Atomic Short-Range Order in a Cation-Deficient Perovskite Anode for Fast-Charging and Long-Life Lithium-Ion Batteries

Multiple Charge Carriers Manipulation Toward Semiconductive Ceramic Nanocomposites for Corrosion-Resistant Electromagnetic Wave Absorption

The modulation of transport properties in ceramic-based semiconductors can be used to optimize the electromagnetic response mechanism and performance. A semiconductor ceramic foam interlayer wall (SCFW) is designed by a physical vapor deposition method. The interlayer structural SCFW is composed of semiconductor-insulator-semiconductor layers, incorporating a composite system of SiC, Al4.8Si1.2O9.6, and Al2O3. Moreover, the hierarchical network structure of the foam interlayer wall is controlled by the pyrolysis-deposition kinetic process. Electrons and holes are transported through the heterojunctions between SiC and Al4.8Si1.2O9.6, achieving effective charge relaxation. The Al2O3 matrix provides lightweight properties (density of 0.967 g cm-3), while the hierarchical network structure determines the excellent electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption performance of the SCFW, with an effective bandwidth up to 14.8 GHz under electromagnetic response (minimum reflection loss RLmin = -50.6 dB). the SCFW has been proven to exhibit corrosion resistance and thermal insulation properties, with a thermal conductivity up to 0.025 W m-1 K-1. This study provides valuable insights into the structural design and dielectric property optimization of ceramic-based semiconductor nanocomposites, which leads to strong polarization loss, opening new avenues for the application of EMW absorbers, and the EMW absorption mechanism of ceramics.

Establishing Nanoscale Circuitry by Designing a Structure with Atomic Short-range Order for High-Rate Energy Storage

High-rate materials necessitate the rapid transportation of both electrons and ions, a requirement that becomes especially challenging at practical mass loadings (>10 mg cm2). To address this challenge, a material is designed with an architecture having atomic-scale short-range order. This design establishes internal nanoscale circuitry at the particle level, which facilitates rapid electronic and ionic transport within micrometer-sized niobium tungsten oxides. The architecture features alternating cerium-depleted and cerium-enriched regions. The continuous cerium-enriched regions with enhanced conductivity provide multilane highways for electron mobility by functioning as electron-conducting wires that significantly boost the overall conductivity. The cerium-depleted regions effectively mitigate electrostatic repulsion and promote rapid ion transport through ion-conducting channels. These structural characteristics provide a continuous network that supports both electrical migration and chemical diffusion to amplify the areal capacity and rate capability even at high mass loadings. These findings not only expand the fundamental understanding of the design of optimal host lattices for advanced energy storage systems but also of the practical application of microsized high-rate electrode materials.

Probing Interfacial Nanostructures of Electrochemical Energy Storage Systems by In-Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy

The ability to control the electrode interfaces in an electrochemical energy storage system is essential for achieving the desired electrochemical performance. However, achieving this ability requires an in-depth understanding of the detailed interfacial nanostructures of the electrode under electrochemical operating conditions. In-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is one of the most powerful techniques for revealing electrochemical energy storage mechanisms with high spatiotemporal resolution and high sensitivity in complex electrochemical environments. These attributes play a unique role in understanding how ion transport inside electrode nanomaterials and across interfaces under the dynamic conditions within working batteries. This review aims to gain an in-depth insight into the latest developments of in-situ TEM imaging techniques for probing the interfacial nanostructures of electrochemical energy storage systems, including atomic-scale structural imaging, strain field imaging, electron holography, and integrated differential phase contrast imaging. Significant examples will be described to highlight the fundamental understanding of atomic-scale and nanoscale mechanisms from employing state-of-the-art imaging techniques to visualize structural evolution, ionic valence state changes, and strain mapping, ion transport dynamics. The review concludes by providing a perspective discussion of future directions of the development and application of in-situ TEM techniques in the field of electrochemical energy storage systems.

