Recent Progress and Challenges of Li-Rich Mn-Based Cathode Materials for Solid-State Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Li-rich Mn-based (LRM) cathode materials, characterized by their high specific capacity (>250 mAh g¹) and cost-effectiveness, represent promising candidates for next-generation lithium-ion batteries. However, their commercial application is hindered by rapid capacity degradation and voltage fading, which can be attributed to transition metal migration, lattice oxygen release, and the toxicity of Mn ions to the anode solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Recently, the application of LRM cathode in all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) has garnered significant interest, as this approach eliminates the liquid electrolyte, thereby suppressing transition metal crosstalk and solid-liquid interfacial side reactions.

Study on the Commercial Metalized Plastic Current Collector PET-Cu and PP-Cu Toward High-Energy Lithium-Ion Battery.

Commercial metalized plastic current collector (MPCC) is receiving widespread attention from the business and academic communities, due to its properties of excellent electrical conductivity and low mass density. However, the application of MPCC on the side of copper is rarely studied. Herein, sandwich-like polyethylene terephthalate-based (PET) and polypropylene-based (PP) copper (Cu) current collectors via magnetron sputtering and electroplating are fabricated.

A numerical analysis of metal-supported solid oxide fuel cell with a focus on temperature field.

Metal-supported solid oxide fuel cell (MS-SOFC) is very promising for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) due to better mechanical strength, low materials cost, and simplified stack assembling. However, the effects of metal support on the performance and temperature field of MS-SOFC is still necessary for further study. In this study, a three-dimensional multi-physical model is developed to investigate how the use of metal support influence the electrochemical performance and the temperature field of MS-SOFC with a ceria-based electrolyte.

Initial stage oxidation corrosion of commercial ferritic stainless steels with different Cr contents at 650 °C for solid oxide fuel cells.

Selecting adequate ferritic stainless steel (FSS) with a high corrosion resistance and a low cost is critical for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) operating at intermediate temperature. In this study, the corrosion behaviors of four commercial FSSs involving TS430, TY441, YG442, and TY445 with a Cr content ranging from 16.18 wt.

Chemical-Free Recycling of Cathode Material and Aluminum Foil from Waste Lithium-Ion Batteries by Combining Plasma and Ultrasonic Technology.

With the rapid demand for lithium-ion batteries due to the widespread application of electric vehicles, a significant amount of battery electrode pieces requiring urgent treatment are generated during battery production and disposal. The strong bonding caused by the presence of binders makes it challenging to achieve thorough separation between the cathode active materials and Al foil, posing difficulties in efficient battery material recycling. To address this issue, a plasma-ultrasonically combined physical separation method is proposed in this study.

In Situ Polymerization Facilitating Practical High-Safety Quasi-Solid-State Batteries.

Quasi-solid-state batteries (QSSBs) are gaining widespread attention as a promising solution to improve battery safety performance. However, the safety improvement and the underlying mechanisms of QSSBs remain elusive. Herein, a novel strategy combining high-safety ethylene carbonate-free liquid electrolyte and in situ polymerization technique is proposed to prepare practical QSSBs.

Smart Solid-State Interphases Enable High-Safety and High-Energy Practical Lithium Batteries.

With the electrochemical performance of batteries approaching the bottleneck gradually, it is increasingly urgent to solve the safety issue. Herein, all-in-one strategy is ingeniously developed to design smart, safe, and simple (3S) practical pouch-type LiNiCoMnO||Graphite@SiO (NCM811||Gr@SiO) cell, taking full advantage of liquid and solid-state electrolytes. Even under the harsh thermal abuse and high voltage condition (100 °C, 3-4.

Design of Long-Life Wireless Near-Field Hydrogen Gas Sensor.

A compact wireless near-field hydrogen gas sensor is proposed, which detects leaking hydrogen near its source to achieve fast responses and high reliability. A semiconductor-type sensing element is implemented in the sensor, which can provide a significant response in 100 ms when stimulated by pure hydrogen. The overall response time is shortened by orders of magnitude compared to conventional sensors according to simulation results, which will be within 200 ms, compared with over 25 s for spatial concentration sensors under the worst conditions.

Enabling Electrochemical-Mechanical Robustness of Ultra-High Ni Cathode via Self-Supported Primary-Grain-Alignment Strategy.

