I09-Surface and Interface Structural Analysis
|
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[26551]
Open Access
Abstract: For sodium-ion batteries, two pressing issues concerning electrolytes are flammability and compatibility with hard carbon anode materials. Non-flammable electrolytes that are sufficiently stable against hard carbon have—to the authors’ knowledge—previously only been obtained by either the use of high salt concentrations or additives. Herein, the authors present a simple, fluorine-free, and flame-retardant electrolyte which is compatible with hard carbon: 0.38 m sodium bis(oxalato)borate (NaBOB) in triethyl phosphate (TEP). A variety of techniques are employed to characterize the physical properties of the electrolyte, and to evaluate the electrochemical performance in full-cell sodium-ion batteries. The results reveal that the conductivity is sufficient for battery operation, no significant self-discharge occurs, and a satisfactory passivation is enabled by the electrolyte. In fact, a mean discharge capacity of 107 ± 4 mAh g−1 is achieved at the 1005th cycle, using Prussian white cathodes and hard carbon anodes. Hence, the studied electrolyte is a promising candidate for use in sodium-ion batteries.
|
Oct 2021
|
|
|
|
Nuria
Tapia-Ruiz
,
A. Robert
Armstrong
,
Hande
Alptekin
,
Marco A.
Amores
,
Heather
Au
,
Jerry
Barker
,
Rebecca
Boston
,
William R
Brant
,
Jake M.
Brittain
,
Yue
Chen
,
Manish
Chhowalla
,
Yong-Seok
Choi
,
Sara I. R.
Costa
,
Maria
Crespo Ribadeneyra
,
Serena A
Cussen
,
Edmund J.
Cussen
,
William I. F.
David
,
Aamod V
Desai
,
Stewart A. M.
Dickson
,
Emmanuel I.
Eweka
,
Juan D.
Forero-Saboya
,
Clare
Grey
,
John M.
Griffin
,
Peter
Gross
,
Xiao
Hua
,
John T. S.
Irvine
,
Patrik
Johansson
,
Martin O.
Jones
,
Martin
Karlsmo
,
Emma
Kendrick
,
Eunjeong
Kim
,
Oleg V
Kolosov
,
Zhuangnan
Li
,
Stijn F L
Mertens
,
Ronnie
Mogensen
,
Laure
Monconduit
,
Russell E
Morris
,
Andrew J.
Naylor
,
Shahin
Nikman
,
Christopher A
O’keefe
,
Darren M. C.
Ould
,
Robert G.
Palgrave
,
Philippe
Poizot
,
Alexandre
Ponrouch
,
Stéven
Renault
,
Emily M.
Reynolds
,
Ashish
Rudola
,
Ruth
Sayers
,
David O.
Scanlon
,
S.
Sen
,
Valerie R.
Seymour
,
Begoña
Silván
,
Moulay Tahar
Sougrati
,
Lorenzo
Stievano
,
Grant S.
Stone
,
Chris I.
Thomas
,
Maria-Magdalena
Titirici
,
Jincheng
Tong
,
Thomas J.
Wood
,
Dominic S
Wright
,
Reza
Younesi
Open Access
Abstract: Increasing concerns regarding the sustainability of lithium sources, due to their limited availability and consequent expected price increase, have raised awareness of the importance of developing alternative energy-storage candidates that can sustain the ever-growing energy demand. Furthermore, limitations on the availability of the transition metals used in the manufacturing of cathode materials, together with questionable mining practices, are driving development towards more sustainable elements. Given the uniformly high abundance and cost-effectiveness of sodium, as well as its very suitable redox potential (close to that of lithium), sodium-ion battery technology offers tremendous potential to be a counterpart to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in different application scenarios, such as stationary energy storage and low-cost vehicles. This potential is reflected by the major investments that are being made by industry in a wide variety of markets and in diverse material combinations. Despite the associated advantages of being a drop-in replacement for LIBs, there are remarkable differences in the physicochemical properties between sodium and lithium that give rise to different behaviours, for example, different coordination preferences in compounds, desolvation energies, or solubility of the solid–electrolyte interphase inorganic salt components. This demands a more detailed study of the underlying physical and chemical processes occurring in sodium-ion batteries and allows great scope for groundbreaking advances in the field, from lab-scale to scale-up. This roadmap provides an extensive review by experts in academia and industry of the current state of the art in 2021 and the different research directions and strategies currently underway to improve the performance of sodium-ion batteries. The aim is to provide an opinion with respect to the current challenges and opportunities, from the fundamental properties to the practical applications of this technology.
