Enhancing the Cycle Performance of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries by Coating the Separator with a Cation-Selective Polymer Layer.

Lithium-sulfur batteries are believed to possess the feasibility to power electric vehicles in the future ascribed to the competitive energy density. However, soluble polysulfides continuously shuttle between the sulfur electrode and lithium anode across the separator, which dramatically impairs the battery's capacity. Herein, the surface of a polypropylene separator (PP film) is successfully modified with a delicately designed cation-selective polymer layer to suppress the transport of polysulfides.

In situ growth of copper rhodizonate complexes on reduced graphene oxide for high-performance organic lithium-ion batteries.

Novel copper rhodizonate (CPR) complexes are in situ grown on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) through a one-pot hydrothermal method. As anode materials for LIBs, the CPR/rGO composites show outstanding electrochemical lithium-storage performances, benefitting from both the insolubility of CPR in electrolytes and the effective assembly between CPR and rGO.

Flexible, High-Wettability and Fire-Resistant Separators Based on Hydroxyapatite Nanowires for Advanced Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Separators play a pivotal role in the electrochemical performance and safety of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The commercial microporous polyolefin-based separators often suffer from inferior electrolyte wettability, low thermal stability, and severe safety concerns. Herein, a novel kind of highly flexible and porous separator based on hydroxyapatite nanowires (HAP NWs) with excellent thermal stability, fire resistance, and superior electrolyte wettability is reported.

A sulfurization-based oligomeric sodium salt as a high-performance organic anode for sodium ion batteries.

An attractive organic electrode material, oligomeric sodium salt, is prepared by polymerization of chloranilic acid through thioether bonds. It exhibits a superior sodium-storage performance with high specific capacity, good rate capability and excellent cyclability, benefitting from the conjugative effect of the benzene ring group and the intrinsic electrolyte-insoluble ability.