Self-Assembled Polyoxometalate Nanodots as Bidirectional Cluster Catalysts for Polysulfide/Sulfide Redox Conversion in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Polyoxomolybdate-Based Metal-Organic Framework-Derived Cu-Embedded Molybdenum Dioxide Hybrid Nanoparticles as Highly Efficient Electrocatalysts for Al-S Batteries

High-performance rechargeable aluminum-sulfur batteries (RASB) have great potential for various applications owing to their high theoretical capacity, abundant sulfur resources, and good safety. Nevertheless, the practical application of RASB still faces several challenges, including the polysulfide shuttle phenomenon and low sulfur utilization efficiency. Here, we first developed a synergistic copper heterogeneous metal oxide MoO2 derived from polymolybdate-based metal-organic framework as an efficient catalyst for mitigating polysulfide diffusion. This composite enhances sulfur utilization and electrical conductivity of the cathode. DFT calculations and experimental results reveal the catalyst Cu/MoO2@C not only effectively anchors aluminum polysulfides (AlPSs) to mitigate the shuttle effect, but also significantly promotes the catalytic conversion of AlPSs on the sulfur cathode side during charging and discharging. The unique nanostructure contains abundant electrocatalytic active sites of oxide nanoparticles and Cu clusters, resulting in excellent electrochemical performance. Consequently, the established RASB exhibits an initial capacity of 875 mAh g-1 at 500 mA g-1 and maintains a capacity of 967 mAh g-1 even at a high temperature of 50 °C.

Nonionic Microgels Adapt to Ionic Guest Molecules: Superchaotropic Nanoions

Microgels are commonly applied as solute carriers, where the size, density, and functionality of the microgels depend on solute binding. As representatives for ionic solutes with high affinity for the microgel, we study here the effect of superchaotropic Keggin polyoxometalates (POMs) PW12O403- (PW) and SiW12O404- (SiW) on the aqueous swelling and internal structure of nonionic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNiPAM) microgels by light scattering techniques and small-angle X-ray scattering. Due to their weak hydration, these POMs bind spontaneously to the microgels at millimolar concentrations. The microgels thus become charged and swell at low POM concentration, surprisingly without strongly increasing the volume phase transition temperature, and deswell at higher POM concentration. The swelling arises because of the osmotic pressure of dissociated counterions of the POMs, while the deswelling is due to POMs acting as physical cross-links in the microgels under screened electrostatics in NaCl or excess POM solution. This swelling/deswelling transition is sharper for PW than for SiW related to the lower charge density, weaker hydration, and stronger binding of PW. The POMs elicit qualitatively and quantitatively different swelling effects from ionic surfactants and classical salts. Moreover, the network softness and topology govern the swelling response upon POM binding. The softer the microgel, the stronger is the swelling response, while, inside the microgel, regions of high polymer density swell/contract more upon electric charging/cross-linking than regions with low polymer density. POM binding thus enables fine-tuning of microgel properties and highlights the role of network topology in microgel swelling. Because POMs decompose at an alkaline pH, these POM/microgel systems also exhibit pH-responsive swelling in addition to the typical temperature responsiveness of pNiPAM microgels.

A Forceful "Dendrite-Killer" of Polyoxomolybdate with Reusability Effectively Dominating Dendrite-Free Lithium Metal Anode

