Two-dimensional nanosheets as building blocks to construct three-dimensional structures for lithium storage

2D nanosheets such as graphene, silicene, phosphorene, metal dichalcogenides and MXenes are emerging and promising for lithium storage due to their ultrathin nature and corresponding chemical/physical properties. However, the serious restacking and aggregation of the 2D nanosheets are still hampering their applications. To circumvent the issues of 2D nanosheets, one efficient strategy is to construct 3D structures with hierarchical porous structures, good chemical/mechanical stabilities and tunable electrical conductivities. In this review, we firstly focus on the available synthetic approaches of 3D structures from 2D nanosheets, and then summarize the relationships between the microstructures of 3D structures built from 2D nanosheets and their electrochemical behaviors for lithium storage. On the basis of above results, some challenges are briefly discussed in the perspective of the development of various functional 3D structures.

Synthesis and Structural Characterizations of a New Lithium Salt for Lithium-ion Batteries

A novel crystal [（CH3O）2CO]3Li2[C2BF2O4]2 was synthesized and fully characterized by FT-IR and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. It crystallizes in monoclinic system, P2Jn space group, with a = 8.1749（2）, b = 10.7449（2）, c = 12.8665（3） A, βl = 94.654（2）°, V= 1126.45（4） A3, Z = 2, Dc = 1.644 g/cm, F（000） = 568, p = 1.498 mm^-1, Mr= 557.77 g/mol, the final R = 0.0334 and wR = 0.0903. The structure analysis revealed that each Li atom is three-coordinated and adopts 1.5 O atoms of two different dimethyl carbonates and one O atom of C2BF2O4-. Thermal stability and infrared spectra analysis were studied and discussed.

Perspective of alkaline zinc-based flow batteries

Energy storage technologies have been identified as the key in constructing new electric power systems and achieving carbon neutrality,as they can absorb and smooth the renewables-generated electricity.Alkaline zinc-based flow batteries are well suitable for stationary energy storage applications,since they feature the advantages of high safety,high cell voltage and low cost.Currently,many alkaline zinc-based flow batteries have been proposed and developed,e.g.,the alkaline zinc–iron flow battery and alkaline zinc–nickel flow battery.Their development and application are closely related to advanced materials and battery configurations.In this perspective,we will first provide a brief introduction and discussion of alkaline zinc-based flow batteries.Then we focus on these batteries from the perspective of their current status,challenges and prospects.The bottlenecks for these batteries are briefly analyzed.Combined with the practical requirements and development trends of alkaline zinc-based flow battery technologies,their future development and research direction will be summarized.

Novel Lightweight and Protective Battery System Based on Mechanical Metamaterials

The challenges facing electric vehicles with respect to driving range and safety make the design of a lightweight and safe battery pack a critical issue.This study proposes a multifunctional structural battery system comprising cylindrical battery cells and a surrounding lightweight lattice metamaterial.The lattice density distribution was optimized via topological optimization to minimize stress on the battery during compression.Surrounding a single 18650 cylindrical battery cell,non-uniform lattices were designed featuring areas of increased density in an X-shaped pattern and then fabricated by additive manufacturing using stainless steel powders.Compression testing of the assembled structural battery system revealed that the stronger lattice units in the X-shaped lattice pattern resisted deformation and helped delay the emergence of a battery short circuit.Specifically,the short circuit of the structural battery based on a variable-density patterned lattice was∼166%later than that with a uniform-density lattice.Finite element simulation results for structural battery systems comprising nine battery cells indicate that superior battery protection is achieved in specially packed batteries via non-uniform lattices with an interconnected network of stronger lattices.The proposed structural battery systems featuring non-uniform lattices will shed light on the next generation of lightweight and impact-resistant electric vehicle designs.

Preparation and electrochemical performance of carbon-coated LiFePO4/LiMnPO4-positive material for a Li-ion battery

Lithium iron phosphate （LiFePO4）/lithium manganese phosphate （LiMnPO4）-positive material was suc- cessfully prepared through ball milling and high-temperature sintering using manganese acetate, lithium hydroxide, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, and ferrous oxalate as raw materials. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning elec- tron microscopy, a constant current charge-discharge test, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The effects of lithium iron phosphate coating were also discussed. Because of its special core-shell structure, the as-prepared LiMn0.TFe0.3PO4-LiFeP04-C exhibits excellent electro- chemical performance. The discharge capacity reached 136.6 mAh/g and the specific discharge energy reached 506.9 Wh/kg at a rate of 0.1 C.

