Enhancing Structural Rigidity of Ultrahigh-Ni Oxide Through Al and Nb Dual-Bulk-Doping for High-Voltage Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The pursuit of high energy densities propels the design of next-generation nickel-based layered oxide cathodes. The utilization of low-cobalt, ultrahigh-nickel layered oxide cathodes, and the extension of operating voltages promise enhanced energy density. However, stability and safety face challenges associated with nickel content, including structural degradation, lattice oxygen evolution, and thermal instability.

Surface-Phosphided Metal Oxide Microspheres as Catalytic Host of Sulfur to Enhance the Performance of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are one of the most promising high-energy density secondary batteries due to their high theoretical energy density of 2600 Wh kg. However, the sluggish kinetics and severe "shuttle effect" of polysulfides are the well-known barriers that hinder their practical applications. A carefully designed catalytic host of sulfur may be an effective strategy that not only accelerates the conversion of polysulfides but also limit their dissolution to mitigate the "shuttle effect.

Synergistic Interfacial Optimization for High-Sulfur-Content All-Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Improving the sulfur content in the cathode is essential for achieving high-energy-density all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries (ASSLSBs). However, the complex multiinterfaces, akin to the short wooden planks that consist of the cask, severely limit the performance of ASSLSBs with high sulfur content. Since singular approaches fail to optimize these interfaces simultaneously, we propose a synergistic approach using a dual-doped sulfide solid electrolyte (YS and LiI) and an SbSn alloy sulfur host in this work.

Ga-Doped Ultrahigh-Nickel Oxide Microspheres with Radially Aligned Primary Grains as a Cathode for Stable Cycling Li-Ion Batteries.

Owing to the high energy density, ultrahigh-nickel (Ni > 0.9) layered oxides are used as promising cathode materials for next-generation Li-ion batteries. Unfortunately, the serious pulverization and rapid capacity fading during cycling limit the commercial viability of an ultrahigh-nickel oxide cathode.

La-Doped Ultrahigh-Nickel Layered Oxide Cathode with Enhanced Cycle Stability for Li-Ion Batteries.

Currently, ultrahigh-nickel layered oxide is one of the most promising cathodes for lithium-ion batteries, with the advantages of high theoretical capacity and low cost. However, some problems in ultrahigh-nickel layered oxides are more serious, such as irreversible structural transformation, particle cracking, and side reactions at the electrode/electrolyte interface, resulting in the fast decay of the discharge capacity and midpoint potential. In this work, La doping is introduced into ultrahigh-nickel layered LiNiCoO oxide to improve the cycle stability on both discharge capacity and midpoint potential.

Fast Charge-Transport Interface on Primary Particles Boosts High-Rate Performance of Li-Rich Mn-Based Cathode Materials.

A Li-rich Mn-based layered oxide cathode (LLO) is one of the most promising cathode materials for achieving high-energy lithium-ion batteries. Nevertheless, the intrinsic problems including sluggish kinetics, oxygen evolution, and structural degradation lead to unsatisfactory performance in rate capability, initial Coulombic efficiency, and stability of LLO. Herein, different from the current typical surface modification, an interfacial optimization of primary particles is proposed to improve the simultaneous transport of ions and electrons.

Dimensionally Stable Composite Li Electrode with Cu Skeleton and Lithophilic Li-Mg Alloy Microstructure.

Lithium electrodes have gained increasing attention in recent years for their promising applications in high-energy-density secondary batteries. However, structural instability during cycling remains a considerable obstacle to development. In this study, a dimensionally stable Li-Mg/Cu composite electrode was fabricated.

Organo-Soluble Decanoic Acid-Modified Ni-Rich Cathode Material LiNiCoMnO for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Ni-rich layered oxides as cathode materials deliver a higher capacity than those used currently, in hopes of improving the energy density of Li-ion batteries. However, the surface residual alkali and the interfacial parasitic reactions caused by the rich nickel bring a series of problems such as surface slurrying, structure deterioration, mechanical fracture, and capacity decay. Herein, different from the common surface coating strategies with inorganics, an organo-soluble acid modification approach is proposed to meet the challenges.