The electrochemical-mechanical degradation of ultrahigh Ni cathode for lithium-ion batteries is a crucial aspect that limits the cycle life and safety of devices. Herein, the study reports a facile strategy involving rational design of primary grain crystallographic orientation within polycrystalline cathode, which well enhanced its electro-mechanical strength and Li transfer kinetics. Ex situ and in situ experiments/simulations including cross-sectional particle electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), single-particle micro-compression, thermogravimetric analysis combined with mass spectrometry (TGA-MS), and finite element modeling reveal that, the primary-grain-alignment strategy effectively mitigates the particle pulverization, lattice oxygen release thereby enhances battery cycle life and safety.

Realistic fault detection of li-ion battery via dynamical deep learning.

Accurate evaluation of Li-ion battery (LiB) safety conditions can reduce unexpected cell failures, facilitate battery deployment, and promote low-carbon economies. Despite the recent progress in artificial intelligence, anomaly detection methods are not customized for or validated in realistic battery settings due to the complex failure mechanisms and the lack of real-world testing frameworks with large-scale datasets. Here, we develop a realistic deep-learning framework for electric vehicle (EV) LiB anomaly detection.

All-temperature area battery application mechanism, performance, and strategies.

Further applications of electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage stations are limited because of the thermal sensitivity, volatility, and poor durability of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), especially given the urgent requirements for all-climate utilization and fast charging. This study comprehensively reviews the thermal characteristics and management of LIBs in an all-temperature area based on the performance, mechanism, and thermal management strategy levels. At the performance level, the external features of the batteries were analyzed and compared in cold and hot environments.

Ni electrodes with 3D-ordered surface structures for boosting bubble releasing toward high current density alkaline water splitting.

The performance of alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) at high current densities is limited by gas bubble generation on the surface of electrodes, which covers active sites and blocks mass transfer, resulting in lower AWE efficiency. Here, we utilize electro-etching to construct Ni electrodes with hydrophilic and aerophobic surfaces to improve the efficiency of AWE. Ni atoms on the Ni surface can be exfoliated orderly along the crystal planes by electro-etching, forming micro-nano-scale rough surfaces with multiple crystal planes exposed.

Eliminating interfacial O-involving degradation in Li-rich Mn-based cathodes for all-solid-state lithium batteries.

In the pursuit of energy-dense all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSBs), Li-rich Mn-based oxide (LRMO) cathodes provide an exciting path forward with unexpectedly high capacity, low cost, and excellent processibility. However, the cause for LRMO|solid electrolyte interfacial degradation remains a mystery, hindering the application of LRMO-based ASSBs. Here, we first reveal that the surface oxygen instability of LRMO is the driving force for interfacial degradation, which severely blocks the interfacial Li-ion transport and triggers fast battery failure.

The void formation behaviors in working solid-state Li metal batteries.

The fundamental understanding of the elusive evolution behavior of the buried solid-solid interfaces is the major barrier to exploring solid-state electrochemical devices. Here, we uncover the interfacial void evolution principles in solid-state batteries, build a solid-state void nucleation and growth model, and make an analogy with the bubble formation in liquid phases. In solid-state lithium metal batteries, the lithium stripping-induced interfacial void formation determines the morphological instabilities that result in battery failure.

Thermal Runaway of Nonflammable Localized High-Concentration Electrolytes for Practical LiNi Mn Co O |Graphite-SiO Pouch Cells.

With continuous improvement of batteries in energy density, enhancing their safety is becoming increasingly urgent. Herein, practical high energy density LiNi Mn Co O |graphite-SiO pouch cell with nonflammable localized high concentration electrolyte (LHCE) is proposed that presents unique self-discharge characteristic before thermal runaway (TR), thus effectively reducing safety hazards. Compared with the reference electrolyte, pouch cell with nonflammable LHCE can increase self-generated heat temperature by 4.

High stability and high performance nitrogen doped carbon containers for lithium-ion batteries.

For a long time, carbon has been an ideal material for various electrochemical energy storage devices and a key component in electrochemical energy storage systems due to its advantages of rich surface states, easy tenability, and good chemical stability. Stable and high-performance carbon materials can support future applications of high specific energy electrodes. Herein and for the first time, we have designed nitrogen-doped carbon hollow containers using oleylamine-coating TiO mesocrystals as a precursor with a high specific surface area of 1231 m g.