In this work, a series of Mo-containing polyoxometalates (POMs) modified separators to inhibit the growth of lithium dendrites, and thus improving the lifespan and safety of the cells is proposed. When the deposited lithium forms dendrites and touches the separator, the optimized Dawson-type POM of (NH4 )6 [P2 Mo18 O62 ]·11H2 O (P2 Mo18 ) with the stronger oxidizability, acts like a "killer", is more inclined to oxidize Li0 into Li+ , thus weakening the lethality of lithium dendrites. The above process is accompanied by the formation of Lix [P2 Mo18 O62 ] (x = 6-10) in its reduced state. Converting to the stripping process, the reduced state Lix [P2 Mo18 O62 ] (x = 6-10) can be reoxidized to P2 Mo18 , which achieves the reusability of P2 Mo18 functional material. Meanwhile, lithium ions are released into the cell system to participate in the subsequent electrochemical cycles, thus the undesired lithium dendrites are converted into usable lithium ions to prevent the generation of "dead lithium". As a result, the Li//Li symmetrical cell with P2 Mo18 modified separator delivers exceptional cyclic stability for over 1000 h at 3 mA cm-2 and 5 mAh cm-2 , and the assembled Li-S full cell maintains superior reversible capacity of 600 mAh g-1 after 200 cycles at 2 C.

Bifunctional K3PW12O40/Graphene Oxide-Modified Separator for Inhibiting Polysulfide Diffusion and Stabilizing Lithium Anode

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are considered as promising candidates for next-generation batteries due to their high theoretical energy density. However, the practical application of Li-S batteries is still hindered by several challenges, such as the polysulfide shuttle and the growth of lithium dendrites. Herein, we introduce a bifunctional K3PW12O40/graphene oxide-modified polypropylene separator (KPW/GO/PP) as a highly effective solution for mitigating polysulfide diffusion and protecting the lithium anode in Li-S batteries. By incorporating KPW into a densely stacked nanostructured graphene oxide (GO) barrier membrane, we synergistically capture and rapidly convert lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) electrochemically, thus effectively suppressing the shuttling effect. Moreover, the KPW/GO/PP separator can stabilize the lithium metal anode during cycling, suppress dendrite formation, and ensure a smooth and dense lithium metal surface, owing to regulated Li+ flux and uniform Li nucleation. Consequently, the constructed KPW/GO/PP separator delivered a favorable initial specific capacity (1006 mAh g-1) and remarkable cycling performance at 1.0 C (626 mAh g-1 for up to 500 cycles with a decay rate of 0.075% per cycle).

Polyoxometalate-Cyclodextrin-Based Cluster-Organic Supramolecular Framework for Polysulfide Conversion and Guest-Host Recognition in Lithium-sulfur Batteries

Developing polyoxometalate-cyclodextrin cluster-organic supramolecular framework (POM-CD-COSF) still remains challenging due to an extremely difficult task in rationally interconnecting two dissimilar building blocks. Here we report an unprecedented POM-CD-COSF crystalline structure produced through the self-assembly process of a Krebs-type POM, [Zn2 (WO2 )2 (SbW9 O33 )2 ]10- , and two β-CD units. The as-prepared POM-CD-COSF-based battery separator can be applied as a lightweight barrier (approximately 0.3 mg cm-2 ) to mitigate the polysulfide shuttle effect in lithium-sulfur batteries. The designed Li-S batteries equipped with the POM-CD-COSF modified separator exhibit remarkable electrochemical performance, attributed to fast Li+ diffusion through the supramolecular channel of β-CD, efficient polysulfide-capture ability by the dynamic host-guest interaction of β-CD, and improved sulfur redox kinetics by the bidirectional catalysis of POM cluster. This research provides a broad perspective for the development of multifunctional supramolecular POM frameworks and their applications in Li-S batteries.

Vanadium Intercalation into Niobium Disulfide to Enhance the Catalytic Activity for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Despite their high specific energy and great promise for next-generation energy storage, lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries suffer from polysulfide shuttling, slow redox kinetics, and poor cyclability. Catalysts are needed to accelerate polysulfide conversion and suppress the shuttling effect. However, a lack of structure-activity relationships hinders the rational development of efficient catalysts. Herein, we studied the Nb-V-S system and proposed a V-intercalated NbS₂ (Nb₃VS₆) catalyst for high-efficiency Li-S batteries. Structural analysis and modeling revealed that undercoordinated sulfur anions of [VS₆] octahedra on the surface of Nb₃VS₆ may break the catalytic inertness of the basal planes, which are usually the primary exposed surfaces of many 2D layered disulfides. Using Nb₃VS₆ as the catalyst, the resultant Li-S batteries delivered high capacities of 1541 mAh g^-1 at 0.1 C and 1037 mAh g^-1 at 2 C and could retain 73.2% of the initial capacity after 1000 cycles. Such an intercalation-induced high activity offers an alternative approach to building better Li-S catalysts.

