Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yan Zhao, Tianhong Zhou, Dominika Baster, Mario El Kazzi, Jang Wook Choi, Ali Coskun
Summary: Understanding the degradation pathways and reactivity of electrolytes is crucial for addressing the limitations of conventional electrolytes and developing new electrolytes for high-voltage lithium metal batteries. By tuning the electronic properties of 1,3-dioxolane (DOL) through the introduction of methyl and trifluoromethyl groups, 4-methyl-1,3-dioxolane (MDOL) and 4-(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-dioxolane (TFDOL) solvents were developed. The TFDOL-based electrolyte exhibited excellent oxidation stability up to 5.0 V, while the MDOL-based electrolyte showed side reactions with metallic Li. The weak solvation power of TFDOL, along with the formation of an inorganic-rich solid electrolyte interphase, enabled a robust cycling stability in a Li|NCM811 full cell (20 μm Li foil, N/P ratio of 2.5).
ACS ENERGY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Junyang Hu, Huwei Wang, Shuwei Wang, Yu Lei, Lei Qin, Xiaojing Li, Dengyun Zhai, Baohua Li, Feiyu Kang
Summary: Research shows that the deposition mechanism of sodium and potassium in metal batteries differs from that of lithium, resulting in the formation of micrometer-scale granules, which may cause short circuits in the battery.
ENERGY STORAGE MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lina Zhao, Zeyu Wu, Zhenhua Wang, Zhe Bai, Wang Sun, Kening Sun
Summary: Regulating the solvation structure of lithium ions is a powerful approach to overcome the challenges of lithium dendrite and limited Coulombic efficiency in developing reversible lithium metal anodes. In this study, mesoporous MCM-41 nanoparticles are used to regulate the solvation structure, resulting in a homogeneous inorganic-rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and improved lithium deposition. The regulated solvation structure enhances the Coulombic efficiency and stability of lithium metal batteries.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Xiangcheng Yuan, Qiuju Xu, Yiqing Li, Mi Gan, Jinzhang Liu
Summary: The performance of the Zn anode in rechargeable aqueous Zn-ion batteries is greatly improved by coating it with an amorphous selenium overlayer. This coating helps to inhibit hydrogen gas evolution and dendrite growth, leading to improved rate performance and an ultralong cycle life. Furthermore, the amorphous selenium overlayer induces the formation of an amorphous ZnO nanosheet network, which plays a key role in enhancing the Zn anode performance.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Qing Lan, Yutao Liu, Jian Qin, Yali Zhao, Zhiping Song, Hui Zhan
Summary: This study successfully reduced dendrite growth on the lithium anode using a lithium chelating agent B15C5, providing a new approach to address issues in lithium batteries.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Fabrice Roncoroni, Ana Sanz-Matias, Siddharth Sundararaman, David Prendergast
Summary: Molecular dynamics simulations generate a large amount of data but often lack effective interpretation methods. We propose a method combining dimensionality reduction (UMAP) and unsupervised hierarchical clustering (HDBSCAN) to quantitatively characterize the coordination environment in MD data. By focusing on local coordination and using alignment or shape-matching algorithms, we classify molecular formulas into distinct structural isomer families, successfully mapping the multiple coordination environments present in the MD data. This method is applied to reveal details of cation coordination in electrolytes based on molecular liquids.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Lanfen Meng, Zhendong Li, Wenqi Bi, Tengpeng Xiong, Liyuan Zhang, Xiayin Yao, Zhe Peng
Summary: Long-term mitigation of dendrite growth is achieved by an advanced alloy surface with optimized interfacial kinetics regulated by the electrolyte solution. The reinforced displacement reaction driven by the potential gap between Ag+ and Zn promotes fast formation of a dendrite-free Li deposition with high diffusion rates in both lateral and longitudinal directions. The synergy between the alloy surface and the electrolyte solvation structure is critical for retaining the functionality of the alloy surface and improving the cycling performances of the Li-metal batteries.
ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Weibo Han, Yongguang Liu, Weidong Meng, Ling Wang, Shan Liu
Summary: A novel mechanical-electrochemical stability enhancement interface is constructed for potassium metal batteries, reducing side reactions and relieving interface stress, resulting in excellent performances and durable stability.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhihong Piao, Runhua Gao, Yingqi Liu, Guangmin Zhou, Hui-Ming Cheng
Summary: Lithium metal batteries are promising candidates for next-generation battery systems. However, the poor compatibility between commercialized carbonate electrolytes and lithium metal anodes hinders their use. This review provides an overview of strategies to regulate the solvation structure of lithium ions in carbonate electrolytes for improving the performance of lithium metal batteries. The review compares different strategies and identifies remaining scientific and technical problems, as well as proposes directions for future research on carbonate electrolytes for lithium metal batteries.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Apurva Patrike, Poonam Yadav, Vilas Shelke, Manjusha Shelke
Summary: With the development of consumer electronic devices and electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries are crucial for high energy storage. However, they still cannot meet the demands of rapidly growing industries. Metal batteries, with higher energy density, are considered as the next-generation devices. Challenges such as uncontrolled dendrite growth and high reactivity hinder the commercialization of metal batteries. This review discusses the failure mechanism of lithium/sodium metal anodes and explores potential solutions through electrolyte optimization, solid-electrolyte interphase layer formation, and nanoengineering at the material level.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Fuhua Yang, Junnan Hao, Jun Long, Sailin Liu, Tian Zheng, Wilford Lie, Jun Chen, Zaiping Guo
Summary: Concentrated electrolyte is used to improve the cycling stability of potassium metal and potassium-ion batteries, mitigating the capacity degradation of metal phosphides and providing a feasible strategy for building high-energy-density potassium-ion batteries.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Piotr Wrobel, Piotr Kubisiak, Andrzej Eilmes
Summary: Classical molecular dynamics simulations were used to investigate the structural properties, ion diffusion, and electrical conductivity of different electrolyte systems. The results showed that anion-cation interactions were more significant in electrolytes containing NaTFSI salts, leading to an increased correlation in ion motions.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zheng Li, Harsha Rao, Rasha Atwi, Bhuvaneswari M. Sivakumar, Bharat Gwalani, Scott Gray, Kee Sung Han, Thomas A. Everett, Tanvi A. Ajantiwalay, Vijayakumar Murugesan, Nav Nidhi Rajput, Vilas G. Pol
Summary: Ether solvents have poor anodic stabilities in lithium metal batteries. Here, the authors propose a non-aqueous electrolyte solution with a non-polar and non-fluorinated ether solvent. The electrolyte enables stable cycling of high-voltage Li metal batteries in pouch cell configuration.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Caiyun Wang, Yao Huang, Yunhao Lu, Hongge Pan, Ben Bin Xu, Wenping Sun, Mi Yan, Yinzhu Jiang
Summary: The reversible plating and stripping of magnesium has been achieved in conventional carbonate electrolytes through cooperative solvation/surface engineering. The addition of strongly electronegative Cl from the-MgCl2 additive impairs the Mg2+ desolvation barrier to accelerate redox kinetics, while a Mg2+-conducting polymer coating on the Mg surface ensures efficient Mg2+ migration and effective electrolyte isolation.
NANO-MICRO LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wanyu Zhao, Zhenghui Pan, Yijie Zhang, Yuan Liu, Huanglin Dou, Yayun Shi, Zhijun Zuo, Bowen Zhang, Jianping Chen, Xiaoli Zhao, Xiaowei Yang
Summary: By tracking the Mg2+ solvation sheath, this study identifies the components that lead to the formation of the passivation layer and proposes a method to modify the solvation coordination. By introducing an additive solvent with extreme electron richness, the solvation sheath is softened, resulting in improved Mg2+ transport and reduced electrical resistance on the Mg metal anode. This leads to excellent cycling performance.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Fan Liu, Lei Li, Shuhong Xu, Jiabin Guo, Ying Ling, Yongyi Zhang, Wenbin Gong, Lei Wei, Chunlei Wang, Qichong Zhang, Qingwen Li
Summary: An effective strategy of cobalt-doped MoS2 nanosheets directly grown on carbon nanotube fibers was proposed to develop efficient cathodes for fiber-shaped aqueous zinc-ion batteries (FAZIBs). The introduction of cobalt-ion activates the transformation of MoS2 crystal structure and expands the interlayer spacing, resulting in remarkable capacity, high rate capability, and impressive durability.