Synergistic Dual-Salt Electrolyte for Safe and High-Voltage LiNiCoMnO//Graphite Pouch Cells.

Concerns about thermal safety and unresolved high-voltage stability have impeded the commercialization of high-energy lithium-ion batteries bearing LiNiCoMnO (NCM811) cathodes. Enhancing the cathode structure and optimizing the electrolyte formula have demonstrated significant potential in improving the high-voltage properties of batteries while simultaneously minimizing thermal hazards. The current study reports the development of a high-voltage lithium-ion battery that is both safe and reliable, using single-crystal NCM811 and a dual-salt electrolyte (DSE).

Comprehensive early warning strategies based on consistency deviation of thermal-electrical characteristics for energy storage grid.

Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO) batteries have been dominant in energy storage systems. However, it is difficult to estimate the state of charge (SOC) and safety early warning of the batteries. To solve these problems, this paper developed a multiple timescale comprehensive early warning strategy based on the consistency deviation of the electrical and thermal characteristics of LiFePO batteries.

In situ observation of thermal-driven degradation and safety concerns of lithiated graphite anode.

Graphite, a robust host for reversible lithium storage, enabled the first commercially viable lithium-ion batteries. However, the thermal degradation pathway and the safety hazards of lithiated graphite remain elusive. Here, solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) decomposition, lithium leaching, and gas release of the lithiated graphite anode during heating were examined by in situ synchrotron X-ray techniques and in situ mass spectroscopy.

Fire boundaries of lithium-ion cell eruption gases caused by thermal runaway.

Lithium-ion batteries are applied in electric vehicles to mitigate climate change. However, their practical applications are impeded by poor safety performance owing mainly to the cell eruption gas (CEG) fire triangle. Here, we report quantitatively the three fire boundaries corresponding to the CEG fire triangle of four types of mainstream cells with the state of charge (SOC) values ranging from 0% to 143% based on 29 thermal runaway tests conducted in an inert atmosphere in open literature.

Drive circuitry of an electric vehicle enabling rapid heating of the battery pack at low temperatures.

Heating battery at low temperatures is fundamental to avoiding the range anxiety and the time-consuming charging associated with electric vehicles (EVs). One method for achieving fast and uniform battery heating is to polarize the cell under pulse currents. However, the on-board implementation of this method leads to an increase in the cost and size.

Probing the Thermal-Driven Structural and Chemical Degradation of Ni-Rich Layered Cathodes by Co/Mn Exchange.

The intrinsic poor thermal stability of layered LiNiCoMnO (NCM) cathodes and the exothermic side reactions triggered by the associated oxygen release are the main safety threats for their large-scale implantation. In the NCM family, it is widely accepted that Ni is the stability troublemaker, while Mn has long been considered as a structure stabilizer, whereas the role of Co remains elusive. Here, via Co/Mn exchange in a Ni-rich LiNiCoMnO cathode, we demonstrate that the chemical and structural stability of the deep delithiated NCM cathodes are significantly dominated by Co rather than the widely reported Mn.

Thermal runaway of Lithium-ion batteries employing LiN(SOF)-based concentrated electrolytes.

Concentrated electrolytes usually demonstrate good electrochemical performance and thermal stability, and are also supposed to be promising when it comes to improving the safety of lithium-ion batteries due to their low flammability. Here, we show that LiN(SOF)-based concentrated electrolytes are incapable of solving the safety issues of lithium-ion batteries. To illustrate, a mechanism based on battery material and characterizations reveals that the tremendous heat in lithium-ion batteries is released due to the reaction between the lithiated graphite and LiN(SOF) triggered thermal runaway of batteries, even if the concentrated electrolyte is non-flammable or low-flammable.

Thermal Runaway Triggered by Plated Lithium on the Anode after Fast Charging.

Battery safety, at the foundation of fast charging, is critical to the application of lithium-ion batteries, especially for high energy density cells applied in electric vehicles. In this paper, an earlier thermal runaway of cells after fast charging application is illustrated. Under this condition, the reaction between the plated lithium and electrolyte is revealed to be the mechanism of thermal runaway triggering.