Two Steps Li Ion Storage Mechanism in Ruddlesden-Popper Li2La2Ti3O10

Innovative anode materials are essential for achieving high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with longer lifetimes. Thus far, only a few studies have explored the use of layered perovskite structures as LIB anode materials. In this study, the study demonstrates the performance and charge/discharge mechanism of the previously undefined Ruddlesden-Popper Li₂La₂Ti₃O₁₀ (RPLLTO) as an anode material for LIBs. RPLLTO exhibits two unique voltage plateaus ≈0.6 and 0.4 V(vs Li/Li+), due to the insertion of lithium ions into different sites within its layered structure. The electrical state of Ti is analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption near edge spectra, revealing a reduction from Ti⁴⁺ to Ti2⁺, corresponding to a capacity of 170 mAh·g⁻¹. In situ X-ray diffraction patterns and extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectra demonstrate the crystal structure changes during lithiation. Complementary expansion along the a/b axes and contraction along the c axis result in a volume change of only 4%. This structural stability is evidenced by an 88% capacity retention after 1000 cycles. This study successfully showcases the lithium-ion storage capability of RPLLTO and contributes to the development of perovskite anode materials with diverse compositions and structures.

Controllable preparation of carbon coating Ge nanospheres with a cubic hollow structure for high-performance lithium ion batteries

Germanium based nanomaterials are very promising as the anodes for the lithium ion batteries since their large specific capacity, excellent lithium diffusivity and high conductivity. However, their controllable preparation is still very difficult to achieve. Herein, we facilely prepare a unique carbon coating Ge nanospheres with a cubic hollow structure (Ge@C) via a hydrothermal synthesis and subsequent pyrolysis using low-cost GeO2 as precursors. The hollow Ge@C nanostructure not only provides abundant interior space to alleviate the huge volumetric expansion of Ge upon lithiation, but also facilitates the transmission of lithium ions and electrons. Moreover, experiment analyses and density functional theory (DFT) calculations unveil the excellent lithium adsorption ability, high exchange current density, low activation energy for lithium diffusion of the hollow Ge@C electrode, thus exhibiting significant lithium storage advantages with a large charge capacity (1483 mAh/g under 200 mA g-1), distinguished rate ability (710 mAh/g under 8000 mA g-1) as well as long-term cycling stability (1130 mAh/g after 900 cycles under 1000 mA g-1). Therefore, this work offers new paths for controllable synthesis and fabrication of high-performance Ge based lithium storage nanomaterials.

Perovskite-Type CaVO3 Nanocomposite as High-Performance Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Electric vehicles' rapid development has put higher requirements on the performance of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the specific capacity of a commercial graphite anode (372 mAh g-1) has become the bottleneck for further improvement. Therefore, it is urgent to develop novel anode materials with superior performance. Herein, we propose crystalline-amorphous dual-phase CaVO3 nanocomposites as LIB anodes. Benefiting from the stable perovskite structure and high conductivity of CaVO3, the nanocomposite follows the intercalation mechanism, resulting in no capacity decay during 5000 cycles. In addition, due to the multielectron transfer provided by amorphous high-valent vanadium oxide, the nanocomposite can provide a high specific capacity of 442.8 mAh g-1 with a suitable average working potential of 0.95 V. The ingenious strategy of constructing nanocomposites through spontaneous oxidation of nanoparticles is expected to be extended to the perovskite oxide family, inspiring the development of more high-performance LIB anodes.

Katiyar R. Unveiling BaTiO3-SrTiO3 as Anodes for Highly Efficient and Stable Lithium-Ion Batteries

Amidst the swift expansion of the electric vehicle industry, the imperative for alternative battery technologies that balance economic feasibility with sustainability has reached unprecedented importance. Herein, we utilized Perovskite-based oxide compounds barium titanate (BaTiO3) and strontium titanate (SrTiO3) nanoparticles as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries from straightforward and standard carbonate-based electrolyte with 10% fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) additive [1M LiPF6 (1:1 EC: DEC) + 10% FEC]. SrTiO3 and BaTiO3 electrodes can deliver a high specific capacity of 80 mA h g-1 at a safe and low average working potential of ≈0.6 V vs. Li/Li+ with excellent high-rate performance with specific capacity of ~90 mA h g-1 at low current density of 20 mA g-1 and specific capacity of ~80 mA h g-1 for over 500 cycles at high current density of 100 mA g-1. Our findings pave the way for the direct utilization of perovskite-type materials as anode materials in Li-ion batteries due to their promising potential for Li+ ion storage. This investigation addresses the escalating market demands in a sustainable manner and opens avenues for the investigation of diverse perovskite oxides as advanced anodes for next-generation metal-ion batteries.

