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Jenkins M, Dewar D, Nimmo T, Chau C, Gao X, Bruce PG. The accumulation of Li 2CO 3 in a Li-O 2 battery with dual mediators. Faraday Discuss 2024; 248:318-326. [PMID: 37781864 DOI: 10.1039/d3fd00105a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
One of the most important challenges facing long cycle life Li-O2 batteries is solvent degradation. Even the most stable ethers, such as CH3O(CH2CH2O)CH3, degrade to form products including Li2CO3, which accumulates in the pores of the gas diffusion electrode on cycling leading to polarisation and capacity fading. In this work, we examine the build-up and distribution of Li2CO3 within the porous gas diffusion electrode during cycling and its link to the cell failure. We also demonstrate that the removal of Li2CO3 by a redox mediator can partially recover the cell performance and extend the cycle life of a Li-O2 battery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Jenkins
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, UK.
| | - Daniel Dewar
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, UK.
| | - Tammy Nimmo
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, UK.
| | - Chloe Chau
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, UK.
| | - Xiangwen Gao
- Future Battery Research Centre, Global Institute of Future Technologies, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Peter G Bruce
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, UK.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Shen ZZ, Lang SY, Liu RZ, Zhou C, Zhang YZ, Liu B, Wen R. Revealing the CO 2 Conversion at Electrode/Electrolyte Interfaces in Li-CO 2 Batteries via Nanoscale Visualization Methods. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202316781. [PMID: 37955211 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202316781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Lithium-carbon dioxide (Li-CO2 ) battery technology presents a promising opportunity for carbon capture and energy storage. Despite tremendous efforts in Li-CO2 batteries, the complex electrode/electrolyte/CO2 triple-phase interfacial processes remain poorly understood, in particular at the nanoscale. Here, using in situ atomic force microscopy and laser confocal microscopy-differential interference contrast microscopy, we directly observed the CO2 conversion processes in Li-CO2 batteries at the nanoscale, and further revealed a laser-tuned reaction pathway based on the real-time observations. During discharge, a bi-component composite, Li2 CO3 /C, deposits as micron-sized clusters through a 3D progressive growth model, followed by a 3D decomposition pathway during the subsequent recharge. When the cell operates under laser (λ=405 nm) irradiation, densely packed Li2 CO3 /C flakes deposit rapidly during discharge. Upon the recharge, they predominantly decompose at the interfaces of the flake and electrode, detaching themselves from the electrode and causing irreversible capacity degradation. In situ Raman shows that the laser promotes the formation of poorly soluble intermediates, Li2 C2 O4 , which in turn affects growth/decomposition pathways of Li2 CO3 /C and the cell performance. Our findings provide mechanistic insights into interfacial evolution in Li-CO2 batteries and the laser-tuned CO2 conversion reactions, which can inspire strategies of monitoring and controlling the multistep and multiphase interfacial reactions in advanced electrochemical devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Zhen Shen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructure and Nanotechnology, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Research/ Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Shuang-Yan Lang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY-14853, USA
| | - Rui-Zhi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructure and Nanotechnology, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Research/ Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Chi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructure and Nanotechnology, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Research/ Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Yao-Zu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructure and Nanotechnology, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Research/ Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Bing Liu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Rui Wen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructure and Nanotechnology, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Research/ Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
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