A Hexadecanuclear Cobalt-Added Tungstogermanate Containing Counter Cobalt Hydrates: Synthesis, Structure and Photocatalytic Properties

The synthesis and exploration of the properties of structurally-new polyoxometalates (POMs) has been attracting considerable research interest. In this work, a hexadecanuclear cobalt-added tungstogermanate, H₃₁(NH₄)₅Na₁₆{Co^Ⅲ(H₂O)₆}₄{[Co^Ⅱ₄(μ₃-OH)₃(PO₄)]₄(A-α-GeW₉O₃₄)₄}₂·23-H₂O (1), was synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by various techniques. Compound 1 can effectively drive the heterogeneous photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction in the presence of [Ir(ppy)₂(dtbbpy)][PF₆] as the photosensitizer, with triethanolamine (TEOA) and N-Hydroxy succinimide (NHS) used as the dual sacrificial reagents. Control experiments revealed the important role of NHS in enhancing the hydrogen-evolution activities. Under optimal catalytic conditions, a hydrogen yield of 54.21 μmol was achieved after 10-h photocatalysis, corresponding to a hydrogen evolution rate of 1807.07 μmol·g^-1·h^-1. Stability studies demonstrated that catalyst 1 can be isolated and reused for three successive photocatalytic cycles with negligible decline of the H₂ yield, indicating the stability and recycling robustness of catalyst 1.

A "Catalysis-Immobilization-Deposition" Stepwise Strategy toward Dynamic Equilibrium of Polysulfides Conversion and Diffusion in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Stepwise electrocatalysis can remarkably accelerate the kinetics of two consecutive reactions in sulfur electrochemistry. However, the significant difference between the catalysis and diffusion rates of polysulfides results in persistent shuttling in the stepwise electrocatalysts. Here, a stepwise electrocatalytic strategy of catalysis-immobilization-deposition is proposed for achieving the consistency of diffusion and catalysis of polysulfides. Accordingly, a sandwich-like stepwise electrocatalyst is designed, which is composed of Co nanoparticles (Co-NP), mesoporous SiO₂ , and iron single atom (Fe-SA) (denoted as Co-NP@SiO₂ @Fe-SA), serving as catalysis core, immobilization interlayer, and deposition shell, respectively. Benefitting from the dynamic equilibrium between production and consumption of polysulfides achieved by the spatial synergistic effect of the triple sites, the S/Co-NP@SiO₂ @Fe-SA cathode delivers a high reversible capacity of 731 mAh g^-1 over 500 cycles at 1 C with a small capacity decay of 0.039% per cycle. Moreover, a high areal capacity of 3.8 mAh cm^-2 at a sulfur loading of 4.5 mg cm^-2 is achieved with a low electrolyte/sulfur ratio of 5.9. This work sheds light on a new host design concept with high catalytic activity, stability, and selectivity to enable high performance lithium-sulfur batteries.