Simple Solution Plasma Synthesis of Ni@NiO as High-Performance Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries Application

Pursuing of straightforward and cost-effective methods for synthesizing high-performance anode materials for lithium-ion batteries is a topic of significant interest. This study elucidates a one-step synthesis approach for a conversion composite using glow discharge in a nickel formate solution, yielding a composite precursor comprising metallic nickel, nickel hydroxide, and basic nickel salts. Subsequent annealing of the precursor facilitated the formation of the Ni@NiO composite, exhibiting exceptional electrochemical properties as anode material in Li-ion batteries: a capacity of approximately 1000 mAh g-1, cyclic stability exceeding 100 cycles, and favorable rate performance (200 mAh g-1 at 10 A g Collapse

Key Words

• Anode material
• Composite Ni@NiO
• Conversion metal oxide anodes
• Lithium-ion batteries
• One-step plasma solution synthesis

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Grants

• 20-53-04010 RFBR
• F21RM-104 RFBR

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Affiliation(s)

Evgenii Beletskii Institute of Chemistry, St. Petersburg University, St. Petersburg, Universitetskaya Emb.7/9, 199034, Russia
Mikhail Pinchuk Institute for Electrophysics and Electrical Power of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Dvortsovaya Naberezhnaya 18, St. Petersburg, 191186, Russia
Vadim Snetov Institute for Electrophysics and Electrical Power of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Dvortsovaya Naberezhnaya 18, St. Petersburg, 191186, Russia
Aleksandr Dyachenko Institute for Electrophysics and Electrical Power of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Dvortsovaya Naberezhnaya 18, St. Petersburg, 191186, Russia
Alexey Volkov Institute of Chemistry, St. Petersburg University, St. Petersburg, Universitetskaya Emb.7/9, 199034, Russia
Egor Savelev Institute of Chemistry, St. Petersburg University, St. Petersburg, Universitetskaya Emb.7/9, 199034, Russia
Valentin Romanovski Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA

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Functional Composite Dual-Phase In Situ Self-Reconstruction Design for High-Energy-Density Li-Rich Cathodes

The unique anionic redox mechanism provides, high-capacity, irreversible oxygen release and voltage/capacity degradation to Li-rich cathode materials (LRO, Li1.2Mn0.54Co0.13Ni0.13O2). In this study, an integrated stabilized carbon-rock salt/spinel composite heterostructured layers (C@spinel/MO) is constructed by in situ self-reconstruction, and the generation mechanism of the in situ reconstructed surface is elucidated. The formation of atomic-level connections between the surface-protected phase and bulk-layered phase contributes to electrochemical performance. The best-performing sample shows a high increase (63%) of capacity retention compared to that of the pristine sample after 100 cycles at 1C, with an 86.7% reduction in surface oxygen release shown by differential electrochemical mass spectrometry. Soft X-ray results show that Co3+ and Mn4+ are mainly reduce in the carbothermal reduction reaction and participate in the formation of the spinel/MO rock-salt phase. The results of oxygen release characterized by Differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) strongly prove the effectiveness of surface reconstruction.

CNT@SrTiO3 Nanocomposites Synthesized by In Situ Reaction for a High-Performance Flexible Supercapacitor

This study presents the in situ synthesis of CNT@SrTiO3 nanocomposite films for the development of high-performance flexible supercapacitors. The synthesis process involved the use of organic-inorganic hybrid polymers containing metal elements as precursors for thermal decomposition reaction under a reducing atmosphere. Due to the formation of chemical bonding between Ti elements and the CNTs, the interface between STO and CNT surface could provide additional active sites for ion transport and storage. Thereby, the incorporation of SrTiO3 nanoparticles into CNTs enhanced the electrochemical performance of the resulting nanocomposite membranes. To further investigate the influence of STO content and synthesis temperature, we conducted a detailed analysis. The findings indicated that the CNT@STO film with 25% STO content, synthesized at 700 °C, and possessed optimal performance with an areal capacitance of 6682 mF·cm-2 at 5 mV·s-1. Furthermore, a symmetrical flexible supercapacitor assembled by two CNT@STO-25 electrodes demonstrated strong application potential in wearable devices, owing to its long cycle life, excellent flexibility, and high energy density of 430.2 μWh·cm-2 (corresponding power density of 4.5 mW·cm-2). Based on these results, we believe that this study provides a fresh idea for the development of novel flexible energy storage materials.

