Stable interfaces constructed by concentrated ether electrolytes to render robust lithium metal batteries

Lithium metal batteries(LMBs)are highly considered as promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems.However,routine electrolytes cannot tolerate the high potential at cathodes and low potential at anodes simultaneously,leading to severe interfacial reactions.Herein,a highly concentrated electrolyte(HCE)region trapped in porous carbon coating layer is adopted to form a stable and highly conductive solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)on Li metal surface.The protected Li metal anode can potentially match the high-voltage cathode in ester electrolytes.Synergistically,this ingenious design promises high-voltage-resistant interfaces at cathodes and stable SEI with abundance of inorganic components at anodes simultaneously in high-voltage LMBs.The feasibility of this interface-regulation strategy is demonstrated in Li|LiFePO_(4) batteries,realizing a lifespan twice as long as the routine cells,with a huge capacity retention enhancement from 46.4%to 88.7%after 100 cycles.This contribution proof-ofconcepts the emerging principles on the formation and regulation of stable electrode/electrolyte interfaces in the cathode and anode simultaneously towards the next-generation high-energy-density batteries.

The effect of salt anion in ether‐based electrolyte for electrochemical performance of sodium‐ion batteries:A case study of hard carbon

Compared with the extensively used ester‐based electrolyte,the hard carbon(HC)electrode is more compatible with the ether‐based counterpart in sodium‐ion batteries,which can lead to improved cycling stability and robust rate capability.However,the impact of salt anion on the electrochemical performance of HC electrodes has yet to be fully understood.In this study,the anionic chemistry in regulating the stability of electrolytes and the performance of sodium‐ion batteries have been systematically investigated.This work shows discrepancies in the reductive stability of the anionic group,redox kinetics,and component/structure of solid electrolyte interface(SEI)with different salts(NaBF_(4),NaPF_(6),and NaSO_(3)CF_(3))in the typical ether solvent(diglyme).Particularly,the density functional theory calculation manifests the preferred decomposition of PF_(6)−due to the reduced reductive stability of anions in the solvation structure,thus leading to the formation of NaF‐rich SEI.Further investigation on redox kinetics reveals that the NaPF_(6)/diglyme can induce the fast ionic diffusion dynamic and low charge transfer barrier for HC electrode,thus resulting in superior sodium storage performance in terms of rate capability and cycling life,which outperforms those of NaBF_(4)/diglyme and NaSO_(3)CF_(3)/diglyme.Importantly,this work offers valuable insights for optimizing the electrochemical behaviors of electrode materials by regulating the anionic group in the electrolyte.

Durable semi-crystalline interphase engineering to stabilize high voltage Ni-rich cathode in dilute ether electrolyte

Ethers are promising electrolyte solvents for secondary Li metal batteries because of their excellent reduction stability.However,their oxidation stability has been mostly relying on the high concentration approach,and limited progress has been made on building effective interphase to protect the cathode from the corrosion of the electrolyte.In this work,we construct a semi-crystalline interfacial layer on the surface of Li(Ni_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1))O_(2)cathode that can achieve improved electrochemical stability in the highly corrosive chemical environment formed by the decomposition of ether molecules.Different from traditional brittle crystalline interphases,the optimized semi-crystalline layer with low modulus and high ionic conductivity can effectively relieve electrode strain and maintain the integrity of the interface layer.Due to this design,the continuous oxidation decomposition of ether-based electrolytes could be significantly suppressed and the battery shows outstanding cycling stability(84%capacity retention after 300 cycles).This article provides a solution to address the oxidation instability issue of ether-based electrolytes.

Concentrated ternary ether electrolyte allows for stable cycling of a lithium metal battery with commercial mass loading high-nickel NMC and thin anodes

A new concentrated ternary salt ether-based electrolyte enables stable cycling of lithium metal battery(LMB)cells with high-mass-loading(13.8 mg cm^(−2),2.5 mAh cm^(−2))NMC622(LiNi_(0.6)Co_(0.2)Mn_(0.2)O_(2))cathodes and 50μm Li anodes.Termed“CETHER-3,”this electrolyte is based on LiTFSI,LiDFOB,and LiBF4 with 5 vol%fluorinated ethylene carbonate in 1,2-dimethoxyethane.Commer-cial carbonate and state-of-the-art binary salt ether electrolytes were also tested as baselines.With CETHER-3,the electrochemical performance of the full-cell battery is among the most favorably reported in terms of high-voltage cycling stability.For example,LiNi_(x)Mn_(y)Co_(1-x-y)O_(2)(NMC)-Li metal cells retain 80%capacity at 430 cycles with a 4.4 V cut-off and 83%capacity at 100 cycles with a 4.5 V cut-off(charge at C/5,discharge at C/2).According to simulation by density functional theory and molecular dynamics,this favorable performance is an outcome of enhanced coordination between Li^(+)and the solvent/salt molecules.Combining advanced microscopy(high-resolution transmission electron microscopy,scanning electron microscopy)and surface science(X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,time-of-fight secondary ion mass spectroscopy,Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy,Raman spectroscopy),it is demonstrated that a thinner and more stable cathode electrolyte interphase(CEI)and solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)are formed.The CEI is rich in lithium sulfide(Li_(2)SO_(3)),while the SEI is rich in Li_(3)N and LiF.During cycling,the CEI/SEI suppresses both the deleterious transformation of the cathode R-3m layered near-surface structure into disordered rock salt and the growth of lithium metal dendrites.

