Key Anodic Interfacial Phenomena and their Control in Next-Generation Lithium and Sodium Metal Batteries.

Advancing next-generation battery technologies requires a thorough understanding of the intricate phenomena occurring at anodic interfaces. This focused review explores key interfacial processes, examining their thermodynamics and consequences in ion transport and charge transfer kinetics. It begins with a discussion on the formation of the electro chemical double layer, based on the GuoyChapman model, and explores how charge carriers achieve equilibrium at the interface.

How the Kinetic Balance Between Charge-Transfer and Mass-Transfer Influences Zinc Anode Stability: An Ultramicroelectrode Study.

Aqueous zinc-metal batteries (AZMBs) represent a promising frontier in battery technology, offering sustainable and safe alternatives to traditional non-aqueous batteries. Despite their potential, understanding the kinetics of zinc electrodeposition-a critical factor in AZMB performance-remains underexplored. Utilizing voltammetry on ultramicroelectrodes, we investigate how scan rate influences key processes of nucleation and growth during Zn electrodeposition.

Adsorbed microdroplets are mobile at the nanoscale.

The extraordinary chemistry of microdroplets has reshaped how we as a community think about reactivity near multiphase boundaries. Even though interesting physico-chemical properties of microdroplets have been reported, "sessile" droplets' inherent mobility, which has been implicated as a driving force for curious chemistry, has not been well established. This paper seeks to answer the question: Can adsorbed microdroplets be mobile at the nanoscale? This is a tantalizing question, as almost no measurement technique has the spatiotemporal resolution to answer it.

Single Entity Electrocatalysis.

Making a measurement over millions of nanoparticles or exposed crystal facets seldom reports on reactivity of a single nanoparticle or facet, which may depart drastically from ensemble measurements. Within the past 30 years, science has moved toward studying the reactivity of single atoms, molecules, and nanoparticles, one at a time. This shift has been fueled by the realization that everything changes at the nanoscale, especially important industrially relevant properties like those important to electrocatalysis.

Understanding dynamic voltammetry in a dissolving microdroplet.

Droplet evaporation and dissolution phenomena are pervasive in both natural and artificial systems, playing crucial roles in various applications. Understanding the intricate processes involved in the evaporation and dissolution of sessile droplets is of paramount importance for applications such as inkjet printing, surface coating, and nanoparticle deposition, . In this study, we present a demonstration of electrochemical investigation of the dissolution behaviour in sub-nL droplets down to sub-pL volume.

Amplifying the electrochemical footprint of <1000 molecules in a dissolving microdroplet.

The ability of analytical strategies to detect and positively identify molecules under extremely dilute conditions is important for the growth and expansion of analytical techniques and instrumentation. At present, few measurement science techniques can robustly approach the measurement of just a few thousand molecules. Here, we present an electrochemical platform for the detection and positive identification of fewer than 1000 molecules of decamethylferrocene ((Cp*)Fe).

Concentration Enrichment in a Dissolving Microdroplet: Accessing Sub-nanomolar Electroanalysis.

Droplet evaporation has previously been used as a concentration enrichment strategy; however, the measurement technique of choice requires quantification in rather large volumes. Electrochemistry has recently emerged as a method to robustly probe volumes even down to the attoliter (10 L) level. We present a concentration enrichment strategy based on the dissolution of a microdroplet placed on the surface of a Au ultramicroelectrode (radius ∼ 6.

For Zinc Metal Batteries, How Many Electrons go to Hydrogen Evolution? An Electrochemical Mass Spectrometry Study.

Despite the advantages of aqueous zinc (Zn) metal batteries (AZMB) like high specific capacity (820 mAh g and 5,854 mAh cm ), low redox potential (-0.76 V vs. the standard hydrogen electrode), low cost, water compatibility, and safety, the development of practically relevant batteries is plagued by several issues like unwanted hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), corrosion of Zn substrate (insulating ZnO, Zn(OH) , Zn(SO ) (OH) , Zn(ClO ) (OH) etc.

Measuring Liquid-into-Liquid Diffusion Coefficients by Dissolving Microdroplet Electroanalysis.

Diffusion is a fundamental process in various domains, such as pollution control, drug delivery, and isotope separation. Accurately measuring the diffusion coefficients () of one liquid into another often encounters challenges stemming from intermolecular interactions, precise observations at the liquid interface, convection, etc. Here, we present an innovative electrochemical methodology for determining the diffusion coefficient of a liquid into another liquid.

Mitigating Dendrite Formation on a Zn Electrode in Aqueous Zinc Chloride by the Competitive Surface Chemistry of an Imidazole Additive.

Electrochemical energy storage systems are critical in several ways for a smooth transition from nonrenewable to renewable energy sources. Zn-based batteries are one of the promising alternatives to the existing state-of-the-art Li-ion battery technology, since Li-ion batteries pose significant drawbacks in terms of safety and cost-effectiveness. Zn (with a reduction potential of -0.