Enhancing Li-Ion Battery Anodes: Synthesis, Characterization, and Electrochemical Performance of Crystalline C60 Nanorods with Controlled Morphology and Phase Transition

Recently, C60 has emerged as a promising anode material for Li-ion batteries, attracting significant interest due to its excellent lithium storage capacity. The electrochemical performance of C60 as an anode is largely dependent on its internal crystal structure, which is significantly influenced by the synthesis method and corresponding conditions. However, there have been few reports on how the synthesis process affects the crystal structure and Li+ storage capacity of C60. This study used the liquid-liquid interface precipitation method and a low-temperature annealing process to fabricate one-dimensional C60 nanorods (NRs). We thoroughly investigated synthesis conditions, including the growth time, drying temperature, annealing time, and annealing atmosphere. The results demonstrate that these synthesis conditions directly impact the morphology, phase transition, and electrochemical efficiency of pure C60 NRs. Remarkably, the hexagonal close-packed structural C60 NRs-6012h, in a metastable form, exhibits a reversible Li+ storage capacity as an anode material in Li-ion batteries. Furthermore, the face-centered cubic C60 NRs-603001h electrode shows significantly enhanced rate performance and long-cycle stability. A discharge-specific capacity of 603 mAh g-1 was maintained after 2000 cycles at a current density of 2 A g-1. This study elucidates the effect of synthesis conditions on C60 crystals, offering an effective strategy for preparing high-performance C60 anode materials.

Niobium-Based Oxide for Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Recently, it has become imperative to develop high energy density as well as high safety lithium-ion batteries (LIBS) to meet the growing energy demand. Among the anode materials used in LIBs, the currently used commercial graphite has low capacity and is a safety hazard due to the formation of lithium dendrites during the reaction. Among the transition metal oxide (TMO) anode materials, TMO based on the intercalation reaction mechanism has a more stable structure and is less prone to volume expansion than TMO based on the conversion reaction mechanism, especially the niobium-based oxide in it has attracted much attention. Niobium-based oxides have a high operating potential to inhibit the formation of lithium dendrites and lithium deposits to ensure safety, and have stable and fast lithium ion transport channels with excellent multiplicative performance. This review summarizes the recent developments of niobium-based oxides as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, discusses the special structure and electrochemical reaction mechanism of the materials, the synthesis methods and morphology of nanostructures, deficiencies and improvement strategies, and looks into the future developments and challenges of niobium-based oxide anode materials.

Zero-Strain Sodium Lanthanum Titanate Perovskite Embedded in Flexible Carbon Fibers as a Long-Span Anode for Lithium-Ion Batteries

"High-capacity" graphite and "zero-strain" spinel Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) occupy the majority market of anode materials for Li+ storage in commercial applications. Nevertheless, their intrinsic drawbacks including the unsafe potential of graphite and unsatisfactory capacity of LTO limit the further development of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), which is unable to satisfy the ever-increasing demands. Here, a novel Na0.35La0.55TiO3 perovskite embedded in multichannel carbon fibers (NLTO-NF) is rationally designed and synthesized through an electrospinning method. It not only has the advantages of a respectable specific capacity of 265 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 and superb rate capability, but it also possesses the zero-strain characteristic. Impressively, an ultralong cycling life with 96.3% capacity retention after 9000 cycles at 2 A g-1 is achieved in the half cell, and 90.3% of capacity retention ratio is obtained after even 2500 cycles at 1 A g-1 in the coupled LiFePO4/NLTO-NF full cell. This study introduces a new member with excellent performance to the zero-strain materials family for next-generation LIBs.