ENERGY STORAGE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Mathematics, Applied
Wenbin Gong, Yaqiang Wang
Summary: This paper presents new criteria for judging the positive definiteness of even-order real symmetric tensors, which expand the range of judgment by scaling the elements of the tensor with an increasing constant k. In addition, sufficient conditions for judging the positive definiteness of even-order real symmetric tensors are proposed. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate these new results.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Chunyan Zhao, Lingsheng Zhang, Shuang Jing, Shuo Kong, Xiaojie Zhang, Xiong Lan, Yongbao Feng, Chenglong Liu, Konghu Tian, Wenbin Gong, Qiulong Li
Summary: In this study, a self-standing electrode with heterostructure was successfully constructed to solve the issues of low conductivity, poor electrochemical kinetics, and unsatisfactory cycling performance of cobalt oxide in lithium-ion batteries. The experimental results showed that the construction of heterostructure greatly improved the conductivity and lithium ion adsorption energy of the material, leading to remarkable capacity, excellent performance at high current density, and remarkable cyclic stability of the battery.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Xinyi Han, Xiaodong Meng, Shang Chen, Ji Zhou, Manyun Wang, Longhua Sun, Yuncan Jia, Xiaomeng Peng, Hairong Mai, Guangxu Zhu, Jingyu Li, Christopher W. Bielawski, Jianxin Geng
Summary: Phosphorus-doped porous carbon (P-PC) enhances the Li storage performance of red phosphorus (RP) as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) by improving the interfacial properties of the carbon matrix.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jinlin Yang, Wenbin Gong, Fengxia Geng
Summary: Defective cobalt manganese oxide nanosheets are reported as cathode material for aqueous Al-ion batteries, showing high energy density and cycling stability. The study offers a new pathway to building next-generation high-energy aqueous rechargeable metal batteries.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaomeng Peng, Jie Zhang, Ji Zhou, Shang Chen, Yuncan Jia, Xinyi Han, Xiaodong Meng, Christopher W. Bielawski, Jianxin Geng
Summary: A novel space-confined polymerization method has been developed for the large-scale synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) sheets of a functional conjugated polymer, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT). By confining the monomer to the boundaries of ice crystals using micelles, the polymerization is directed to form 2D PEDOT sheets with high crystallinity and controlled morphology. The resulting 2D PEDOT-based supercapacitors exhibit outstanding performance metrics, including high specific capacitance, excellent rate capability, and outstanding cycling stability.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Long Chen, Meng He, Wenbin Gong, Peiying Hu, Shuanglong Yuan, Aiping Chen, Lei Wei, Qichong Zhang, Qingwen Li
Summary: All-inorganic metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have great potential for flexible electronics due to their excellent photo-physical properties and low-cost fabrication. However, their suboptimal quantum yield and stability have hindered their diverse wearable applications. A water evaporation crystallization strategy is proposed to prepare salt-shelled metal halide solids, which exhibit narrow photoluminescence and high quantum yield. These materials can be used in waterborne transparency inks and flexible photoluminescent films, as well as in high-performance positive friction materials for triboelectric nanogenerators. Furthermore, a wearable photoluminescent sensor with voltage response range and quick response time is constructed. These metal halides open up possibilities for lightweight and multifunctional wearable electronics.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Hairong Mai, Qianchen Wang, Longhua Sun, Xiaodong Meng, Shang Chen, Ji Zhou, Yuncan Jia, Manyun Wang, Xinyi Han, Xueqin Zhou, Wenbin Gong, Guangxu Zhu, Jingyu Li, Christopher W. Bielawski, Jianxin Geng