Dimensional Gradient Structure of CoSe2@CNTs-MXene Anode Assisted by Ether for High-Capacity,Stable Sodium Storage

Recently,abundant resources,low-cost sodium-ion batteries are deemed to the new-generation battery in the field of largescale energy storage.Nevertheless,poor active reaction dynamics,dissolution of intermediates and electrolyte matching problems are significant challenges that need to be solved.Herein,dimensional gradient structure of sheet-tube-dots is constructed with CoSe2@CNTs-MXene.Gradient structure is conducive to fast migration of electrons and ions with the association of ether electrolyte.For half-cell,CoSe2@CNTs-MXene exhibits high initial coulomb efficiency(81.7%)and excellent cycling performance(400 mAh g^-1 cycling for 200 times in 2 Ag^−1).Phase transformation pathway from crystalline CoSe2-Na2Se with Co and then amorphous CoSe2 in the discharge/charge process is also explored by in situ X-ray diffraction.Density functional theory study discloses the CoSe2@CNTs-MXene in ether electrolyte system which contributes to stable sodium storage performance owing to the strong adsorption force from hierarchical structure and weak interaction between electrolyte and electrode interface.For full cell,CoSe2@CNTs-MXene//Na3V2(PO4)3/C full battery can also afford a competitively reversible capacity of 280 mAh g^−1 over 50 cycles.Concisely,profiting from dimensional gradient structure and matched electrolyte of CoSe2@CNTs-MXene hold great application potential for stable sodium storage.

Understanding Sulfur Redox Mechanisms in Different Electrolytes for Room-Temperature Na-S Batteries

This work reports influence of two different electrolytes,carbonate ester and ether electrolytes,on the sulfur redox reactions in room-temperature Na-S batteries.Two sulfur cathodes with different S loading ratio and status are investigated.A sulfur-rich composite with most sulfur dispersed on the surface of a carbon host can realize a high loading ratio(72%S).In contrast,a confined sulfur sample can encapsulate S into the pores of the carbon host with a low loading ratio(44%S).In carbonate ester electrolyte,only the sulfur trapped in porous structures is active via‘solid-solid’behavior during cycling.The S cathode with high surface sulfur shows poor reversible capacity because of the severe side reactions between the surface polysulfides and the carbonate ester solvents.To improve the capacity of the sulfur-rich cathode,ether electrolyte with NaNO_(3) additive is explored to realize a‘solid-liquid’sulfur redox process and confine the shuttle effect of the dissolved polysulfides.As a result,the sulfur-rich cathode achieved high reversible capacity(483 mAh g^(−1)),corresponding to a specific energy of 362 Wh kg^(−1) after 200 cycles,shedding light on the use of ether electrolyte for high-loading sulfur cathode.

Insight into the influence of ether and ester electrolytes on the sodium-ion transportation kinetics for hard carbon

The electrochemical performance of hard carbon(HC)materials is closely related to the electrolyte used in the sodium ion batteries(SIBs).Conventional electrolytes carbonate(EC)demonstrates low initial Columbic efficiency(ICE)and poor rate performance,which is one of the main bottlenecks that limits the practical application of HCs.Ether electrolyte(diglyme)was reported to improve the rate performance of HCs.Nevertheless,the underlying mechanism for the excellent rate capability is still lack of in-depth study.In this work,the differences of sodium-ion diffusion between ether and carbonate-base electrolytes in HCs are analyzed layer by layer.Firstly,when sodium-ions are diffused in electrolyte,the diffusion coefficient of sodium-ion in ether electrolyte is about 2.5 times higher than that in ester electrolytes by molecular dynamics(MD)simulation and experimental characterization.Furthermore,when the solvated sodium-ions are diffused into the solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)interface and the HCs material,the enhanced charge transfer kinetics(thin SEI layer(4.6 vs.12 nm)and low RSEI(1.5 vs.24Ω))at the SEI combined with low desolvation energy(0.248 eV)are responsible for high-rate performance and good cycling stability of HC in ether electrolyte.Therefore,high diffusion coefficient,low desolvation energy,and good interface are the intrinsic reasons for enhanced rate performance in ether electrolyte,which also has guiding significance for the design of other high-rate electrolytes.