Tin disulfide embedded on porous carbon spheres for accelerating polysulfide conversion kinetics toward lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are considered promising candidates for next-generation advanced energy storage systems due to their high theoretical capacity, low cost and environmental friendliness. However, the severe shuttle effect and weak redox reaction severely restrict the practical application of Li-S batteries. Herein, a functional catalytic material of tin disulfide on porous carbon spheres (SnS₂@CS) is designed as a sulfur host and separator modifier for lithium-sulfur batteries. SnS₂@CS with high electrical conductivity, high specific surface area and abundant active sites can not only effectively improve the electrochemical activity but also accelerate the capture/diffusion of polysulfides. Theoretical calculations and in situ Raman also demonstrate that SnS₂@CS can efficiently adsorb and catalyse the rapid conversion of polysulfides. Based on these advantages, the SnS₂@CS-based Li-S battery delivers an excellent reversible capacity of 868 mAh/g at 0.5C (capacity retention of 96 %), a high rate capability of 852 mAh/g at 2C, and a durable cycle life with an ultralow capacity decay rate of 0.029 % per cycle over 1000 cycles at 2C. This work combines the design of sulfur electrodes and the modification of separators, which provides an idea for practical applications of Li-S batteries in the future.

Keggin-type polyoxometalate-based crown ether complex for lithium-sulfur batteries

A novel supramolecular complex Li₃Cl[(HPW₁₂O₄₀)(H₂₄C₁₂O₆)₃(CH₃CN)₂] {CR-PW12} was confirmed first to apply as a sulfur host in lithium-sulfur batteries. The {CR-PW12}@S cathode exhibits a reversible capacity of 1120 mA h g^-1 at 1.0 C and excellent cycle stability.

Two Types of Subgroup-Valence Heteroatoms (PIII, TeIV) Synergistically Controlling Octa-CeIII-Encapsulated Heteropolyoxotungstate and Its Electrochemical Recognition Properties

Rapid development of the synthetic chemistry of polyoxometalates (POMs) has greatly driven the generation of structurally variable innovative POM-based materials. Herein, we synthesized a novel P^III and Te^IV synergistically controlling octa-Ce^III-encapsulated heteropolyoxotungstate [H₂N(CH₃)₂]₁₁K₂Na₆H₁₁[Ce₈(CH₃COO)₂(HP^IIIO₃)₂W₈O₂₀(H₂O)₁₂(B-β-TeW₈O₃₀)₂(B-α-TeW₈O₃₁)₄]·64H₂O (1). Its distinctive anion skeleton [Ce₈(CH₃COO)₂(HP^IIIO₃)₂W₈O₂₀(H₂O)₁₂(B-β-TeW₈O₃₀)₂(B-α-TeW₈O₃₁)₄]^30- is built by two tetra-vacancy [B-β-TeW₈O₃₀]^8- and four tetra-vacancy [B-α-TeW₈O₃₁]^10- moieties linked through an inorganic-organic hybrid [Ce₈(CH₃COO)₂(HP^IIIO₃)₂W₈O₂₀(H₂O)₁₂]²⁶⁺ {Ce₈P₂W₈} cluster core. Interestingly, {Ce₈P₂W₈} is assembled from four [W₂O₁₁]^10- groups and two [HP^IIIO₃]^2- anions and eight Ce³⁺ ions. Besides, 1 was further composited with carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotube (CMCN), resulting in a bi-component 1/CMCN nanocomposite. An electrochemical recognition platform (named as 1/CMCN/GCE) was built by modifying 1/CMCN on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for electrochemical detection of dopamine (DPA) at physiological pH (pH = 7.0). The findings have shown that 1/CMCN/GCE exhibits a good detection limit of 4.95 nM for DPA. This work provides considerable inspiration to promote innovative and rational structure designs of POM-based materials and expand their applications to electrochemical and biological detection fields.

