An Antiaging Electrolyte Additive for High‐Energy‐Density Lithium‐Ion Batteries

High‐capacity Li‐rich layered oxide cathodes along with Si‐incorporated graphite anodes have high reversible capacity, outperforming the electrode materials used in existing commercial products. Hence, they are potential candidates for the development of high‐energy‐density lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). However, structural degradation induced by loss of interfacial stability is a roadblock to their practical use. Here, the use of malonic acid‐decorated fullerene (MA‐C₆₀) with superoxide dismutase activity and water scavenging capability as an electrolyte additive to overcome the structural instability of high‐capacity electrodes that hampers the battery quality is reported. Deactivation of PF₅ by water scavenging leads to the long‐term stability of the interfacial structures of electrodes. Moreover, an MA‐C₆₀‐added electrolyte deactivates the reactive oxygen species and constructs an electrochemically robust cathode‐electrolyte interface for Li‐rich cathodes. This work paves the way for new possibilities in the design of electrolyte additives by eliminating undesirable reactive substances and tuning the interfacial structures of high‐capacity electrodes in LIBs.     

KVOPO4: A New High Capacity Multielectron Na‐Ion Battery Cathode

Sodium ion batteries have attracted much attention in recent years, due to the higher abundance and lower cost of sodium, as an alternative to lithium ion batteries. However, a major challenge is their lower energy density. In this work, we report a novel multi‐electron cathode material, KVOPO₄, for sodium ion batteries. Due to the unique polyhedral framework, the V³⁺ ? V⁴⁺ ? V⁵⁺ redox couple was for the first time fully activated by sodium ions in a vanadyl phosphate phase. The KVOPO₄ based cathode delivered reversible multiple sodium (i.e. maximum 1.66 Na⁺ per formula unit) storage capability, which leads to a high specific capacity of 235 Ah kg^?1. Combining an average voltage of 2.56 V vs. Na/Na⁺, a high practical energy density of over 600 Wh kg^?1 was achieved, the highest yet reported for any sodium cathode material. The cathode exhibits a very small volume change upon cycling (1.4% for 0.64 sodium and 8.0% for 1.66 sodium ions). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that the KVOPO₄ framework is a 3D ionic conductor with a reasonably, low Na⁺ migration energy barrier of ≈450 meV, in line with the good rate capability obtained.     

Hard Carbon Anodes and Novel Electrolytes for Long‐Cycle‐Life Room Temperature Sodium‐Sulfur Full Cell Batteries

A novel combination of hard carbon anode sodium pre‐loading and a tailored electrolyte is used to prepare room temperature sodium‐sulfur full cell batteries. The electrochemical loading with sodium ions is realized in a specific mixture of diethyl carbonate, ethylene carbonate, and fluoroethylene carbonate electrolyte in order to create a first solid electrolyte interface (SEI) on the anode surface. Combining such anodes with a porous carbon/sulfur composite cathode results in full cells with a significantly decreased polysulfide shuttle when compared to half cells combined with metallic sodium anodes. Further optimization involves the use of Na₂S/P₂S₅ doped tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether based electrolyte in the full cell for the formation of a second SEI, reducing polysulfide shuttle even further. More importantly, the electrochemical discharge processes in the cell are improved by adding this dissolved complexation agent to the electrolyte. As a result of this combination sodium‐sulfur cells with tailored cathode materials and electrolytes can achieve high discharge capacities up to 980 mAh g^?1_sulfur and 1000 cycles with 200 mAh g^?1_sulfur remaining capacity, at room temperature.     

Progress in High‐Voltage Cathode Materials for Rechargeable Sodium‐Ion Batteries

Room‐temperature rechargeable sodium‐ion batteries are considered as a promising alternative technology for grid and other storage applications due to their competitive cost benefit and sustainable resource supply, triumphing other battery systems on the market. To facilitate the practical realization of the sodium‐ion technology, the energy density of sodium‐ion batteries needs to be boosted to the level of current commercial Li‐ion batteries. An effective approach would be to elevate the operating voltage of the battery, which requires the use of electrochemically stable cathode materials with high voltage versus Na⁺/Na. This review summarizes the recent progress with the emerging high‐voltage cathode materials for room‐temperature sodium‐ion batteries, which include layered transitional‐metal oxides, Na‐rich materials, and polyanion compounds. The key challenges and corresponding strategies for these materials are also discussed, with an emphasis placed on the intrinsic structural properties, Na storage electrochemistry, and the voltage variation tendency with respect to the redox reactions. The insights presented in this article can serve as a guide for improving the energy densities of room‐temperature Na‐ion batteries.     

