High-Performance Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries of Garnet/Polymer Composite Thin-Film Electrolyte with Domain-Limited Ion Transport Pathways.

The integrated approach of interfacial engineering and composite electrolytes is crucial for the market application of Li metal batteries (LMBs). A 22 μm thin-film type polymer/LiLaZrTaO (LLZTO) composite solid-state electrolyte (LPCE) was designed that combines fast ion conduction and stable interfacial evolution, enhancing lithium metal interface stability and cycling performance. The ether-based molecular coordination groups/clusters formed by triethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TGDE) and anions facilitated the movement of Li between the polymer chain segments.

Stabilizing a LiAlTi(PO)/Li metal anode interface in solid-state batteries with a LiF/Cu-rich multifunctional interlayer.

LiAlTi(PO) (LATP) has attracted much attention due to its high ionic conductivity, good air stability and low cost. However, the practical application of LATP in all-solid-state lithium batteries faces serious challenges, such as high incompatibility with lithium metal and high interfacial impedance. Herein, a CuF composite layer was constructed at a Li/LATP interface by a simple drop coating method.

Anion-modulated Ion Conductor with Chain Conformational Transformation for stabilizing Interfacial Phase of High-Voltage Lithium Metal Batteries.

In solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs), the inhomogeneous electrolyte-electrode interphase layer aggravates the interfacial stability, leading to discontinuous interfacial ion/charge transport and continuous degradation of the electrolyte. Herein, we constructed an anion-modulated ionic conductor (AMIC) that enables in situ construction of electrolyte/electrode interphases for high-voltage SSLMBs by exploiting conformational transitions under multiple interactions between polymer and lithium salt anions. Anions modulate the decomposition behavior of supramolecular poly (vinylene carbonate) (PVC) at the electrode interface by changing the spatial conformation of the polymer chains, which further enhances ion transport and stabilizes the interfacial morphology.

Tailoring Conversion-Reaction-Induced Alloy Interlayer for Dendrite-Free Sulfide-Based All-Solid-State Lithium-Metal Battery.

Utilization of lithium (Li) metal anodes in all-solid-state batteries employing sulfide solid electrolytes is hindered by diffusion-related dendrite growth at high rates of charge. Engineering ex-situ Li-intermetallic interlayers derived from a facile solution-based conversion-alloy reaction is attractive for bypassing the Li0 self-diffusion restriction. However, no correlation is established between the properties of conversion-reaction-induced (CRI) interlayers and the deposition behavior of Li0 in all-solid-state lithium-metal batteries (ASSLBs).

Oxygen Vacancies in Bismuth Tantalum Oxide to Anchor Polysulfide and Accelerate the Sulfur Evolution Reaction in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

The shuttling effect of soluble lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and the sluggish conversion kinetics of polysulfides into insoluble LiS/LiS severely hinders the practical application of Li-S batteries. Advanced catalysts can capture and accelerate the liquid-solid conversion of polysulfides. Herein, we try to make use of bismuth tantalum oxide with oxygen vacancies as an electrocatalyst to catalyze the conversion of LiPSs by reducing the sulfur reduction reaction (SRR) nucleation energy barrier.

Priority and Prospect of Sulfide-Based Solid-Electrolyte Membrane.

All-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs) employing sulfide solid electrolytes (SEs) promise sustainable energy storage systems with energy-dense integration and critical intrinsic safety, yet they still require cost-effective manufacturing and the integration of thin membrane-based SE separators into large-format cells to achieve scalable deployment. This review, based on an overview of sulfide SE materials, is expounded on why implementing a thin membrane-based separator is the priority for mass production of ASSLBs and critical criteria for capturing a high-quality thin sulfide SE membrane are identified. Moreover, from the aspects of material availability, membrane processing, and cell integration, the major challenges and associated strategies are described to meet these criteria throughout the whole manufacturing chain to provide a realistic assessment of the current status of sulfide SE membranes.

Boosting oxygen evolution reaction activity by tailoring MOF-derived hierarchical Co-Ni alloy nanoparticles encapsulated in nitrogen-doped carbon frameworks.

The growing demand for sustainable energy has led to in-depth research on hydrogen production from electrolyzed water, where the development of electrocatalysts is a top priority. We here report a controllable strategy for preparing the cobalt-nickel alloy nanoparticles encapsulated in nitrogen-doped porous carbon by annealing a bimetal-organic framework. The delicately tailored hierarchical CoNi@NC nanoparticles effectively realize abundant synergistic active sites and fast mass transfer for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER).

Confined Lithium Deposition Triggered by an Integrated Gradient Scaffold for a Lithium-Metal Anode.