Atomic Manufacturing in Electrode Materials for High-Performance Batteries

The advancement of electrode materials plays a pivotal role in enhancing the performance of energy storage devices, thereby meeting the escalating need for energy storage and aligning with the imperative of sustainable development. Atomic manufacturing enables the precise manipulation of the crystal structure at the atomic level, thereby facilitating the development of electrode materials with customized physicochemical properties and enhancing their performance. In this Perspective, we elaborate on how atomic manufacturing enhances the important properties of electrode materials. Finally, we anticipate the prospect of materials and fabrication methods for atomic manufacturing in the future. This Perspective provides a comprehensive understanding for atomic manufacturing in electrode materials.

Emerging Multiscale Porous Anodes toward Fast Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries

With the accelerated penetration of the global electric vehicle market, the demand for fast charging lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) that enable improvement of user driving efficiency and user experience is becoming increasingly significant. Robust ion/electron transport paths throughout the electrode have played a pivotal role in the progress of fast charging LIBs. Yet traditional graphite anodes lack fast ion transport channels, which suffer extremely elevated overpotential at ultrafast power outputs, resulting in lithium dendrite growth, capacity decay, and safety issues. In recent years, emergent multiscale porous anodes dedicated to building efficient ion transport channels on multiple scales offer opportunities for fast charging anodes. This review survey covers the recent advances of the emerging multiscale porous anodes for fast charging LIBs. It starts by clarifying how pore parameters such as porosity, tortuosity, and gradient affect the fast charging ability from an electrochemical kinetic perspective. We then present an overview of efforts to implement multiscale porous anodes at both material and electrode levels in diverse types of anode materials. Moreover, we critically evaluate the essential merits and limitations of several quintessential fast charging porous anodes from a practical viewpoint. Finally, we highlight the challenges and future prospects of multiscale porous fast charging anode design associated with materials and electrodes as well as crucial issues faced by the battery and management level.

Cathode materials for lithium-sulfur battery: a review

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) are considered to be one of the most promising candidates for becoming the post-lithium-ion battery technology, which would require a high level of energy density across a variety of applications. An increasing amount of research has been conducted on LSBs over the past decade to develop fundamental understanding, modelling, and application-based control. In this study, the advantages and disadvantages of LSB technology are discussed from a fundamental perspective. Then, the focus shifts to intermediate lithium polysulfide adsorption capacity and the challenges involved in improving LSBs by using alternative materials besides carbon for cathode construction. Attempted alternative materials include metal oxides, metal carbides, metal nitrides, MXenes, graphene, quantum dots, and metal organic frameworks. One critical issue is that polar material should be more favorable than non-polar carbonaceous materials in the aspect of intermediate lithium polysulfide species adsorption and suppress shuttle effect. It will be also presented that by preparing cathode with suitable materials and morphological structure, high-performance LSB can be obtained.

Graphical abstract

Dense T-Nb2O5/Carbon Microspheres for Ultrafast-(Dis)charge and High-Loading Lithium-Ion Batteries

Orthorhombic niobium pentoxide (T-Nb2O5) is regarded as a potential anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to ultrafast charge/discharge and high safety. However, the poor electronic conductivity and low mass loading of nanostructured T-Nb2O5 limit its practical application in LIBs. Herein, we design and construct dense microspheres consisting of nanostructured T-Nb2O5 embedded in amorphous N-doped carbon (Nb2O5@NC) via a facile method to achieve fast ionic and electronic transport as well as a high mass loading. The dense micro-sized particles with an interconnected carbon network avoid the low mass loading and volumetric energy density of conventional nanostructures. Interconnected pores in the range of a few nanometers are also formed in the Nb2O5@NC microspheres. Notably, at a high mass loading of 12.8 mg cm-2, Nb2O5@NC can achieve a high specific capacity of 171.5 mAh g-1 and an areal capacity of 2.05 mAh cm-2, showing its high lithium storage capacity. The intercalation reaction mechanism with a small volume change during cycling at both crystal lattice and microsphere levels is confirmed by in situ X-ray diffraction and in situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The elegant structure and the electrochemical reaction mechanism disclosed in the work is important for designing ultrafast-(dis)charge electrode materials.