|
Jul 2021
|
|
|
|
Open Access
Abstract: Na2Ti3O7 (NTO) is considered a promising anode material for Na‐ion batteries due to its layered structure with an open framework and low and safe average operating voltage of 0.3 V vs. Na+/Na. However, its poor electronic conductivity needs to be addressed to make this material attractive for practical applications among other anode choices. Here, we report a safe, controllable and affordable method using urea that significantly improves the rate performance of NTO by producing surface defects such as oxygen vacancies and hydroxyl groups, and the secondary phase Na2Ti6O13. The enhanced electrochemical performance agrees with the higher Na+ ion diffusion coefficient, higher charge carrier density and reduced bandgap observed in these samples, without the need of nanosizing and/or complex synthetic strategies. A comprehensive study using a combination of diffraction, microscopic, spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques supported by computational studies based on DFT calculations, was carried out to understand the effects of this treatment on the surface, chemistry and electronic and charge storage properties of NTO. This study underscores the benefits of using urea as a strategy for enhancing the charge storage properties of NTO and thus, unfolding the potential of this material in practical energy storage applications.
|
Feb 2021
|
|
I09-Surface and Interface Structural Analysis
|
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[23159]
Open Access
Abstract: With emerging interest in sodium‐ion battery (SIB) technology due to its cost effectiveness and high earth abundance of sodium, the search for an optimised SIB system becomes more and more crucial. It is well known that the formation of a stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) at the anode in Na‐based systems is a challenge due to the higher solubility of the SEI components compared to in the lithium‐ion battery case. Our knowledge about the formation and dissolution of the SEI in SIBs is so far based on limited experimental data. The aim of the present research is therefore to enhance the understanding of the behaviour of the SEI in SIBs and shed more light on the influence of the electrolyte chemistry on the dissolution of the SEI. By conducting electrochemical tests including extended open circuit pauses, we study the SEI dissolution in different time domains. With this, it is possible to determine the extent of self‐discharge due to SEI dissolution during a specific time. Instead of using a conventional separator, β‐alumina is employed as a Na‐conductive membrane to avoid crosstalk between the working electrode and Na‐metal counter electrode. The SEI composition is monitored using synchrotron‐based soft X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (SOXPES). The electrochemical and XPS results show that the SEIs formed in the studied electrolyte systems have different stabilities. The relative capacity loss after a 50‐hour pause in the tested electrolyte systems can be up to 30%. Among three carbonate‐based solvent systems, NaPF 6 in ethylene carbonate: diethyl carbonate exhibits the most stable SEI. The addition of electrolyte additives improves the SEI stability in PC. The electrolyte is saturated with typical SEI species, NaF and Na 2 CO 3 , in order to oppose the dissolution of the SEI. Furthermore, the solubilities of the latter additives in the different solvent systems are determined by inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectrometry.
|
Nov 2020
|
|
I09-Surface and Interface Structural Analysis
|
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[23159]
Open Access
Abstract: The coupling of nickel‐rich LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811) cathodes with high‐capacity silicon–graphite (Si–Gr) anodes is one promising route to further increase the energy density of lithium‐ion batteries. Practically, however, the cycle life of such cells is seriously hindered due to continuous electrolyte degradation on the surfaces of both electrodes. In this study, tris(trimethylsilyl) phosphite (TMSPi) is introduced as an electrolyte additive to improve the electrochemical performance of the NMC811/Si–Gr full cells through formation of protective surface layers at the electrode/electrolyte interfaces. This is thought to prevent the surface fluorination of the active materials and enhance interfacial stability. Notably, TMSPi is shown to significantly reduce the overpotential and operando X‐ray diffraction (XRD) confirms that an irreversible “two‐phase” transition reaction caused by the formed adventitious Li2CO3 layer on the surface of NMC811 can transfer to a solid‐solution reaction mechanism with TMSPi‐added electrolyte. Moreover, influences of TMSPi on the cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) on the NMC811 and solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on the Si–Gr are systematically investigated by electron microscopy and synchrotron‐based X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy which allows for the nondestructive depth‐profiling analysis of chemical compositions and oxidation states close to the electrode surfaces.
|
Jun 2020
|
|
I09-Surface and Interface Structural Analysis
|
Andrew J.
Naylor
,
Ida
Kallquist
,
David
Peralta
,
Jean-Frederic
Martin
,
Adrien
Boulineau
,
Jean-Francois
Colin
,
Christian
Baur
,
Johann
Chable
,
Maximilian
Fichtner
,
Kristina
Edstrom
,
Maria
Hahlin
,
Daniel
Brandell
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[20870]
Open Access
Abstract: Promising theoretical capacities and high voltages are offered by Li-rich disordered rocksalt oxyfluoride materials as cathodes in lithium ion batteries. However, as has been discovered for many other Li-rich materials, the oxyfluorides suffer from extensive surface degradation, leading to severe capacity fading. In the case of Li2VO2F, we have previously determined this to be a result of detrimental reactions between an unstable surface layer and the organic electrolyte. Herein, we present the protection of Li2VO2F particles with AlF3 surface modification, resulting in a much enhanced capacity retention over 50 cycles. While the specific capacity for the untreated material drops below 100 mA h g-1 after only 50 cycles, the treated materials retain almost 200 mA h g-1. Photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiling confirms the stabilisation of the active material surface by the surface modification and reveals its suppression of electrolyte decomposition.