Constructing a composite lithium anode with a rational structure has been considered as an effective approach to regulate and relieve the tough problems of a sparkling Li anode. However, the potential short circuits risk that Li deposition at the surface of the framework has not yet been resolved. Here, we present a simple regulating-deposition strategy to guide the preferentially bottom-up deposition/growth of Li.

Synergistic Adsorption-Catalytic Sites TiN/TaO with Multidimensional Carbon Structure to Enable High-Performance Li-S Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are deemed to be one of the most optimal solutions for the next generation of high-energy-density and low-cost energy storage systems. However, the low volumetric energy density and short cycle life are a bottleneck for their commercial application. To achieve high energy density for lithium-sulfur batteries, the concept of synergistic adsorptive-catalytic sites is proposed.

Self-Propagating Enabling High Lithium Metal Utilization Ratio Composite Anodes for Lithium Metal Batteries.

Constructing three-dimensional (3D) structural composite lithium metal anode by molten-infusion strategy is an effective strategy to address the severe problems of Li dendritic growth and huge volume changes. However, various challenges, including uncontrollable Li loading, dense inner structure, and low Li utilization, still need to be addressed for the practical application of 3D Li anode. Herein, we propose a self-propagating method, which is realized by a synergistic effect of chemical reaction and capillarity effect on porous scaffold surface, for fabricating a flexible 3D composite Li metal anode with high Li utilization ratio and controllable low Li loading.

Achieving the robust immobilization of CoP nanoparticles in cellulose nanofiber network-derived carbon chemical bonding for a stable potassium ion storage.

Potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) are currently being investigated as a potential alternative to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) because of the natural abundance of K resources. Presently, it is crucial yet challenging to explore suitable anode materials for stable K-storage. Herein, a novel robust CoP-carbon composite with highly dispersed CoP nanoparticles (NPs) immobilized in natural cellulose nanofiber network (CNF)-derived carbon (denoted as CoP@CNFC) is synthesized chemical bonding through a facile hydrothermal and subsequent phosphidation approach.

Self-Chargeable Flexible Solid-State Supercapacitors for Wearable Electronics.

Flexible supercapacitors (SCs) always face the charging issue when they are used in some special situations (e.g., wilderness island) that cannot provide electricity, which would limit the continuous energy supply for the attached wearable electronics.

Prelithiated V C MXene: A High-Performance Electrode for Hybrid Magnesium/Lithium-Ion Batteries by Ion Cointercalation.

The pursuit of high reversible capacity and long cycle life for rechargeable batteries has gained extensive attention in recent years, and the development of applicable electrode materials is the key point. Herein, thanks to the preintercalation of lithium ions, a stable and highly conductive nanostructure of V C MXene is successfully fabricated via a facile self-discharge mechanism, which provides open spaces for rapid ion diffusion and guarantees fast electron transport. Taking the prelithiated V C as electrode, an outstanding initial coulombic efficiency of 80% and an impressive capacity retention of ≈98% after 5000 charge/discharge cycles are achieved for lithium-ion batteries.

Single-Crystal α-FeO with Engineered Exposed (001) Facet for High-Rate, Long-Cycle-Life Lithium-Ion Battery Anode.

Designing electrode materials with engineered exposed facets provides a novel strategy to improve their electrochemical properties. However, the controllability of the exposed facet remains a daunting challenge, and a deep understanding of the correlation between exposed facet and Li-transfer behavior has been rarely reported. In this work, single-crystal α-FeO hexagonal nanosheets with an exposed (001) facet are prepared with the assistance of aluminum ions through a one-step hydrothermal process, and structural characterizations reveal an Al-concentration-dependent-growth mechanism for the α-FeO nanosheets.

High Capacity and Superior Cyclic Performances of All-Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries Enabled by a High-Conductivity LiSnPS Solid Electrolyte.

All-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries (ASSLSBs) employing sulfide-based solid electrolytes have gained widespread attention for their high energy density and intrinsic safety. LiSnPS is identified as one of the most rivaling candidates in sulfide electrolytes. Herein, a highly Li-ion-conductive LiSnPS solid-state electrolyte (SSE) is synthesized via a combination of high-energy ball-milling and heat treatment processes, which is more facile and efficient compared with other previously reported methods.

Early Lithium Plating Behavior in Confined Nanospace of 3D Lithiophilic Carbon Matrix for Stable Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Considerable efforts are devoted to relieve the critical lithium dendritic and volume change problems in the lithium metal anode. Constructing uniform Li distribution and lithium "host" are shown to be the most promising strategies to drive practical lithium metal anode development. Herein, a uniform Li nucleation/growth behavior in a confined nanospace is verified by constructing vertical graphene on a 3D commercial copper mesh.

