Upgrading traditional liquid electrolyte via in situ gelation for future lithium metal batteries.

High-energy lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are expected to play important roles in the next-generation energy storage systems. However, the uncontrolled Li dendrite growth in liquid electrolytes still impedes LMBs from authentic commercialization. Upgrading the traditional electrolyte system from liquid to solid and quasi-solid has therefore become a key issue for prospective LMBs.

Graphitic Nanocarbon-Selenium Cathode with Favorable Rate Capability for Li-Se Batteries.

A well-organized selenium/carbon nanosheets nanocomposite(Se/CNSs) is prepared by confining chain-like Se molecules in hierarchically micromesoporous carbon nanosheets. A unique two-dimensional morphology and high graphitization degree of carbon nanosheets benefits fast Li/e access to the active Se, which guarantees a high utilization of Se during the(de)lithiation process. Besides, the chain-like Se molecules confined in the carbon matrix could alleviate the shuttle effect of polyselenides and promise a stable electrochemistry.

Wet Chemistry Synthesis of Multidimensional Nanocarbon-Sulfur Hybrid Materials with Ultrahigh Sulfur Loading for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

An optimized nanocarbon-sulfur cathode material with ultrahigh sulfur loading of up to 90 wt % is realized in the form of sulfur nanolayer-coated three-dimensional (3D) conducting network. This 3D nanocarbon-sulfur network combines three different nanocarbons, as follows: zero-dimensional carbon nanoparticle, one-dimensional carbon nanotube, and two-dimensional graphene. This 3D nanocarbon-sulfur network is synthesized by using a method based on soluble chemistry of elemental sulfur and three types of nanocarbons in well-chosen solvents.

Accommodating lithium into 3D current collectors with a submicron skeleton towards long-life lithium metal anodes.

Lithium metal is one of the most attractive anode materials for electrochemical energy storage. However, the growth of Li dendrites during electrochemical deposition, which leads to a low Coulombic efficiency and safety concerns, has long hindered the application of rechargeable Li-metal batteries. Here we show that a 3D current collector with a submicron skeleton and high electroactive surface area can significantly improve the electrochemical deposition behaviour of Li.

Modulation of phase behaviors and charge carrier mobilities by linkage length in discotic liquid crystal dimers.

A clear structure-property relationship was revealed in a series of triphenylene-based dimers, which contained two triphenylene nuclei each bearing five β-OC4H9 substituents and are linked through a flexible O(CH2)nO polymethylene chain (n=6-12). Dimers with the linkage close to twice the length of the free side chains (n=8, 9) exhibited a single Colhp phase, while others with the linkage shorter (n=6, 7) or longer (n=10, 11, 12) showed multiphase behaviors with a transition from the Colhp phase to Colh phase; hole mobilities of Colhp phases reached 1.4×10(-2) cm2 V(-1) s(-1) in the dimer for which the linkage is exactly twice the length of the free side chains (n=8), and decreased regularly both with linkage length becoming shorter or longer.