Synergistic Combination of Cross-Linked Polymer and Concentrated Ionic Liquid for Electrolytes with High Stability in Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Poly(ethylene oxide)-(PEO-based solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are regarded as excellent candidates for solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs) due to their inherent safety advantages, processability, low cost, and excellent Li+ ion solvation. However, they suffer from limited oxidation stability (up to 4 V vs Li/Li). In this study, a crosslinked polymer-in-concentrated ionic liquid (PCIL) SPE consisting of PEO, -propyl--methylpyrrolidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (CmpyrFSI) ionic liquid (IL), and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) salt is developed.

Advanced High-Voltage Electrolyte Design Using Poly(ethylene Oxide) and High-Concentration Ionic Liquids for All-Solid-State Lithium-Metal Batteries.

Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are among the most promising materials for solid-state lithium metal batteries (LMBs) due to their inherent safety advantages; however, they suffer from insufficient room-temperature ionic conductivity (up to 10 S cm) and limited oxidation stability (<4 V). In this study, a novel "polymer-in-high-concentrated ionic liquid (IL)" (PiHCIL) electrolyte composed of PEO, -propyl--methylpyrrolidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl) imide (CmpyrFSI) IL, and LiFSI is designed. The EO/[Li/IL] ratio has been widely varied, and physical and electrochemical properties have been explored.

Electrolytes for Sodium Ion Batteries: The Current Transition from Liquid to Solid and Hybrid systems.

Sodium-ion batteries (NIBs) have recently garnered significant interest in being employed alongside conventional lithium-ion batteries, particularly in applications where cost and sustainability are particularly relevant. The rapid progress in NIBs will undoubtedly expedite the commercialization process. In this regard, tailoring and designing electrolyte formulation is a top priority, as they profoundly influence the overall electrochemical performance and thermal, mechanical, and dimensional stability.

A Direct Real-Time Observation of Anion Intercalation in Graphite Process and Its Fully Reversibility by SAXS/WAXS Techniques.

The process of anion intercalation in graphite and its reversibility plays a crucial role in the next generation energy-storage devices. Herein the reaction mechanism of the aluminum graphite dual ion cell by operando X-ray scattering from small angles to wide angles is investigated. The staging behavior of the graphite intercalation compound (GIC) formation, its phase transitions, and its reversible process are observed for the first time by directly measuring the repeated intercalation distance, along with the microporosity of the cathode graphite.

Enhanced Li Transport in Ionic Liquid-Based Electrolytes Aided by Fluorinated Ethers for Highly Efficient Lithium Metal Batteries with Improved Rate Capability.

FSI -based ionic liquids (ILs) are promising electrolyte candidates for long-life and safe lithium metal batteries (LMBs). However, their practical application is hindered by sluggish Li transport at room temperature. Herein, it is shown that additions of bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) ether (BTFE) to LiFSI-Pyr FSI ILs can effectively mitigate this shortcoming, while maintaining ILs' high compatibility with lithium metal.

Cathode-Electrolyte Interphase in a LiTFSI/Tetraglyme Electrolyte Promoting the Cyclability of VO.

VO, one of the earliest intercalation-type cathode materials investigated as a Li host, is characterized by an extremely high theoretical capacity (441 mAh g). However, the fast capacity fading upon cycling in conventional carbonate-based electrolytes is an unresolved issue. Herein, we show that using a LiTFSI/tetraglyme (1:1 in mole ratio) electrolyte yields a highly enhanced cycling ability of VO (from 20% capacity retention to 80% after 100 cycles at 50 mA g within 1.

pH Measurements Decipher H/Zn Intercalation Chemistry in High-Performance Aqueous Zn/δ-VO Batteries.

Vanadium oxides have been recognized to be among the most promising positive electrode materials for aqueous zinc metal batteries (AZMBs). However, their underlying intercalation mechanisms are still vigorously debated. To shed light on the intercalation mechanisms, high-performance δ-VO is investigated as a model compound.

A Lithium-Ion Battery using a 3 D-Array Nanostructured Graphene-Sulfur Cathode and a Silicon Oxide-Based Anode.

An efficient lithium-ion battery was assembled by using an enhanced sulfur-based cathode and a silicon oxide-based anode and proposed as an innovative energy-storage system. The sulfur-carbon composite, which exploits graphene carbon with a 3 D array (3DG-S), was synthesized by a reduction step through a microwave-assisted solvothermal technique and was fully characterized in terms of structure and morphology, thereby revealing suitable features for lithium-cell application. Electrochemical tests of the 3DG-S electrode in a lithium half-cell indicated a capacity ranging from 1200 to 1000 mAh g at currents of C/10 and 1 C, respectively.

New Electrode and Electrolyte Configurations for Lithium-Oxygen Battery.