Summary: Nonstoichiometric compounds are widely used in contemporary energy technologies. A new method for synthesizing N-doped porous graphitic carbon hybridized with nonstoichiometric scandium oxide is reported, and the composite is shown to significantly enhance sulfur cathode kinetics in lithium-sulfur batteries.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Fan Liu, Shuhong Xu, Wenbin Gong, Kaitian Zhao, Zhimin Wang, Jie Luo, Chunsheng Li, Yan Sun, Pan Xue, Chunlei Wang, Lei Wei, Qingwen Li, Qichong Zhang
Summary: By introducing fluorescent carbon dots with abundant zincophilic functional groups as bifunctional electrolyte additives, fluorescent fiber-shaped aqueous zinc-ion batteries (FFAZIBs) have been developed, achieving high energy density and long-term cyclability. The one-dimensional structure of FFAZIBs ensures the same luminance in all directions, enabling the form of multicolor display-in-battery textiles.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xianzhen Wang, Gang Ding, Zhenping Ma, Ziming Xu, Yongbao Feng, Wenbin Gong, Chenglong Liu, Konghu Tian, Zhenzhong Yong, Qiulong Li
Summary: A new zinc anode with a 3D porous host compounded with TiO2 nanowire arrays (NWAs) decorated with rGO and CNTs (TGC) was constructed to solve the problems of dendrite growth, surface passivation, and corrosion of the zinc anode. The new zinc anode enables uniform deposition of zinc, resulting in stable performance and long lifespan.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Longhua Sun, Xiaodong Meng, Jie Zhang, Yongqiang Meng, Manyun Wang, Xueqin Zhou, Chao Chen, Ji Zhou, Christopher W. Bielawski, Jianxin Geng
Summary: In this study, a one-pot strategy for synthesizing a N-doped porous graphitic carbon hybridized with oxygen-doped titanium nitride (O-TiN@N-PGC) is described, and the composite exhibits outstanding chemisorption and electrocatalytic effects in sulfur cathodes. The method avoids the use of dangerous and toxic ammonia gas as it employs urea as the nitrogen source. Li-S cells prepared using O-TiN@N-PGC as a sulfur host demonstrate remarkable performance in terms of specific capacity, rate capacity, cycling stability, and high sulfur loading.
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2023)
Article
Physics, Applied
Ji Zhou, Wenbing Gong, Xiaodong Meng, Jiawen Zhang, Xueqin Zhou, Shang Chen, Christopher W. Bielawski, Jianxin Geng
Summary: Replacing a linear ether with a macrocyclic amine in the electrolyte of lithium-sulfur batteries can overcome challenges such as slow cathode kinetics, the shuttle effect, and dendrite growth on the anode. The new electrolyte forms a stable solvation structure that reduces overpotentials for Li2S nucleation and decomposition and suppresses Li dendrite growth and the shuttle effect of polysulfides. Batteries prepared with this electrolyte exhibit outstanding performance.
APPLIED PHYSICS REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Chunyan Zhao, Jinwen Fu, Ao Shen, Lingsheng Zhang, Shuo Kong, Yongbao Feng, Wenbin Gong, Konghu Tian, Qiulong Li
Summary: A novel architecture of spherical nanoflower MoS2/MoO3 heterostructures is designed for lithium-ion batteries, which shows high capacity and rate capability, as well as outstanding cycling performance.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kaiping Zhu, Can Guo, Wenbin Gong, Qinghua Xiao, Yagang Yao, Kenneth Davey, Qinghong Wang, Jianfeng Mao, Pan Xue, Zaiping Guo
Summary: In this study, an electrostatic field layer (EFL) was established using an electrolyte additive of cobalt tetraaminophthalocyanine (Co(TAPC)) to address the instability issue of the Zn metal/electrolyte interface, parasitic reactions, and dendritic growth, resulting in low Coulombic efficiency (CE) and poor cycle life. The Co(TAPC) with a planar and large conjugated ring structure could preferentially absorb on the Zn metal anode to form a zincophilic EFL, which prevents direct contact of Zn and water, suppresses side reactions, promotes desolvation and Zn2+ diffusion kinetics, and balances the space electric field, thereby enabling high-rate and dendrite-free Zn deposition.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
