Recycled Tandem Catalysts Promising Ultralow Overpotential Li-CO Batteries.

Lithium-carbon dioxide (Li-CO ) batteries are regarded as a prospective technology to relieve the pressure of greenhouse emissions but are confronted with sluggish CO redox kinetics and low energy efficiency. Developing highly efficient and low-cost catalysts to boost bidirectional activities is craved but remains a huge challenge. Herein, derived from the spent lithium-ion batteries, a tandem catalyst is subtly synthesized and significantly accelerates the CO reduction and evolution reactions (CO RR and CO ER) kinetics with an in-built electric field (BEF).

Hybrid Polymer-Alloy-Fluoride Interphase Enabling Fast Ion Transport Kinetics for Low-Temperature Lithium Metal Batteries.

Low-temperature lithium metal batteries are of vital importance for cold-climate condition applications. Their realization, however, is plagued by the extremely sluggish Li transport kinetics in the vicinity of Li metal anode at low temperatures. Different from the widely adopted electrolyte engineering, a functional interphase design concept is proposed in this work to efficiently improve the low-temperature electrochemical reaction kinetics of Li metal anodes.

Correlation between Electrolyte Chemistry and Solid Electrolyte Interphase for Reversible Ca Metal Anodes.

The development of rechargeable Ca metal batteries (RCMBs) is hindered by the Ca passivating solid electrolyte interphases (SEIs). The cation solvation structure dictated by electrolyte chemistry plays a critical role in the SEIs properties. While a relatively weak cation-solvent binding is preferred in Li metal anodes to promote anion-derived SEIs, we demonstrate an enhanced Ca deposition/stripping reversibility under a strong cation-solvent interaction, which is materialized in strongly-solvating solvent and highly-dissociated salt combinations.

First-Principles Insights into Lithium-Rich Ternary Phosphide Superionic Conductors: Solid Electrolytes or Active Electrodes.

Lithium-rich ternary phosphides are recently found to possess high ionic conductivity and are proposed as promising solid electrolytes (SEs) for solid-state batteries. While lithium ions can facilely transport within these materials, their electrochemical and interfacial stability in complex battery setups remain largely uncharacterized. We study the phase stability and electrochemical stability of phosphide-type SEs via first-principles calculations and thermodynamic analysis.

Electrochemically-Matched and Nonflammable Janus Solid Electrolyte for Lithium-Metal Batteries.

Solid-state batteries based on ceramic electrolytes are promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries with better safety and energy density. While solid electrolytes such as the garnet-type LiLaZrO (LLZO) are chemically stable with lithium metal, their rigidity leads to poor interfacial contact with the cathodes. Nonflammable organic phosphates, however, are characterized by a liquid nature and can immerse the conventional porous cathodes to form a good contact.

Synthesis of PbS and Ag2S Nanorods via Polyol Process.

PbS and Ag2S nanorods have been synthesized using a polyol process in the presence of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP). First, the production of Pb or Ag was realized via the thermal decomposition of a lead/silver salt. Then the Pb or Ag precursor was directly combined with S power under heating, leading to the formation of the final products.

Synthesis and Electrochemical Performance of NiCO₂S₄ as Anode for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

NiCO2S4 with different morphology was controllably fabricated by a facile hydrothermal and solvothermal route. The as-obtained samples were analyzed and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results reveal that the sample (NCS-1) prepared by hydrothermal method manifest a mixture of nanorods and nanospheres.