Lithium (Li) metal is an ideal anode material for high energy density batteries. However, the low Coulombic efficiency (CE) and the formation of dendrites during repeated plating and stripping ...processes have hindered its applications in rechargeable Li metal batteries. The accurate measurement of Li CE is a critical factor to predict the cycle life of Li metal batteries, but the measurement of Li CE is affected by various factors that often lead to conflicting values reported in the literature. Here, several parameters that affect the measurement of Li CE are investigated and a more accurate method of determining Li CE is proposed. It is also found that the capacity used for cycling greatly affects the stabilization cycles and the average CE. A higher cycling capacity leads to faster stabilization of Li anode and a higher average CE. With a proper operating protocol, the average Li CE can be increased from 99.0% to 99.5% at a high capacity of 6 mA h cm−2 (which is suitable for practical applications) when a high‐concentration ether‐based electrolyte is used.
Electrochemical methods are developed to accurately measure the Coulombic efficiency (CE) of lithium metal anodes and lithium metal batteries. The amount of Li consumed during plating/stripping cycling is quantified and used to estimate the cycle life of Li metal batteries. With the proper electrolyte, Li metal can be cycled with a CE of 99.5% at high capacity.
Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are one of the most promising candidates for next‐generation high‐energy‐density rechargeable batteries. Solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on Li metal anodes plays a ...significant role in influencing the Li deposition morphology and the cycle life of LMBs. However, a thorough understanding on the mechanisms of SEI formation and evolution is still inadequate. In this review, the progress in understanding structures, properties, and influencing factors of SEI, as well as efficient strategies of tailoring SEI are focused upon. First, the compositions, models, and recent progress in characterizing atomic structures of SEI are summarized. Second, the properties of SEI, including electronic conduction, ionic conduction, stability, and mechanical properties are elucidated. Structures and properties of SEI are greatly affected by multiple factors, thus interactions between these factors and SEI are systematically discussed. Correlations of SEI with Li deposition morphology, rate capability, and cycle life are further summarized. Moreover, efficient strategies of tailoring SEI with desired properties, including in situ SEI and ex situ SEI, are also reviewed. Finally, future directions, including in‐operando techniques, multi‐modality approaches for characterization of SEI, and artificial intelligence assisted understanding of correlations between electrolyte components and SEI properties are proposed.
The solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) between lithium metal anodes and electrolytes is the most important element that determines Li deposition/dissolution behavior and the cycle life of Li metal batteries. SEI composition, SEI structure models, influencing factors on SEI formation, functions of different SEI components, and strategies for designing and improving SEI are summarized.
LiNi
Mn
Co
O
-layered cathode is often fabricated in the form of secondary particles, consisting of densely packed primary particles. This offers advantages for high energy density and alleviation of ...cathode side reactions/corrosions, but introduces drawbacks such as intergranular cracking. Here, we report unexpected observations on the nucleation and growth of intragranular cracks in a commercial LiNi
Mn
Co
O
cathode by using advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy. We find the formation of the intragranular cracks is directly associated with high-voltage cycling, an electrochemically driven and diffusion-controlled process. The intragranular cracks are noticed to be characteristically initiated from the grain interior, a consequence of a dislocation-based crack incubation mechanism. This observation is in sharp contrast with general theoretical models, predicting the initiation of intragranular cracks from grain boundaries or particle surfaces. Our study emphasizes that maintaining structural stability is the key step towards high-voltage operation of layered-cathode materials.
Although the rechargeable lithium–oxygen (Li–O2) batteries have extremely high theoretical specific energy, the practical application of these batteries is still limited by the instability of their ...carbon‐based air‐electrode, Li metal anode, and electrodes, toward reduced oxygen species. Here a simple one‐step in situ electrochemical precharging strategy is demonstrated to generate thin protective films on both carbon nanotubes (CNTs), air‐electrodes and Li metal anodes simultaneously under an inert atmosphere. Li–O2 cells after such pretreatment demonstrate significantly extended cycle life of 110 and 180 cycles under the capacity‐limited protocol of 1000 mA h g−1 and 500 mA h g−1, respectively, which is far more than those without pretreatment. The thin‐films formed from decomposition of electrolyte during in situ electrochemical precharging processes in an inert environment, can protect both CNTs air‐electrode and Li metal anode prior to conventional Li–O2 discharge/charge cycling, where reactive reduced oxygen species are formed. This work provides a new approach for protection of carbon‐based air‐electrodes and Li metal anodes in practical Li–O2 batteries, and may also be applied to other battery systems.
A novel in situ one‐step electrochemical treatment strategy to simultaneously fabricate protective surface films on carbon‐based air‐electrodes and Li metal anodes initiates continuous protection for both electrodes, as well as promoting significantly enhanced cycling stability of Li–O2 batteries. This work presents an efficient method to address the instability issues associated with carbon‐based electrodes and Li metal anodes in Li–O2 batteries.
The conventional LiPF6/carbonate-based electrolytes have been widely used in graphite (Gr)-based lithium (Li) ion batteries (LIBs) for more than 30 years because a stable solid electrolyte interphase ...(SEI) layer forms on the graphite surface and enables its long-term cycling stability. However, few of these electrolytes are stable under the more stringent conditions needed with a Li metal anode (LMA) and other anodes, such as silicon (Si), which exhibit large volume changes during charge/discharge processes. Many different approaches have been developed lately to stabilize Li metal batteries (LMBs) and Si-based LIBs. From this aspect, localized high-concentration electrolytes (LHCEs) have unique advantages: not only are they stable in a wide electrochemical window, they can also form stable SEI layers on LMA and Si anode surfaces to enable their long-term cycling stability. The ultrathin SEI layer formed on a Gr anode can also improve the safety and high-rate operation of conventional LIBs. In this paper, we give a brief summary of our recent work on LHCEs, including their design principle and applications in both LMBs and LIBs. A perspective on the future development of LHCEs is also discussed.