An Organic Anode for High Temperature Potassium‐Ion Batteries

The wide applications of rechargeable batteries require state‐of‐the‐art batteries that are sustainable (abundant resource), tolerant to high‐temperature operations, and excellent in delivering high capacity and long‐term cycling life. Due to the scarcity and uneven distribution of lithium, it is urgent to develop alternative rechargeable batteries. Herein, an organic compound, azobenzene‐4,4′‐dicarboxylic acid potassium salts (ADAPTS) is developed, with an azo group as the redox center for high performance potassium‐ion batteries (KIBs). The extended π‐conjugated structure in ADAPTS and surface reactions between ADAPTS and K‐ions enable the stable charge/discharge of K‐ion batteries even at high temperatures up to 60 °C. When operated at 50 °C, ADAPTS anode delivers a reversible capacity of 109 mAh g^?1 at 1C for 400 cycles. A reversible capacity of 77 mAh g^?1 is retained at 2C for 1000 cycles. At 60 °C, the ADAPTS‐based KIBs deliver a high capacity of 113 mAh g^?1 with 81% capacity retention at 2C after 80 cycles. The exceptional electrochemical performance demonstrates that ADAPTS is a promising electrode material for high‐temperature KIBs.     

Graphite as Cointercalation Electrode for Sodium‐Ion Batteries: Electrode Dynamics and the Missing Solid Electrolyte Interphase (SEI)

The intercalation of solvated sodium ions into graphite from ether electrolytes was recently discovered to be a surprisingly reversible process. The mechanisms of this “cointercalation reaction” are poorly understood and commonly accepted design criteria for graphite intercalation electrodes do not seem to apply. The excellent reversibility despite the large volume expansion, the small polarization and the puzzling role of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) are particularly striking. Here, in situ electrochemical dilatometry, online electrochemical mass spectrometry (OEMS), a variety of other methods among scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) as well as theory to advance the understanding of this peculiar electrode reaction are used. The electrode periodically “breathes” by about 70–100% during cycling yet excellent reversibility is maintained. This is because the graphite particles exfoliate to crystalline platelets but do not delaminate. The speed at which the electrode breathes strongly depends on the state of discharge/charge. Below 0.5 V versus Na⁺/Na, the reaction behaves more pseudocapacitive than Faradaic. Despite the large volume changes, OEMS gas analysis shows that electrolyte decomposition is largely restricted to the first cycle only. Combined with TEM analysis and the electrochemical results, this suggests that the reaction is likely the first example of a SEI‐free graphite anode.     

“Water‐in‐Salt” Electrolyte Makes Aqueous Sodium‐Ion Battery Safe,Green, and Long‐Lasting

Narrow electrochemical stability window (1.23 V) of aqueous electrolytes is always considered the key obstacle preventing aqueous sodium‐ion chemistry of practical energy density and cycle life. The sodium‐ion water‐in‐salt electrolyte (NaWiSE) eliminates this barrier by offering a 2.5 V window through suppressing hydrogen evolution on anode with the formation of a Na⁺‐conducting solid‐electrolyte interphase (SEI) and reducing the overall electrochemical activity of water on cathode. A full aqueous Na‐ion battery constructed on Na_0.66[Mn_0.66Ti_0.34]O₂ as cathode and NaTi₂(PO₄)₃ as anode exhibits superior performance at both low and high rates, as exemplified by extraordinarily high Coulombic efficiency (>99.2%) at a low rate (0.2 C) for >350 cycles, and excellent cycling stability with negligible capacity losses (0.006% per cycle) at a high rate (1 C) for >1200 cycles. Molecular modeling reveals some key differences between Li‐ion and Na‐ion WiSE, and identifies a more pronounced ion aggregation with frequent contacts between the sodium cation and fluorine of anion in the latter as one main factor responsible for the formation of a dense SEI at lower salt concentration than its Li cousin.     

Aqueous Electrochemical Energy Storage with a Mediator‐Ion Solid Electrolyte

This study presents a battery concept with a “mediator‐ion” solid electrolyte for the development of next‐generation electrochemical energy storage technologies. The active anode and cathode materials in a single cell can be in the solid, liquid, or gaseous form, which are separated by a sodium‐ion solid‐electrolyte separator. The uniqueness of this mediator‐ion strategy is that the redox reactions at the anode and the cathode are sustained by a shuttling of a mediator sodium ion between the anolyte and the catholyte through the solid‐state electrolyte. Use of the solid‐electrolyte separator circumvents the chemical‐crossover problem between the anode and the cathode, overcomes the dendrite‐problem when employing metal‐anodes, and offers the possibility of using different liquid electrolytes at the anode and the cathode in a single cell. The battery concept is demonstrated with two low‐cost metal anodes (zinc and iron), two liquid cathodes (bromine and potassium ferricyanide), and one gaseous cathode (air/O₂) with a sodium‐ion solid electrolyte. This novel battery strategy with a mediator‐ion solid electrolyte is applicable to a wide range of electrochemical energy storage systems with a variety of cathodes, anodes, and mediator‐ion solid electrolytes.     