|
May 2020
|
|
I09-Surface and Interface Structural Analysis
|
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[20870]
Abstract: Li-rich disordered rock-salt structures have due to their high theoretical capacity gained large attention as a promising class of cathode materials for battery applications. However, the cycling stability of these materials have so far been less satisfactory. Here, we present three different film forming electrolyte additives; lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiBOB), lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiODFB), and glycolide, which all improve the cycling performance of the high capacity Li-rich disordered rock-salt material Li2VO2F. The best performing additive, LiODFB, show a 12.5% increase of capacity retention after 20 cycles. The improved cycling performance is explained by the formation of a more robust cathode interphase on the electrode surface. Photoelectron spectroscopy is used to show that the surface layer is created from oxidation of the electrolyte salt and additive co-salts. This passivating layer can mitigate oxidation and following degradation of the active material, and thus a higher degree of redox active vanadium can be maintained after 20 cycles.
|
May 2020
|
|
I09-Surface and Interface Structural Analysis
|
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[18974]
Open Access
Abstract: Sodium-ion batteries have become a potential alternative to Li-ion batteries due to the abundance of sodium resources. Sodium-ion cathode materials have been widely studied with particular focus on layered oxide lithium analogues. Generally, the capacity is limited by the redox processes of transition metals. Recently, however, the redox participation of oxygen gained a lot of research interest. Here the Mg-doped cathode material P2-Na0.56Mg0.04Ni0.19Mn0.70O2 is studied, which is shown to exhibit a good capacity (ca. 120 mAh/g) and high average operating voltage (ca. 3.5 V vs. Na+/Na). Due to the Mg-doping, the material exhibits a reversible phase transition above 4.3 V, which is attractive in terms of lifetime stability. In this study, we combine X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering spectroscopy techniques to shed light on both, cationic and anionic contributions towards charge compensation.
|
Nov 2019
|
|
I09-Surface and Interface Structural Analysis
|
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[18974]
Abstract: Potassium-ion (K-ion) batteries potentially offer numerous advantages over conventional lithium-ion batteries as a result of the high natural abundance of potassium and its lower positive charge density, compared with lithium. This introduces the possibility of using K-ion in fast charging applications, in which cost effectiveness is also a major factor. Unlike for sodium-ion batteries, graphite can be used as an anode in K-ion cells, for which an extensive supply chain, electrode manufacturing infrastructure, and knowledge already exists. However, the performance of graphite anodes in K-ion cells does not meet expectations, with rapid capacity fading and poor first cycle irreversible capacities often reported. Here we investigate the formation and composition of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) as well as K+ insertion in graphite anodes in K-ion batteries. Through the use of energy-tuned synchrotron-based X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we make a detailed analysis at three probing depths up to ~50 nm of graphite anodes cycled to various potentials on the first discharge-charge cycle. Extensive SEI formation from a KPF6/DEC:EC electrolyte system is found to occur at low potentials during the insertion of potassium into graphite. During the subsequent removal of potassium from the structure, the thick SEI is partially stripped from the electrode, demonstrating that the SEI layer is unstable and contributes to a significant proportion of the capacity on both discharge and charge. With this in mind, further work is required to develop an electrolyte system with stable SEI layer formation on graphite in order to advance K-ion battery technology.
|
Nov 2019
|
|
I09-Surface and Interface Structural Analysis
|
Andrew J.
Naylor
,
Eszter
Makkos
,
Julia
Maibach
,
Niccolo
Guerrini
,
Adam
Sobkowiak
,
Erik
Bjorklund
,
Juan G.
Lozano
,
Ashok
Sreekumar Menon
,
Reza
Younesi
,
Matthew R.
Roberts
,
Kristina
Edström
,
M. Saiful
Islam
,
Peter G.
Bruce
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[14733, 16629]
Open Access
Abstract: Lithium-rich materials, such as Li1.2Ni0.2Mn0.6O2, exhibit capacities not limited by transition metal redox, through the reversible oxidation of oxide anions. Here we offer detailed insight into the degree of oxygen redox as a function of depth within the material as it is charged and cycled. Energy-tuned photoelectron spectroscopy is used as a powerful, yet highly sensitive technique to probe electronic states of oxygen and transition metals from the top few nanometers at the near-surface through to the bulk of the particles. Two discrete oxygen species are identified, On- and O2-, where n<2, confirming our previous model that oxidation generates localised hole states on O upon charging. This is in contrast to the oxygen redox inactive high voltage spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4, for which no On- species is detected. The depth profile results demonstrate a concentration gradient exists for On- from the surface through to the bulk, indicating a preferential surface oxidation of the layered oxide particles. This is highly consistent with the already well-established core-shell model for such materials. Ab initio calculations reaffirm the electronic structure differences observed experimentally between the surface and bulk, while modelling of delithiated structures shows good agreement between experimental and calculated binding energies for On-.
|
Sep 2019
|
|
