A Promising Solid-State Synthesis of LiMn FePO Cathode for Lithium-ion Batteries.

LiMnFePO (LMFP) is a significant and cost-effective cathode material for Li-ion batteries, with a higher working voltage than LiFePO (LFP) and improved safety features compared to layered oxide cathodes. However, its commercial application faces challenges due to a need for a synthesis process to overcome the low Li-ion diffusion kinetics and complex phase transitions. Herein, a solid-state synthesis process using LFP and nano LiMnFePO (MF73) is proposed.

Unraveling the Hydrolysis Mechanism of LiPF in Electrolyte of Lithium Ion Batteries.

Lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF) has been the dominant conducting salt in lithium-ion battery (LIB) electrolytes for decades; however, it is extremely unstable in even trace water (ppm level). Interestingly, in pure water, PF does not undergo hydrolysis. Hereby, we present a fresh understanding of the mechanism involved in PF hydrolysis through theoretical and experimental explorations.

Understanding the Insight Mechanism of Chemical-Mechanical Degradation of Layered Co-Free Ni-Rich Cathode Materials: A Review.

Layered Cobalt (Co)-free Nickel (Ni)-rich cathode materials have attracted much attention due to their high energy density and low cost. Still, their further development is hampered by material instability caused by the chemical/mechanical degradation of the material. Although there are numerous doping and modification approaches to improve the stability of layered cathode materials, these approaches are still in the laboratory stage and require further research before commercial application.

Interfacial Model Deciphering High-Voltage Electrolytes for High Energy Density, High Safety, and Fast-Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries.

High-voltage lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) enabled by high-voltage electrolytes can effectively boost energy density and power density, which are critical requirements to achieve long travel distances, fast-charging, and reliable safety performance for electric vehicles. However, operating these batteries beyond the typical conditions of LIBs (4.3 V vs Li/Li ) leads to severe electrolyte decomposition, while interfacial side reactions remain elusive.

Unraveling the New Role of Metal-Organic Frameworks in Designing Silicon Hollow Nanocages for High-Energy Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived materials are attracting considerable attention because of the moldability in compositions and structures, enabling greater performances in diverse applications. However, the nanostructural control of multicomponent MOF-based complexes remains challenging due to the complexity of reaction mechanisms. Herein, we present a surface-induced self-nucleation-growth mechanism for the zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) to prepare a new type of ZIF-8@SiO polyhedral nanoparticles.

Electrolyte Chemistry in 3D Metal Oxide Nanorod Arrays Deciphers Lithium Dendrite-Free Plating/Stripping Behaviors for High-Performance Lithium Batteries.

Lithium dendrite-free deposition is crucial to stabilizing lithium batteries, where the three-dimensional (3D) metal oxide nanoarrays demonstrate an impressive capability to suppress dendrite due to the spatial effect. Herein, we introduce a new insight into the ameliorated lithium plating process on 3D nanoarrays. As a paradigm, novel 3D CuO and Cu nanorod arrays were designed on copper foil.

Insight into the Coprecipitation-Controlled Crystallization Reaction for Preparing Lithium-Layered Oxide Cathodes.

The nucleation and growth of spherical NiCoMn(OH) agglomerates using the hydroxide coprecipitation (HCP) method in the presence of ammonia is investigated through chemical equilibrium calculations and experiments. In the nucleation stage, the transition metal ions in the salt solution gradually complete the nucleation reaction in the diffusion process from pH 5.4 to 11 after dropping into the continuously stirred tank reactor, and then Me(NH) and Me(OH)(s) (Me: Ni, Co, and Mn) reach a dynamic precipitation dissolution equilibrium.

Dimeric Tetrahydroanthracene Regioisomers and Their Monomeric Precursor Produced by HDN10255.

Four new tetrahydroanthracene derivatives (, -) and a known antibiotic, A-39183A (), were discovered from the marine-sponge-derived actinomycete HDN10255. Their structures including absolute configurations were elucidated based upon MS and NMR spectroscopic data, ECD calculations, and biogenetic considerations. Compounds and showed considerable cytotoxicity with the best IC value of 1.

Engineering Sodium-Ion Solvation Structure to Stabilize Sodium Anodes: Universal Strategy for Fast-Charging and Safer Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Sodium-ion batteries are promising alternatives for lithium-ion batteries due to their lower cost caused by global sodium availability. However, the low Coulombic efficiency (CE) of the sodium metal plating/stripping process represents a serious issue for the Na anode, which hinders achieving a higher energy density. Herein, we report that the Na solvation structure, particularly the type and location of the anions, plays a critical role in determining the Na anode performance.

Carbon Nanotubes Coupled with Metal Ion Diffusion Layers Stabilize Oxide Conversion Reactions in High-Voltage Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Creating new architectures combined with super diverse materials for achieving more excellent performances has attracted great attention recently. Herein, we introduce a novel dual metal (oxide) microsphere reinforced by vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and covered with a titanium oxide metal ion-transfer diffusion layer. The CNTs penetrate the oxide particles and buffer structural volume change while enhancing electrical conductivity.