Realizing a High-Performance Na-Storage Cathode by Tailoring Ultrasmall NaFePOF Nanoparticles with Facilitated Reaction Kinetics.

In this paper, the synthesis of ultrasmall NaFePOF nanoparticles (≈3.8 nm) delicately embedded in porous N-doped carbon nanofibers (denoted as NaFePOF@C) by electrospinning is reported. The as-prepared NaFePOF@C fiber film tightly adherent on aluminum foil features great flexibility and is directly used as binder-free cathode for sodium-ion batteries, exhibiting admirable electrochemical performance with high reversible capacity (117.

Chemical Energy Release Driven Lithiophilic Layer on 1 m Commercial Brass Mesh toward Highly Stable Lithium Metal Batteries.

It is imperative to explore practical methods and materials to drive the development of high energy density lithium metal batteries. The constuciton of nanostructure electrodes and surface engineering on the current collectors are the two most effective strategies to regulate the homogeneous Li plating/stripping to relieve the Li dendrites and infinite volume change problems. Based on the low stacking fault energy of the Cu-Zn alloy, we present a novel chemical energy release induced surface atom diffusion strategy, which is achieved by the negative Gibbs free energy from the surface oxidation reaction and subsequent replacement reaction under thermal treatment in air, to realize a uniform upper ZnO nanoparticles coating.

3D Fiber-Network-Reinforced Bicontinuous Composite Solid Electrolyte for Dendrite-free Lithium Metal Batteries.

Replacement of flammable organic liquid electrolytes with solid Li conductors is a promising approach to realize excellent performance of Li metal batteries. However, ceramic electrolytes are either easily reduced by Li metal or penetrated by Li dendrites through their grain boundaries, and polymer electrolytes are also faced with instability on the electrode/electrolyte interface and weak mechanical property. Here, we report a three-dimensional fiber-network-reinforced bicontinuous solid composite electrolyte with flexible Li-conductive network (lithium aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP)/polyacrylonitrile), which helps to enhance electrochemical stability on the electrode/electrolyte interface by isolating Li and LATP and suppress Li dendrites growth by mechanical reinforcement of fiber network for the composite solid electrolyte.

Confined Porous Graphene/SnOx Frameworks within Polyaniline-Derived Carbon as Highly Stable Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes.

Tin oxides are promising anode materials for their high theoretical capacities in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, poor stability usually limits the practical application owing to the large volume variation during the cycling process. Herein, a novel carbon confined porous graphene/SnOx framework was designed using a silica template assisted nanocasting method followed by a polyaniline-derived carbon coating process.

High nitrogen-containing cotton derived 3D porous carbon frameworks for high-performance supercapacitors.

Supercapacitors fabricated by 3D porous carbon frameworks, such as graphene- and carbon nanotube (CNT)-based aerogels, have been highly attractive due to their various advantages. However, their high cost along with insufficient yield has inhibited their large-scale applications. Here we have demonstrated a facile and easily scalable approach for large-scale preparing novel 3D nitrogen-containing porous carbon frameworks using ultralow-cost commercial cotton.

Hollow Core-Shell SnO2/C Fibers as Highly Stable Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Given their competitive prospects for energy storage, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have attracted ever-intensive research interest. However, the large volume changes during cycling and structural pulverization significantly hinder the cycling stability and high capacity for lithium-alloy electrodes. Herein, novel one-dimensional (1D) hollow core-shell SnO2/C fibers were synthesized by facile coaxial electrospinning.

A versatile strategy toward binary three-dimensional architectures based on engineering graphene aerogels with porous carbon fabrics for supercapacitors.

Graphene-based supercapacitors and related flexible devices have attracted great attention because of the increasing demands in the energy storage. As promising three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures in the supercapacitor electrodes, graphene-based aerogels have been paid dramatic attention recently, and numerous methods have been developed for enhancing their performance in energy storage. In this study, an exclusive strategy is presented toward directly in situ growing reduced graphene oxide (RGO) aerogels inside the 3D porous carbon fabrics for engineering the interfaces of the resulting binary 3D architectures.

Interfacial engineering of carbon nanofiber-graphene-carbon nanofiber heterojunctions in flexible lightweight electromagnetic shielding networks.

Lightweight carbon materials of effective electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding have attracted increasing interest because of rapid development of smart communication devices. To meet the requirement in portable electronic devices, flexible shielding materials with ultrathin characteristic have been pursued for this purpose. In this work, we demonstrated a facile strategy for scalable fabrication of flexible all-carbon networks, where the insulting polymeric frames and interfaces have been well eliminated.