The fluctuating standard potential of lithium in organic solvents.

The standard potential of a lithium metal electrode the standard hydrogen electrode was calculated by constructing the thermodynamic cycle in a hypothetical electrochemical cell with a dual-phase electrolyte. It is demonstrated that the standard potential of the lithium metal electrode can fluctuate over 0.5 V in different organic solvents, and is correlated to the modified donor number by the entropy of fusion of the solvents.

Coupling aqueous zinc batteries and perovskite solar cells for simultaneous energy harvest, conversion and storage.

Simultaneously harvesting, converting and storing solar energy in a single device represents an ideal technological approach for the next generation of power sources. Herein, we propose a device consisting of an integrated carbon-based perovskite solar cell module capable of harvesting solar energy (and converting it into electricity) and a rechargeable aqueous zinc metal cell. The electrochemical energy storage cell utilizes heterostructural CoP-CoP-NiCoO nanometric arrays and zinc metal as the cathode and anode, respectively, and shows a capacity retention of approximately 78% after 25000 cycles at 32 A/g.

High-Efficiency Hybrid Sulfur Cathode Based on Electroactive Niobium Tungsten Oxide and Conductive Carbon Nanotubes for All-Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

All-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries (ASSLSBs) have become a promising candidate because of their high energy density and safety. To ensure the high utilization and electrochemical capacity of sulfur in all-solid-state batteries, both the electronic and ionic conductivities of the sulfur cathode should be as high as possible. In this work, an intercalation-conversion hybrid cathode is proposed by distributing sulfur evenly on electroactive niobium tungsten oxide (NbWO) and conductive carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for achieving high performance ASSLSBs.

Elucidating the Effect of the Dopant Ionic Radius on the Structure and Electrochemical Performance of Ni-Rich Layered Oxides for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The merits of Ni-rich layered oxide cathodes in specific capacity and material cost accelerate their practical applications in electric vehicles and grid energy storage. However, detrimental structural deterioration occurs inevitably during long-term cycling, leading to potential instability and capacity decay of the cathodes. In this work, we investigate the effect of the doped cation radius on the electrochemical performance and structural stability of Ni-rich cathode materials by doping with Mg and Ca ions in LiNiCoMnO.

Congener Substitution Reinforced LiPSbSO Glass-Ceramic Electrolytes for All-Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Glass-ceramic sulfide solid electrolytes like LiPS are practicable propellants for safe and high-performance all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries (ASSLSBs); however, the stability and conductivity issues remain unsatisfactory. Herein, we propose a congener substitution strategy to optimize LiPS as LiPSbSO via chemical bond and structure regulation. Specifically, LiPSbSO is obtained by a SbO dopant to achieve partial Sb/P and O/S substitution.

To Promote the Catalytic Conversion of Polysulfides Using Ni-B Alloy Nanoparticles on Carbon Nanotube Microspheres under High Sulfur Loading and a Lean Electrolyte.

Despite their high theoretical energy density, the application of lithium-sulfur batteries is seriously hindered by the polysulfide shuttle and sluggish kinetics, especially with high sulfur loading and under low electrolyte usage. Herein, to facilitate the conversion of lithium polysulfides, nickel-boron (Ni-B) alloy nanoparticles, dispersed uniformly on carbon nanotube microspheres (CNTMs), are used as sulfur hosts for lithium-sulfur batteries. It is demonstrated that Ni-B alloy nanoparticles can not only anchor polysulfides through Ni-S and B-S interactions but also exhibit high electrocatalytic capability toward the conversion of intermediate polysulfide species.

Two-Terminal Perovskite-Based Tandem Solar Cells for Energy Conversion and Storage.

The organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells present a rapid improvement on power conversion efficiency from 3.8% to 25.5% in the past decades.

Crystalline Multi-Metallic Compounds as Host Materials in Cathode for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery is one of the most promising next-generation rechargeable batteries. Lots of fundamental research has been done for the problems during cycling like capacity fading and columbic efficiency reducing owing to severe diffusion and migration of polysulfide intermediates. In the early stage, a wide variety of carbon materials are used as host materials for sulfur to enhance electrical conductivity and adsorb soluble polysulfides.