Cathode configurations reported herein are alternative to the most diffused ones for application in lithium-oxygen batteries, using an ionic liquid-based electrolyte. The electrodes employ high surface area conductive carbon as the reaction host, and polytetrafluoroethylene as the binding agent to enhance the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)/oxygen evolution reaction (OER) reversibility. Roll-pressed, self-standing electrodes (SSEs) and thinner, spray deposited electrodes (SDEs) are characterized in lithium-oxygen cells using an ionic liquid (IL) based electrolyte formed by mixing lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) salt and N,N-diethyl-N-(2-methoxyethyl)-N-methylammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (DEMETFSI).

Polyacrylonitrile Separator for High-Performance Aluminum Batteries with Improved Interface Stability.

Herein we report, for the first time, an overall evaluation of commercially available battery separators to be used for aluminum batteries, revealing that most of them are not stable in the highly reactive 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride:aluminum trichloride (EMIMCl:AlCl) electrolyte conventionally employed in rechargeable aluminum batteries. Subsequently, a novel highly stable polyacrylonitrile (PAN) separator obtained by the electrospinning technique for application in high-performance aluminum batteries has been prepared. The developed PAN separator has been fully characterized in terms of morphology, thermal stability, and air permeability, revealing its suitability as a separator for battery applications.

Low-Polarization Lithium-Oxygen Battery Using [DEME][TFSI] Ionic Liquid Electrolyte.

The room-temperature molten salt mixture of N,N-diethyl-N-(2-methoxyethyl)-N-methylammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide ([DEME][TFSI]) and lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) salt is herein reported as electrolyte for application in Li-O batteries. The [DEME][TFSI]-LiTFSI solution is studied in terms of ionic conductivity, viscosity, electrochemical stability, and compatibility with lithium metal at 30 °C, 40 °C, and 60 °C. The electrolyte shows suitable properties for application in Li-O battery, allowing a reversible, low-polarization discharge-charge performance with a capacity of about 13 Ah g-1carbon in the positive electrode and coulombic efficiency approaching 100 %.

An Overview and Future Perspectives of Aluminum Batteries.

A critical overview of the latest developments in the aluminum battery technologies is reported. The substitution of lithium with alternative metal anodes characterized by lower cost and higher abundance is nowadays one of the most widely explored paths to reduce the cost of electrochemical storage systems and enable long-term sustainability. Aluminum based secondary batteries could be a viable alternative to the present Li-ion technology because of their high volumetric capacity (8040 mAh cm(-3) for Al vs 2046 mAh cm(-3) for Li).

A Long-Life Lithium Ion Battery with Enhanced Electrode/Electrolyte Interface by Using an Ionic Liquid Solution.

In this paper, we report an advanced long-life lithium ion battery, employing a Pyr14 TFSI-LiTFSI non-flammable ionic liquid (IL) electrolyte, a nanostructured tin carbon (Sn-C) nanocomposite anode, and a layered LiNi1/3 Co1/3 Mn1/3 O2 (NMC) cathode. The IL-based electrolyte is characterized in terms of conductivity and viscosity at various temperatures, revealing a Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher (VTF) trend. Lithium half-cells employing the Sn-C anode and NMC cathode in the Pyr14 TFSI-LiTFSI electrolyte are investigated by galvanostatic cycling at various temperatures, demonstrating the full compatibility of the electrolyte with the selected electrode materials.

Interphase Evolution of a Lithium-Ion/Oxygen Battery.

A novel lithium-ion/oxygen battery employing Pyr14TFSI-LiTFSI as the electrolyte and nanostructured LixSn-C as the anode is reported. The remarkable energy content of the oxygen cathode, the replacement of the lithium metal anode by a nanostructured stable lithium-alloying composite, and the concomitant use of nonflammable ionic liquid-based electrolyte result in a new and intrinsically safer energy storage system. The lithium-ion/oxygen battery delivers a stable capacity of 500 mAh g(-1) at a working voltage of 2.

A Polymer Lithium-Oxygen Battery.

Herein we report the characteristics of a lithium-oxygen battery using a solid polymer membrane as the electrolyte separator. The polymer electrolyte, fully characterized in terms of electrochemical properties, shows suitable conductivity at room temperature allowing the reversible cycling of the Li-O2 battery with a specific capacity as high as 25,000 mAh gC(-1) reflected in a surface capacity of 12.5 mAh cm(-2).

A new, high energy Sn-C/Li[Li(0.2)Ni(0.4)/3Co(0.4)/3Mn(1.6/3)]O2 lithium-ion battery.

In this paper we report a new, high performance lithium-ion battery comprising a nanostructured Sn-C anode and Li[Li0.2Ni0.4/3Co0.

Electrochemical performance of a graphene nanosheets anode in a high voltage lithium-ion cell.

We demonstrate the feasibility of a lithium ion battery (LIB) using graphene nanosheets (GNS) as the anode in combination with a LiNi(0.5)Mn(1.5)O4 (LNMO) high voltage, spinel-structure cathode.