Spinel-layered integrate structured nanorods with both high capacity and superior high-rate capability as cathode material for lithium-ion batteries

Spinel phase LiMn2O4 was successfully embedded into monoclinic phase layered- structured Li2MnO3 nanorods, and these spineMayered integrate structured nanorods showed both high capacities and superior high-rate capabilities as cathode material for lithium-ion batteries （LIBs）. Pristine Li2MnO3 nanorods were synthesized by a simple rheological phase method using α-MnO2 nanowires as precursors. The spinel-layered integrate structured nanorods were fabricated by a facile partial reduction reaction using stearic acid as the reductant. Both structural characterizations and electrochemical properties of the integrate structured nanorods verified that LiMn2O4 nanodomains were embedded inside the pristine Li2MnO3 nanorods. When used as cathode materials for LIBs, the spineMayered integrate structured Li2MnO3 nanorods （SL-Li2MnO3） showed much better performances than the pristine layered-structured Li2MnO3 nanorods （L-Li2MnO3）. When charge-discharged at 20 mA.g-1 in a voltage window of 2.0-4.8 V, the SL-Li2MnO3 showed discharge capacities of 272.3 and 228.4 mAh.g-1 in the first and the 60th cycles, respectively, with capacity retention of 83.8%. The SL-Li2MnO3 also showed superior high-rate performances. When cycled at rates of 1 C, 2 C, 5 C, and 10 C （1 C = 200 mA-g-1） for hundreds of cycles, the discharge capacities of the SL-Li2MnO3 reached 218.9, 200.5, 147.1, and 123.9 mAh-g-1, respectively. The superior performances of the SL-Li2MnO3 are ascribed to the spineMayered integrated structures. With large capacities and superior high-rate performances, these spinel-layered integrate structured materials are good candidates for cathodes of next-generation high-power LIBs.

Facile fabrication of ZnO-CuO porous hybrid microspheres as lithium ion battery anodes with enhanced cyclability

ZnO–CuO porous hybrid microspheres were successfully produced through a facile aging process of zinc citrate solid microspheres in copper sulfate solution combined with the subsequent annealing treatment in air atmosphere. The electrochemical performance investigation suggests that the harvested ZnO–CuO porous hybrid microspheres illustrate much higher specific capacity and better cycling stability than single ZnO counterparts. A reversible capacity of 585 mAh·g^-1 can be acquired for ZnO–CuO porous hybrid microspheres after cycling 500 times at a current density of 200 mA·g^-1. The porous configuration and the incorporation of CuO are responsible for the enhanced lithium storage properties of ZnO–CuO hybrids.

Hierarchical porous carbon derived from animal bone as matric to encapsulated selenium for high performance Li-Se battery

Animal bone was employed as raw material to prepare hierarchical porous carbon by KOH activation. Rare metal selenium（Se） was encapsulated into hierarchical porous carbon successfully for the cathode material of Li–Se battery, achieving the transformation of waste into energy,protecting environment and reducing the spread of the disease. Animal bone porous carbon（ABPC） acquires a specific surface area of 1244.7903 m^2·g^-1 and a pore volume of 0.594184 cm^3·g^-1. The composite Se/ABPC with 51 wt%Se was tested as a novel cathode for Li–Se batteries. The results show that Se/ABPC exhibits high specific capacity,good cycling stability and current-rate performance; at 0.1C,the composite Se/ABPC delivers a high reversible capacity of 705 mAh·g^-1 in the second cycle and 591 mAh·g^-1 after 98 cycles. Even at the current density of 2.0C, it can still maintain at a reversible capacity of 485 mAh·g^-1. The excellent electrochemical properties benefit from the high electron conductivity and the carbon with unique hierarchical porous structure. ABPC can be a promising carbon matrix for Li–Se batteries.

Recent progress in Li-S and Li-Se batteries

Li–S and Li–Se batteries have attracted tremendous attention during the past several decades, as the energy density of Li–S and Li–Se batteries is high（several times higher than that of traditional Li-ion batteries）.Besides, Li–S and Li–Se batteries are low cost and environmental benign. However, the commercial applications of Li–S and Li–Se batteries are hindered by the dissolution and shuttle phenomena of polysulfide（polyselenium）, the low conductivity of S（Se）, etc. To overcome these drawbacks, scientists have come up with various methods, such as optimizing the electrolyte, synthesizing composite electrode of S/polymer, S/carbon, S/metal organic framework（MOF） and constructing novelty structure of battery.In this review, we present a systematic introduction about the recent progress of Li–S and Li–Se batteries, especially in the area of electrode materials, both of cathode material and anode material for Li–S and Li–Se batteries. In addition, other methods to lead a high-performance Li–S and Li–Se batteries are also briefly summarized, such as constructing novelty battery structure, adopting proper charge–discharge conditions, heteroatom doping into sulfur molecules, using different kinds of electrolytes and binders. In the end of the review, the developed directions of Li–S and Li–Se batteries are also pointed out. We believe that combining proper porous carbon matrix and heteroatom doping may further improve the electrochemical performance of Li–S and Li–Se batteries. We also believe that Li–S and Li–Se batteries will get more exciting results and have promising future by the effort of battery community.