Best Practices for Mitigating Irreversible Capacity Loss of Negative Electrodes in Li‐Ion Batteries

Development of high performance lithium‐ion (Li‐ion) power packs is a topic receiving significant attention in research today. Future development of the Li‐ion power packs relies on the development of high capacity and high rate anodes. More specifically, materials undergo either conversion or an alloying mechanism with Li. However, irreversible capacity loss (ICL) is one of the prime issues for this type of negative electrode. Traditional insertion‐type materials also experience ICL, but it is considered negligible. Therefore, eliminating ICL is crucial before the fabrication of practical Li‐ion cells with conventional cathodes such as LiFePO₄, LiMn₂O₄, etc. There are numerous methods for eliminating ICL such as pre‐treating the electrode, usage of stabilized Li metal powder, chemical and electrochemical lithiation, sacrificial salts for both anode and cathode, etc. The research strategies that have been explored are reviewed here in regards to the elimination of ICL from the high capacity anodes as described. Additionally, mitigating ICL observed from the carbonaceous anodes is discussed and compared.     

Li+ Pre‐Insertion Leads to Formation of Solid Electrolyte Interface on TiO2 Nanotubes That Enables High‐Performance Anodes for Sodium Ion Batteries

Recently, sodium ion batteries (SIBs) have been widely investigated as one of the most promising candidates for replacing lithium ion batteries (LIBs). For SIBs or LIBs, designing a stable and uniform solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) at the electrode–electrolyte interface is the key factor to provide high capacity, long‐term cycling, and high‐rate performance. In this paper, it is described how a remarkably enhanced SEI layer can be obtained on TiO₂ nanotube (TiO₂ NTs) arrays that allows for a strongly improved performance of sodium battery systems. Key is that a Li⁺ pre‐insertion in TiO₂ NTs can condition the SEI for Na⁺ replacement. SIBs constructed with Li‐pre‐inserted NTs deliver an exceptional Na⁺ cycling stability (e.g., 99.9 ± 0.1% capacity retention during 250 cycles at a current rate of 50 mA g^?1) and an excellent rate capability (e.g., 132 mA h g^?1 at a current rate of 1 A g^?1). The key factor in this outstanding performance is that Li‐pre‐insertion into TiO₂ NTs leads not only to an enhanced electronic conductivity in the tubes, but also expands the anatase lattice for facilitated subsequent Na⁺ cycling.     

A High‐Energy NASICON‐Type Cathode Material for Na‐Ion Batteries

Over the last decade, Na‐ion batteries have been extensively studied as low‐cost alternatives to Li‐ion batteries for large‐scale grid storage applications; however, the development of high‐energy positive electrodes remains a major challenge. Materials with a polyanionic framework, such as Na superionic conductor (NASICON)‐structured cathodes with formula Na_xM₂(PO₄)₃, have attracted considerable attention because of their stable 3D crystal structure and high operating potential. Herein, a novel NASICON‐type compound, Na₄MnCr(PO₄)₃, is reported as a promising cathode material for Na‐ion batteries that deliver a high specific capacity of 130 mAh g^?1 during discharge utilizing high‐voltage Mn^2+/3+ (3.5 V), Mn^3+/4+ (4.0 V), and Cr^3+/4+ (4.35 V) transition metal redox. In addition, Na₄MnCr(PO₄)₃ exhibits a high rate capability (97 mAh g^?1 at 5 C) and excellent all‐temperature performance. In situ X‐ray diffraction and synchrotron X‐ray diffraction analyses reveal reversible structural evolution for both charge and discharge.     

A High‐Throughput Search for Functionally Stable Interfaces in Sulfide Solid‐State Lithium Ion Conductors

Interfacial reactions between ceramic‐sulfide solid‐electrolytes and common electrodes have remained a major impediment to the development of solid‐state lithium‐ion batteries. In practice, this means that ceramic‐sulfide batteries require a suitable coating material to isolate the electrolyte from the electrode materials. In this work, the interfacial stability of Li₁₀SiP₂S₁₂ with over 67 000 materials is computationally evaluated. Over 2000 materials that are predicted to form stable interfaces in the cathode voltage range and over 1000 materials for the anode range are reported on and cataloged. LiCoO₂ is chosen as an example cathode material to identify coating compounds that are stable with both Li₁₀SiP₂S₁₂ and a common cathode. The correlation between elemental composition and multiple instability metrics (e.g., chemical/electrochemical) is analyzed, revealing key trends in, amongst others, the role of anion selection. A new binary‐search algorithm is introduced for evaluating the pseudo‐phase with improved speed and accuracy. Computational challenges posed by high‐throughput interfacial phase‐diagram calculations are highlighted as well as pragmatic computational methods to make such calculations routinely feasible. In addition to the over 3000 materials cataloged, representative materials from the anionic classes of oxides, fluorides, and sulfides are chosen to experimentally demonstrate chemical stability when in contact with Li₁₀SiP₂S₁₂.     

