improves the interfacial stability.The resulting NCM_(88)-S/Li_(6)PS_(5)Cl/Li_(4)Ti_(5)O_(12) ASSLIB exhibits superior performance,including a high discharge specific capacity(200.7 mAh g−1)close to that of liquid batteries,excellent cycling performance(a capacity retention of 87%after 500 cycles),and satisfactory rate performance(158.3 mAh g^(−1) at 1C).

All-Solid-State Lithium Batteries with Sulfide Electrolytes and Oxide Cathodes

All-solid-state lithium batteries(ASSLBs)have attracted increasing attention due to their high safety and energy density.Among all corresponding solid electrolytes,sulfide electrolytes are considered to be the most promising ion conductors due to high ionic conductivities.Despite this,many challenges remain in the application of ASSLBs,including the stability of sulfide electrolytes,complex interfacial issues between sulfide electrolytes and oxide electrodes as well as unstable anodic interfaces.Although oxide cathodes remain the most viable electrode materials due to high stability and industrialization degrees,the matching of sulfide electrolytes with oxide cathodes is challenging for commercial use in ASSLBs.Based on this,this review will present an overview of emerging ASSLBs based on sulfide electrolytes and oxide cathodes and high-light critical properties such as compatible electrolyte/electrode interfaces.And by considering the current challenges and opportunities of sulfide electrolyte-based ASSLBs,possible research directions and perspectives are discussed.

Clarification of underneath capacity loss for O3-type Ni, co free layered cathodes at high voltage for sodium ion batteries

Earth abundant O3-type NaFe_(0.5)Mn_(0.5)O_(2)layered oxide is regarded as one of the most promising cathodes for sodium ion batteries due to its low cost and high energy density.However,its poor structural stability and cycle life strongly impede the practical application.Herein,the dynamic phase evolution as well as charge compensation mechanism of O3-type NaFe_(0.5)Mn_(0.5)O_(2)cathode during sodiation/desodiation are revealed by a systemic study with operando X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy,high resolution neutron powder diffraction and neutron pair distribution functions.The layered structure experiences a phase transition of O3→P3→OP2→ramsdellite during the desodiation,and a new O3’phase is observed at the end of the discharge state(1.5 V).The density functional theory(DFT)calculations and nPDF results suggest that depletion of Na^(+)ions induces the movement of Fe into Na layer resulting the formation of an inert ramsdellite phase thus causing the loss of capacity and structural integrity.Meanwhile,the operando XAS clarified the voltage regions for active Mn^(3+)/Mn^(4+)and Fe^(3+)/Fe^(4+)redox couples.This work points out the universal underneath problem for Fe-based layered oxide cathodes when cycled at high voltage and highlights the importance to suppress Fe migration regarding the design of high energy O3-type cathodes for sodium ion batteries.