Wide-Temperature-Range Li-S Batteries Enabled by Thiodimolybdate [Mo2S12]2- as a Dual-Function Molecular Catalyst for Polysulfide Redox and Lithium Intercalation

In lithium-sulfur batteries, a serious obstacle is the dissolution and diffusion of long-chain polysulfides, resulting in rapid capacity decay and low Coulombic efficiency. At present, a common practice is designing cathode materials to solve this problem, but this gives rise to reduced gravimetric and volumetric energy densities. Herein, we present a thiodimolybdate [Mo₂S₁₂]^2- cluster as sulfur host material that can effectively confine the shuttling of polysulfides and contribute its own capacity in Li-S cells. Moreover, the [Mo₂S₁₂]^2- cluster as a "bidirectional catalyst" can effectively catalyze polysulfide reduction and lithium sulfide oxidation. We further investigate the catalytic mechanism of [Mo₂S₁₂]^2- clusters by theoretical calculations, in situ spectroscopic techniques, and electrochemical studies. The (NH₄)₂Mo₂S₁₂/S cathodes show good electrochemical performance under a wide range of temperatures. In addition, a pouch cell fabricated with (NH₄)₂Mo₂S₁₂/S cathodes maintains a stable output for more than 50 cycles.

Crystal Facet Engineering of MXene-Derived TiN Nanoflakes as Efficient Bidirectional Electrocatalyst for Advanced Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

The design of nanomaterials with grain orientation structure by crystal facet engineering is of great significance for boosting the catalytic ability and electrochemical properties, but the controllable synthesis is still a challenge. Here, TiN nanoflakes with exposed (001) facets are prepared using 2D Ti₃ C₂ MXene as the initial reactant and applied as a bidirectional electrocatalyst for the reduction and oxidation process in lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). The (001) facet-dominated TiN nanoflakes have a strong adsorption capacity for soluble lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). More importantly, theoretical calculations and experiment results confirm the (001) facet-dominated TiN nanoflakes catalyze the conversion of soluble LiPSs to Li₂ S₂ /Li₂ S to induce the Li₂ S uniform deposition in the discharge process and decrease the delithiation barrier of Li₂ S in the charge process. Therefore, the excellent electrochemical properties of LSBs are achieved, which demonstrates a high discharge capacity of 949 mAh g^-1 at 1 C and maintains high capacity reversibility with a decay rate of 0.033% per cycle after 800 cycles.

Three-dimensional nano assembly of nickel cobalt sulphide/polyaniline@polyoxometalate/reduced graphene oxide hybrid with superior lithium storage and electrocatalytic properties for hydrogen evolution reaction

Engineering hierarchical nanostructures with enhanced charge storage capacity and electrochemical activity are vital for the advancement of energy devices. Herein, a highly ordered mesoporous three-dimensional (3D) nano-assembly of Nickel Cobalt Sulphide/Polyaniline @Polyoxometalate/Reduced Graphene Oxide (NiCo₂S₄/PANI@POM/rGO) is prepared first time via a simple route of oxidative polymerization followed by a hydrothermal method. Morphological analysis of the resulting hybrid reveals the sheet-like structures containing a homogeneous assembly of PANI@POM and NiCo₂S₄ on the graphene exterior maintaining huge structural integrity, large surface area and electrochemically active centres. The electrochemical analysis of the nanohybrid as the anode of the lithium-ion battery (LIB) has delivered ultra-huge reversible capacity of 735.5 mA h g^-1 (0.1 A g^-1 after 200 cycles), superb capacity retention (0.161% decay/per cycle at 0.5 A g^-1 for 1000 cycles), and significant rate capability (355.6 mA h g^-1 at 2 A g^-1). The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) measurement also proves remarkable activity, extremely low overpotential and high durability. The extraordinary performance of the nanohybrid is due to the presence of abundant electroactive centres, high surface area and a large number of ion exchange channels. These outstanding results prove the advantages of a combination of NiCo₂S₄, graphene sheets, and PANI@POM in energy devices.