Transition Metal Oxide Anodes for Electrochemical Energy Storage in Lithium‐ and Sodium‐Ion Batteries

Lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) with outstanding energy and power density have been extensively investigated in recent years, rendering them the most suitable energy storage technology for application in emerging markets such as electric vehicles and stationary storage. More recently, sodium, one of the most abundant elements on earth, exhibiting similar physicochemical properties as lithium, has been gaining increasing attention for the development of sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) in order to address the concern about Li availability and cost—especially with regard to stationary applications for which size and volume of the battery are of less importance. Compared with traditional intercalation reactions, conversion reaction‐based transition metal oxides (TMOs) are prospective anode materials for rechargeable batteries thanks to their low cost and high gravimetric specific capacities. In this review, the recent progress and remaining challenges of conversion reactions for LIBs and SIBs are discussed, covering an overview about the different synthesis methods, morphological characteristics, as well as their electrochemical performance. Potential future research directions and a perspective toward the practical application of TMOs for electrochemical energy storage are also provided.     

Na‐Ion Batteries for Large Scale Applications: A Review on Anode Materials and Solid Electrolyte Interphase Formation

The urgent need for optimizing the available energy through smart grids and efficient large‐scale energy storage systems is pushing the construction and deployment of Li‐ion batteries in the MW range which, in the long term, are expected to hit the GW dimension while demanding over 1000 ton of positive active material per system. This amount of Li‐based material is equivalent to almost 1% of current Li consumption and can strongly influence the evolution of the lithium supply and cost. Given this uncertainty, it becomes mandatory to develop an energy storage technology that depends on almost infinite and widespread resources: Na‐ion batteries are the best technology for large‐scale applications. With small working cells in the market that cannot compete in cost ($/W h) with commercial Li‐ion batteries, the consolidation of Na‐ion batteries mainly depends on increasing their energy density and stability, the negative electrodes being at the heart of these two requirements. Promising Na‐based negative electrodes for large‐scale battery applications are reviewed, along with the study of the solid electrolyte interphase formed in the anode surface, which is at the origin of most of the stability problems.     

Fast Sodium Storage in TiO2@CNT@C Nanorods for High‐Performance Na‐Ion Capacitors

Na‐ion capacitors have attracted extensive interest due to the combination of the merits of high energy density of batteries and high power density as well as long cycle life of capacitors. Here, a novel Na‐ion capacitor, utilizing TiO₂@CNT@C nanorods as an intercalation‐type anode and biomass‐derived carbon with high surface area as an ion adsorption cathode in an organic electrolyte, is reported. The advanced architecture of TiO₂@CNT@C nanorods, prepared by electrospinning method, demonstrates excellent cyclic stability and outstanding rate capability in half cells. The contribution of extrinsic pseudocapacitance affects the rate capability to a large extent, which is identified by kinetics analysis. A key finding is that ion/electron transfer dynamics of TiO₂@CNT@C could be effectively enhanced due to the addition of multiwalled carbon nanotubes. Also, the biomass‐derived carbon with high surface area displays high specific capacity and excellent rate capability. Owing to the merits of structures and excellent performances of both anode and cathode materials, the assembled Na‐ion capacitors provide an exceptionally high energy density (81.2 W h kg^?1) and high power density (12 400 W kg^?1) within 1.0–4.0 V. Meanwhile, the Na‐ion capacitors achieve 85.3% capacity retention after 5000 cycles tested at 1 A g^?1.     

Capturing Reversible Cation Migration in Layered Structure Materials for Na‐Ion Batteries

Na‐ion batteries are promising for large‐scale energy storage due to the low cost and earth abundance of the sodium resource. Despite tremendous efforts being made to improve the battery performance, some fundamental mechanism issues still are not sufficiently understood. One such issue in the most popularized layered structure materials is the potential cation migration into sodium layers, which would highly affect the energy efficiency thus hindering its widespread use in the future. Here a systematic study of the cation migration in layered structure materials is presented and its relationship with voltage hysteresis is disclosed. Using the high‐angle annular dark field‐scanning transmission electron microscopy and in operando X‐ray diffraction as implements, for the first time, the reversible migration of the transition metal between transition metal layers and sodium layers is captured. The research inspires a novel insight into the cation migration related layered materials, which should be considered for future battery design toward conventional use.