Exfoliation of bulk 2H-MoS_(2)into bilayer 1T-phase nanosheets via ether-induced superlattices

The exfoliation of bulk 2H-molybdenum disulfide(2H-MoS_(2))into few-layer nanosheets with 1T-phase and controlled layers represents a daunting challenge towards the device applications of MoS_(2).Conventional ion intercalation assisted exfoliation needs the use of hazardous n-butyllithium and/or elaborate control of the intercalation potential to avoid the decomposition of the MoS_(2).This work reports a facile strategy by intercalating Li ions electrochemically with ether-based electrolyte into the van der Waals(vdW)channels of MoS_(2),which successfully avoids the decomposition of MoS_(2)at low potentials.The co-intercalation of Li+and the ether solvent into MoS_(2)makes a first-order phase transformation,forming a superlattice phase,which preserves the layered structure and hence enables the exfoliation of bulk 2H-MoS_(2)into bilayer nanosheets with 1T-phase.Compared with the pristine 2H-MoS_(2),the bilayer 1T-MoS_(2)nanosheets exhibit better electrocatalytic performance for the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).This facile method should be easily extended to the exfoliation of various transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs).

Interfacial Chemistry Enables Highly Reversible Na Extraction/Intercalation in Layered-Oxide Cathode Materials

Comprehensive Summary Layered transition-metal oxides are promising cathode candidates for sodium-ion batteries.However,the inferior interphase formation and particulate fracture during sodiation/desodiation result in structure degradation and poor stability.Herein,the interface chemistry of P2-Na_(0.640)Ni_(0.343)Mn_(0.657)O_(2)in an electrolyte of 1.0 mol/L NaPF6 in diglyme is unveiled to enable highly reversible Na extraction and intercalation.The uniform and robust cathode-electrolyte interphase layer is in situ formed with decomposition of diglyme molecules and anions in initial cycles.The NaF-and CO-rich CEI film exhibits high mechanical strength and ionic conductivity,which suppresses the reconstruction of its electrode interphase from P2 phase to spinel-like structure and reinforces its structure integrity without cracks.This favours facile Na+transport and stable bulk redox reactions.It is demonstrated to show long cycling stability with capacity retention of 94.4%for 180 cycles and superior rate capability.This investigation highlights the cathode interphase chemistry in sodium-ion batteries.

Tailoring fluorine-rich solid electrolyte interphase to boost high efficiency and long cycling stability of lithium metal batteries

Lithium metal batteries(LMBs)are regarded as the most promising next-generation battery system due to their high energy density.However,Li dendrite growth and low Coulombic efficiency(CE)of Li metal anodes limit their commercialization.Regulating solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)is an extremely effective method to solve these problems and using electrolyte additives to regulate the SEI is one of the most effective strategies.Herein,we study the feasibility of trans-difluoroethylene carbonate(DFEC)used as the solvent additive in conventional ether electrolyte,which has excellent anti-reduction stability against Li metal.The result shows that a Li/Cu half-cell with the modified electrolyte can be steadily cycled for 300 cycles with an average CE of 97.41%at the current density of 0.5 m A cm^(-2)and with 97.1%for 140 cycles at 1 m A cm^(-2).Besides,the Li/LFP full cell with the modified electrolyte displays an improved capacity retention of 94.55%after 520 cycles with an average CE of 99.74%at 1 C.By contrast,the capacity retention of 56.2%and CE of 99.15%is obtained for the cell with pure ether electrolyte.The SEM images show that the DFEC enables dense Li deposition,and the FTIR and XPS spectra confirm the formation of Li Frich SEI with the DFEC.This work demonstrates the feasibility of using DFEC as the solvent additive in ether electrolyte to construct Li F-rich SEI,and it will provide important insight in developing high-performance electrolytes for LMBs.

In-plane isotropic separator-induced highly efficient sodium plating for unlocking the fast-charging capability of anode-free sodium battery at practical conditions

Ether-based electrolytes with excellent reductive stability are compatible with sodium(Na)metal an-odes,which enables stable cycling for Na metal batteries even in an anode-free configuration.However,the practical applications of anode-free sodium batteries(AFSBs)with a high theoretical energy density are restricted by the low-rate capability and limited cycle life.Here we demonstrate that the mechanical properties of the separators,which have been overlooked in previous studies,can significantly affect the cycling stability of AFSBs due to the intrinsic softness of Na and the large volume variation of AFSBs during Na plating/stripping.By using various separators including polypropylene(PP),polyethylene(PE),PP/PE/PP tri-layer,and aluminum oxide-coated separators,we find that the balanced elastic moduli of the separator along the machine direction and transverse direction are crucial for enabling highly effi-cient Na plating and unlocking the 4 C fast-charging capability of the AFSBs at practical conditions including a high cathode active mass loading(13.5 mg/cm^(2)),lean electrolyte addition(8.8 mL/cm^(2)),and no pre-sodiation process.This study provides an important separator design principle for the develop-ment of high-rate and long-cycle-life AFSBs.