Synergistic Effect between Monodisperse Fe3O4 Nanoparticles and Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanosheets to Promote Polysulfide Conversion in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Effective fabrication of electrocatalysts active in anchoring and converting lithium polysulfides is critical for the manufacturing of high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). In this study, original Fe₃O₄ nanospheres with diameters close to 12 nm were finely dispersed over a porous nitrogen-doped carbon matrix by the freeze-drying method to produce a three-dimensional composite material (nano-Fe₃O₄/PNC) suitable for application as a sulfur host in LSBs. Nano-Fe₃O₄/PNC loaded with sulfur (S@nano-Fe₃O₄/PNC) was used as a cathode in a Li-S cell, whose initial discharge specific capacity reached 1256 mA h g^-1 at a 0.1 C rate. After 100 charge-discharge cycles at a 0.2 C rate, the reversible capacity of S@nano-Fe₃O₄/PNC remained at 745 mA h g^-1, demonstrating a capacity retention rate of 70%. Importantly, a high Coulombic efficiency of more than 99% was achieved, indicating effective inhibition of the polysulfides' "shuttle effect" by nano-Fe₃O₄/PNC. The use of electrolytes containing lithium nitrate further reduces the "shuttle effect" of polysulfides. This study demonstrates the synergistic effect between metal oxide nanoparticles and N-doped carbon, which plays an important role in promoting the adsorption and conversion of polysulfides in LSBs.

Four POM-based complexes modified by multi-nuclear clusters: structures, photocatalytic, supercapacitor and chromogenic properties

Four POM-based complexes were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions by using two kinds of triazole derivatives, namely [Cu2(Cmt)2(OH)Cl(β-Mo8O26)0.5] (1), [Cu(H2O)3(H3/2Tpm)2](HTpm)(PMo12O40)2·4H2O (2), [Cu3Cl2(H2Tpm)2(HTpm)4(PMo12O40)4]·26H2O (3), [Co3(HTpm)6(H2O)2(Mo13O42)2]·21H2O (4) (Cmt = 1-cyclopropylmethyl-1-H-[1,2,4]triazole, Tpm = 4-(3-[1,2,4]triazole-4-propyl)morpholine)....

[Mo3S13]2− as bidirectional cluster catalysts for high-performance Li–S batteries

[Mo3S13]2− bidirectional cluster catalysts combined with mesoporous carbon hollow spheres (MCHS) as a sulfur host material can improve the performance of Li–S batteries.

Organic–inorganic hybrid phosphite-participating S-shaped penta-CeIII incorporated tellurotungstate as electrochemical enzymatic hydrogen peroxide for β-D-glucose detection

Polyoxometalate chemistry has made rapid advances in innovative structural chemistry. The lower valence state and lone electron pair effect of subgroup-valence heteroatom Te(IV) can be introduced into the tungsten-oxygen system...

Graphene-supported polyoxometalate entrapped in MIL-88A network with highly efficient conversion of polysulfides in Li-S batteries

Polyoxometalates (POMs) have been demonstrated to have strong anchoring and efficient catalysis for lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). However, the severe aggregation buries the effective active sites of POMs, along with poor...

A review of size engineering-enabled electrocatalysts for Li-S chemistry

Li-S batteries (LSBs) have received extensive attention owing to their remarkable theoretical capacity (1672 mA h g^-1) and high energy density (2600 W h kg^-1), which are far beyond those of the state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the retarded sulfur reaction kinetics and fatal shuttle effect have hindered the practical implementations of LSBs. In response, constructing electrocatalysts for Li-S systems has been considered an effective strategy to date. Particularly, size engineering-enabled electrocatalysts show high activity in the sulfur redox reaction, considerably contributing to the latest advances in Li-S system research. In this tutorial review, we provide a systematic summary of nano- to atomic-scale electrocatalysts employed in Li-S chemistry, aiming at figuring out the working mechanism of size engineering-enabled electrocatalysts in the sulfur redox reaction and guiding the rational construction of advanced LSBs toward practically viable applications.

Inorganic–organic hybrid supramolecular architectures based on Keggin polyoxometalates and crown ether: synthesis, crystal structure and electrochemical properties

Novel supramolecular assemblies built from Keggin-type polyoxometalate and [18]-crown-6 ether building blocks exhibit unique propeller-like supramolecular host–guest structures.