Crystal reconstruction of binary oxide hexagonal nanoplates: monocrystalline formation mechanism and high rate lithium-ion battery applications.

Structural design and/or carbon modification are the most important strategies to improve the performance of materials in many applications, where metal (oxide)-based anode design attracts great attention in metal ion batteries due to their high capacities. However, achieving these two goals within one-step remains challenging due to the lower cost and higher efficiency needed to satisfy the demand in practical application. Herein, we report a new approach for the crystal reconstruction of metal oxides by acetylene treatment, in which a hierarchical binary oxide decorated with carbon (i.

Performance and Stability Improvement of Layered NCM Lithium-Ion Batteries at High Voltage by a Microporous AlO Sol-Gel Coating.

A simple and low-cost polymer-aided sol-gel method was developed to prepare γ-AlO protective layers for LiNiCoMnO (NCM622) cathode materials. The selected polyvinyl alcohol polymer additive not only facilitates the formation of a uniform and thin γ-AlO layer on the irregular and rough cathode particle surface to protect it from corrosion but also serves as a pore-forming agent to generate micropores in the film after sintering to allow fast transport of lithium ions, which guaranteed the excellent and stable battery performance at high working voltage. Detailed studies in the full battery mode showed that the leached corrosion species from the cathode had a more profound harmful effect to the graphite anode, which seemed to be the dominating factor that caused the battery performance decay.

Lithium dendrite-free plating/stripping: a new synergistic lithium ion solvation structure effect for reliable lithium-sulfur full batteries.

A new synergistic lithium ion solvation structure effect tailored by mixed organic/inorganic lithium salts is introduced to mitigate the growth of lithium-dendrites. A uniform lithium plating, lower polarization and higher coulombic efficiency are confirmed by lithium plating/stripping. The effect of different solvation structures was analyzed by Raman spectroscopy and simulations.

Metal-Organic Coordination Strategy for Obtaining Metal-Decorated Mo-Based Complexes: Multi-dimensional Structural Evolution and High-Rate Lithium-Ion Battery Applications.

Multi-dimensional metal oxides have attracted great attention in diverse applications due to their intriguing performances. However, their structural design remains challenging, particularly that based on organic chelation chemistry. Although metal-organic complexes with different architectures have been reported, their structure formation mechanisms are not well understood because of the complex chelation processes.

Bioinspired Architectures and Heteroatom Doping To Construct Metal-Oxide-Based Anode for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The pursuit of increased energy density and longer lifespan lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is urgently needed to satisfy a dramatically increased demand in the energy market. Currently, metal-oxide-based anodes are being intensively studied due to their higher capacities over current graphite anodes. This work introduces a sustainable strategy to construct a metal-oxide-based anode with high capacity and an extremely long lifecycle, in which the features of bioinspired architectures and heteroatom doping can contribute greatly to increased performances.

A new cold-adapted, alkali-stable and highly salt-tolerant esterase from Bacillus licheniformis.

Bacterial esterases and lipases, especially extremozymes attract increasing attention due to various advantages both in good properties and wide applications. In the present study, a cold-adapted, alkali-stable and highly salt-tolerant esterase (Est700) was cloned from Bacillus licheniformis, expressed and purified with a molecular mass of 25 kDa. The optimal temperature of Est700 was 30 °C, with 35% maximal activity retaining at 0 °C.

Assembling metal oxide nanocrystals into dense, hollow, porous nanoparticles for lithium-ion and lithium-oxygen battery application.

New dense hollow porous (DHP) metal oxide nanoparticles that are smaller than 100 nm and composed of Co3O4, FeOx, NiO and MnOx were prepared by densely assembling metal oxide nanocrystals based on the hard-template method using a carbon colloid as a sacrificial core. These nanoparticles are quite different from the traditional particles as their hollow interior originates from the stacking of nanocrystals rather than a spherical shell. The DHP nanoparticles preserve the intriguing properties of nanocrystals and possess desirable surface area and pore volume that enhance the active surface, which ultimately benefits applications such as lithium-ion batteries.

Trace amounts of water-induced distinct growth behaviors of NiO nanostructures on graphene in CO2-expanded ethanol and their applications in lithium-ion batteries.

In this work, we have developed a new method to grow NiO nanomaterials on the surface of graphene nanosheets (GNSs). The morphologies of NiO nanomaterials grown on GNSs could be tailored by trace amounts of water introduced into the mixed solvents of CO2-expanded ethanol (CE). Small and uniform Ni-salt nanoparticles (Ni-salt-NPs) were grown on the surface of graphene oxide (GO) through the decomposition of nickel nitrate directly in CE.

Steaming multiwalled carbon nanotubes via acid vapour for controllable nanoengineering and the fabrication of carbon nanoflutes.

A new concept of steaming multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) via acid vapour was presented for controllable nanoengineering of the MWCNTs. This method is more simple, effective, precisely-controllable and environmentally-friendly compared to traditional ones. Moreover, novel porous carbon nanotubes, named carbon nanoflutes, were fabricated based on this strategy.