Rechargeable lithium‐metal batteries (LMBs) are regarded as the “holy grail” of energy‐storage systems, but the electrolytes that are highly stable with both a lithium‐metal anode and high‐voltage ...cathodes still remain a great challenge. Here a novel “localized high‐concentration electrolyte” (HCE; 1.2 m lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide in a mixture of dimethyl carbonate/bis(2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl) ether (1:2 by mol)) is reported that enables dendrite‐free cycling of lithium‐metal anodes with high Coulombic efficiency (99.5%) and excellent capacity retention (>80% after 700 cycles) of Li||LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 batteries. Unlike the HCEs reported before, the electrolyte reported in this work exhibits low concentration, low cost, low viscosity, improved conductivity, and good wettability that make LMBs closer to practical applications. The fundamental concept of “localized HCEs” developed in this work can also be applied to other battery systems, sensors, supercapacitors, and other electrochemical systems.
A novel “localized high‐concentration electrolyte,” which consists of 1.2 m lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide in a mixture of dimethyl carbonate/bis(2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl) ether (1:2 by mol), enables dendrite‐free cycling of lithium‐metal anodes with high Coulombic efficiency of 99.3% and excellent capacity retention (>80% after 700 cycles) of Li||LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 batteries.
Porous silicon (Si)/carbon nanocomposites have been extensively explored as a promising anode material for high‐energy lithium (Li)‐ion batteries (LIBs). However, shrinking of the pores and sintering ...of Si in the nanoporous structure during fabrication often diminishes the full benefits of nanoporous Si. Herein, a scalable method is reported to preserve the porous Si nanostructure by impregnating petroleum pitch inside of porous Si before high‐temperature treatment. The resulting micrometer‐sized Si/C composite maintains a desired porosity to accommodate large volume change and high conductivity to facilitate charge transfer. It also forms a stable surface coating that limits the penetration of electrolyte into nanoporous Si and minimizes the side reaction between electrolyte and Si during cycling and storage. A Si‐based anode with 80% of pitch‐derived carbon/nanoporous Si enables very stable cycling of a Si||Li(Ni0.5Co0.2Mn0.3)O2 (NMC532) battery (80% capacity retention after 450 cycles). It also leads to low swelling in both particle and electrode levels required for the next generation of high‐energy LIBs. The process also can be used to preserve the porous structure of other nanoporous materials that need to be treated at high temperatures.
A micrometer‐sized silicon/carbon composite anode developed by facile and scalable impregnation of petroleum pitch that stabilizes nanoporous Si against sintering at high temperature is reported. The composite anode including single nanometer‐sized primary particles shielded by pitch‐derived carbon exhibits outstanding battery performance such as 80% capacity retention after 450 cycles in the full cell system.
The lithium‐ and manganese‐rich (LMR) layered structure cathodes exhibit one of the highest specific energies (≈900 W h kg−1) among all the cathode materials. However, the practical applications of ...LMR cathodes are still hindered by several significant challenges, including voltage fade, large initial capacity loss, poor rate capability and limited cycle life. Herein, we review the recent progress and in depth understandings on the application of LMR cathode materials from a practical point of view. Several key parameters of LMR cathodes that affect the LMR/graphite full‐cell operation are systematically analyzed. These factors include the first‐cycle capacity loss, voltage fade, powder tap density, and electrode density. New approaches to minimize the detrimental effects of these factors are highlighted in this work. We also provide perspectives for the future research on LMR cathode materials, focusing on addressing the fundamental problems of LMR cathodes while keeping practical considerations in mind.
An overview of current research activities addressing the key challenges of LMR cathodes is presented, focusing on discussion of the facile strategies to improve the initial Coulombic efficiency, working voltage stability, and rate capability. Promising perspectives for LMR studies are suggested by providing full‐cell data of LMR electrodes with commercialization specifications.
The renewable‐electricity‐driven CO2 reduction to formic acid would contribute to establishing a carbon‐neutral society. The current catalyst suffers from limited activity and stability under high ...selectivity and the ambiguous nature of active sites. Herein, we report a powerful Bi2S3‐derived catalyst that demonstrates a current density of 2.0 A cm−2 with a formate Faradaic efficiency of 93 % at −0.95 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. The energy conversion efficiency and single‐pass yield of formate reach 80 % and 67 %, respectively, and the durability reaches 100 h at an industrial‐relevant current density. Pure formic acid with a concentration of 3.5 mol L−1 has been produced continuously. Our operando spectroscopic and theoretical studies reveal the dynamic evolution of the catalyst into a nanocomposite composed of Bi0 clusters and Bi2O2CO3 nanosheets and the pivotal role of Bi0−Bi2O2CO3 interface in CO2 activation and conversion.
An electrocatalyst derived from Bi2S3 is very powerful for the reduction of CO2 to formic acid, achieving a current density of 2.0 A cm−2 with a formate Faradaic efficiency of 93 % and a single‐pass formate yield of 67 %. The active catalyst is composed of Bi nanoclusters on Bi2O2CO3 nanosheets and the interfacial Bi site plays a pivotal role.
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