Yttrium Surface Gradient Doping for Enhancing Structure and Thermal Stability of High-Ni Layered Oxide as Cathode for Li-Ion Batteries.

The high-nickel layered oxides are potential candidate cathode materials of next-generation high energy lithium-ion batteries, in which higher nickel/lower cobalt strategy is effective for increasing specific capacity and reducing cost of cathode. Unfortunately, the fast decay of capacity/potential, and serious thermal concern are critical obstacles for the commercialization of high-nickel oxides due to structural instability. Herein, in order to improve the structure and thermal stability of high-nickel layered oxides, we demonstrate a feasible and simple strategy of the surface gradient doping with yttrium, without forming the hard interface between coating layer and bulk.

From Dendrites to Hemispheres: Changing Lithium Deposition by Highly Ordered Charge Transfer Channels.

Metallic lithium as an anode is an ultimate ideal for rechargeable lithium batteries with high energy density such as lithium-oxygen batteries and lithium-sulfur batteries. However, the excess reactivity and asymmetrical dissolution-deposition of the metallic lithium anode make it impossible to support a stable long charge-discharge cycling. To protect the metallic lithium anode, apparently it needs to adjust the dissolution and deposition of lithium ions, but more essentially, it should reasonably change the distribution and transport of electrons on the surface and interface of the metallic lithium.

Strategy of Enhancing the Volumetric Energy Density for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries hold the promise of the next generation energy storage system beyond state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries. Despite the attractive gravimetric energy density (W ), the volumetric energy density (W ) still remains a great challenge for the practical application, based on the primary requirement of Small and Light for Li-S batteries. This review highlights the importance of cathode density, sulfur content, electroactivity in achieving high energy densities.

Understanding the Structure-Performance Relationship of Lithium-Rich Cathode Materials from an Oxygen-Vacancy Perspective.

Li-rich layered oxide cathode materials are regarded as an attractive candidate of next-generation Li-ion batteries (LIBs) to realize an energy density of >300 Wh kg. However, challenges such as capacity fade, cycle life, oxygen release, and structural transformation still restrain its practical application. Micro/nanotechnology is one of the effective strategies to enhance its structural stability and electrochemical performance.

High Volumetric Energy Density Sulfur Cathode with Heavy and Catalytic Metal Oxide Host for Lithium-Sulfur Battery.

For high-energy lithium-sulfur batteries, the poor volumetric energy density is a bottleneck as compared with lithium-ion batteries, due to the low density of both the sulfur active material and sulfur host. Herein, in order to enhance the volumetric energy density of sulfur cathode, a universal approach is proposed to fabricate a compact sulfur cathode with dense materials as sulfur host, instead of the old-fashioned lightweight carbon nanomaterials. Based on this strategy, heavy lanthanum strontium manganese oxide (LaSrMnO), with a high theoretical density of up to 6.

A simple and rapid protein purification method based on cell-surface display of SUMO-fused recombinant protein and Ulp1 protease.

The development of novel methods for highly efficient protein purification remains a research focus in the biotechnology field because conventional purification approaches, including affinity purification, gel filtration, and ion-exchange chromatography, require complex manipulation steps and are costly. Here, we describe a simple and rapid protein purification strategy in which the SUMO tag and Ulp1 protease are surface-displayed separately on Escherichia coli cells. After protein induction, the cells are harvested, resuspended in cleavage buffer, and incubated together for cleavage.

Spherical Metal Oxides with High Tap Density as Sulfur Host to Enhance Cathode Volumetric Capacity for Lithium-Sulfur Battery.

Effective hosts of sulfur are essential for the application of lithium-sulfur batteries. However, various refined nanomaterials or carbon-based hosts possess low density, high surface area, and large porosity, leading to undesirable reduction on both gravimetric and volumetric energy densities. Herein, spherical metal oxides with high tap density are introduced as carbon-free hosts of sulfur for the first time.