Interface-modulated fabrication of hierarchical yolk-shell Co3O4/C dodecahedrons as stable anodes for lithium and sodium storage

Transition-metal oxides （TMOs） have gradually attracted attention from resear- chers as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries （LIBs） and sodium-ion batteries （SIBs） because of their high theoretical capacity. However, their poor cycling stability and inferior rate capability resulting from the large volume variation during the lithiation/sodiation process and their low intrinsic electronic con- ductivity limit their applications. To solve the problems of TMOs, carbon-based metal-oxide composites with complex structures derived from metal-organic frameworks （MOFs） have emerged as promising electrode materials for LIBs and SIBs. In this study, we adopted a facile interface-modulated method to synthesize yolk-shell carbon-based Co3O4 dodecahedrons derived from ZIF-67 zeolitic imida- zolate frameworks. This strategy is based on the interface separation between the ZIF-67 core and the carbon-based shell during the pyrolysis process. The unique yolk-shell structure effectively accommodates the volume expansion during lithiation or sodiation, and the carbon matrix improves the electrical conductivity of the electrode. As an anode for LIBs, the yolk-shell Co3O4/C dodecahedrons exhibit a high specific capacity and excellent cycling stability （1,100 mAh.g-1 after 120 cycles at 200 mA-g-1）. As an anode for S1Bs, the composites exhibit an outstand- ing rate capability （307 mAh-g-1 at 1,000 mA-g-1 and 269 mAh.g-1 at 2,000 mA-g-1）. Detailed electrochemical kinetic analysis indicates that the energy storage for Li＋ and Na＋ in yolk-sheU Co3O4/C dodecahedrons shows a dominant capacitive behavior. This work introduces an effective approach for fabricating carbon- based metal-oxide composites by using MOFs as ideal precursors and as electrode materials to enhance the electrochemical performance of LIBs and SIBs.

2D sandwich-like nanosheets of ultrafine Sb nanoparticles anchored to graphene for high-efficiency sodium storage

Sb is considered a promising anode material for high-performance sodium-ion batteries （NIBs） owing to its high theoretical specific capacity （660 mAh-g-1）. However, Sb shows a very large volume change （-200%） during sodiation and desodiation, leading to poor electrochemical performance. Here, we designed and tested a sandwich-like graphene-supported Sb nanocomposite （denoted Sb@RGO@Sb）, in which ultrafine Sb nanoparticles are uniformly anchored on a reduced graphene oxide （RGO） surface. The ultrafine Sb nanocrystals anchored on the RGO surface minimize the aggregation of Sb and inhibit restacking of the RGO sheets, leading to a minimum transport length for both ions and electrons. The graphene layer not only accommodates the large volume variation of Sb during cycling but also promotes the electron conductivity of the whole electrode. Owing to its unique structure, this sandwich-like composite exhibits superior sodium storage properties.

Construction of point-line-plane （0-1-2 dimensional） Fe2O3-SnO2/graphene hybrids as the anodes with excellent lithium storage capability

The assembly of hybrid nanomaterials has opened up a new direction for the construction of high-performance anodes for lithium-ion batteries （LIBs）. In this work, we present a straightforward, eco-friendly, one-step hydrothermal protocol for the synthesis of a new type of Fe2OB-SnO2/graphene hybrid, in which zero-dimensional （0D） SnO2 nanoparticles with an average diameter of 8 nm and one-dimensional （1D） Fe203 nanorods with a length of -150 nm are homogeneously attached onto two-dimensional （2D） reduced graphene oxide nanosheets, generating a unique point-line-plane （0D-1D-2D） architecture. The achieved Fe203-SnO2/graphene exhibits a well-defined morphology, a uniform size, and good monodispersity. As anode materials for LIBs, the hybrids exhibit a remarkable reversible capacity of 1,530 mA·g^-1 at a current density of 100 ma·g^-1 after 200 cycles, as well as a high rate capability of 615 mAh·g^-1 at 2,000 mA·g^-1 Detailed characterizations reveal that the superior lithium-storage capacity and good cycle stability of the hybrids arise from their peculiar hybrid nanostructure and conductive graphene matrix, as well as the synergistic interaction among the components.

Self-supported Ni6MnO8 3D mesoporous nanosheet arrays with ultrahigh lithium storage properties and conversion mechanism by in-situ XAFS

Murdochite-type Ni6MnO8 three-dimensional mesoporous nanosheet arrays grown on carbon cloth （NMO-SA/CC） are synthesized using an in-situ growth strategy. As self-supported binder-free anodes for LIBs, the NMO-SA/CC hierarchical nanostructures exhibit ultrahigh capacity, excellent cycling stability, and good rate capability. The excellent lithium storage performance can be ascribed to the perfect electrical contact between NMO-SA and CC. The mesopores in the thin nanosheet can maximize the electrode contact with the electrolyte by decreasing the Li＋ diffusion path. Moreover, these effects relieve the pulverization and agglomeration that originate from the large volume variations during the Li＋ intercalation/deintercalation cycles. The in-situ X-ray absorption fine structure （XAFS） spectrum recorded during the initial lithiation/delithiation processes reveals the conversion reaction process.