scholarly journals A flexible electron-blocking interfacial shield for dendrite-free solid lithium metal batteries

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanyu Huo ◽  
Jian Gao ◽  
Ning Zhao ◽  
Dongxing Zhang ◽  
Nathaniel Graham Holmes ◽  
...  

AbstractSolid-state batteries (SSBs) are considered to be the next-generation lithium-ion battery technology due to their enhanced energy density and safety. However, the high electronic conductivity of solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) leads to Li dendrite nucleation and proliferation. Uneven electric-field distribution resulting from poor interfacial contact can further promote dendritic deposition and lead to rapid short circuiting of SSBs. Herein, we propose a flexible electron-blocking interfacial shield (EBS) to protect garnet electrolytes from the electronic degradation. The EBS formed by an in-situ substitution reaction can not only increase lithiophilicity but also stabilize the Li volume change, maintaining the integrity of the interface during repeated cycling. Density functional theory calculations show a high electron-tunneling energy barrier from Li metal to the EBS, indicating an excellent capacity for electron-blocking. EBS protected cells exhibit an improved critical current density of 1.2 mA cm−2 and stable cycling for over 400 h at 1 mA cm−2 (1 mAh cm−2) at room temperature. These results demonstrate an effective strategy for the suppression of Li dendrites and present fresh insight into the rational design of the SSE and Li metal interface.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanyu Huo ◽  
Jian Gao ◽  
Ning Zhao ◽  
Dongxing Zhang ◽  
Nathaniel Holmes ◽  
...  

Abstract Solid-state batteries (SSBs) are considered to be the next-generation lithium-ion battery technology due to their enhanced energy density and safety. However, the high electronic conductivity of solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) leads to Li dendrite nucleation and proliferation. Uneven electric-field distribution resulting from poor interfacial contact can further promote dendritic deposition and lead to rapid short circuiting of SSBs. Herein, a flexible electron-blocking interfacial shield (EBS) is proposed to protect garnet electrolytes from the electronic degradation. The EBS formed by an in-situ substitution reaction can not only increase lithiophilicity but also stabilize the Li volume change, maintaining the integrity of the interface during repeated cycling. Density functional theory calculations show a high electron-tunneling energy barrier from Li metal to the EBS, indicating an excellent capacity for electron-blocking. EBS protected cells exhibit an improved critical current density of 1.2 mA cm-2 and stable cycling for over 400 h at 1 mA cm-2 (1 mAh cm-2) at room temperature. These results demonstrate an effective strategy for the suppression of Li dendrites and present fresh insight into the rational design of the SSE and Li metal interface.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela S Gehrckens ◽  
Andrew P Horsfield ◽  
Efthimios M C Skoulakis ◽  
Luca Turin

AbstractWe identify, by density-functional theory calculations, an electron donor-bridge-acceptor (DBA) complex within the highest resolution X-ray diffraction structures of rhodopsin. The donor is a conserved tryptophan, the acceptor is a zinc ion surrounded by a tryptophan, a histidine and a conserved glutamate. The unusual environment of the zinc ion confers high electron affinity on the zinc site. The bridge is the retinal which can exist either in the neutral aldimine (Schiff’s base) or aldiminium (protonated) state. When the retinal is unprotonated, no electron transfer occurs. Upon protonation of the aldimine, the DBA complex conducts and a full electron charge is transferred from donor tryptophan to the zinc complex. This gated electron transfer creates the molecular equivalent of a tunnel triode. Since rhodopsin is the ancestor of GPCRs, we discuss the possible relevance of this gated electron transport to other GPCRs, in particular to olfactory receptors which have been proposed to use an electron tunneling mechanism to detect molecular vibrations.


Author(s):  
Marco Saccone ◽  
Antti Siiskonen ◽  
Franisco Fernandez-Palacio ◽  
Arri Priimagi ◽  
Giancarlo Terraneo ◽  
...  

Crystals oftrans- andcis-isomers of a fluorinated azobenzene derivative have been prepared and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The presence of F atoms on the aromatic core of the azobenzene increases the lifetime of the metastablecis-isomer, allowing single crystals of thecis-azobenzene to be grown. Structural analysis on thecis-azobenzene, complemented with density functional theory calculations, highlights the active role of the halogen-bond contact (N...I synthon) in promoting the stabilization of thecis-isomer. The presence of a long aliphatic chain on the azobenzene unit induces a phase segregation that stabilizes the molecular arrangement for both thetrans- andcis-isomers. Due to the rarity ofcis-azobenzene crystal structures in the literature, our paper makes a step towards understanding the role of non-covalent interactions in driving the packing of metastable azobenzene isomers. This is expected to be important in the future rational design of solid-state, photoresponsive materials based on halogen bonding.


2021 ◽  
Vol 60 (8) ◽  
pp. 6016-6026
Author(s):  
Aydar Rakhmatullin ◽  
Maxim S. Molokeev ◽  
Graham King ◽  
Ilya B. Polovov ◽  
Konstantin V. Maksimtsev ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 52 (12) ◽  
pp. 2577-2580 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farhan Ahmad Pasha ◽  
Anissa Bendjeriou-Sedjerari ◽  
Edy Abou-Hamad ◽  
Kuo-Wei Huang ◽  
Jean-Marie Basset

Density functional theory calculations and 2D 1H–13C HETCOR solid state NMR spectroscopy prove that CO2 can be used to probe, by its own reactivity, different types of N-donor surface ligands on SBA15-supported ZrIV hydrides: [(Si–O–)(Si–N)[Zr]H] and [(Si–NH–)(Si–X–)[Zr]H2] (XO or NH).


2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (08) ◽  
pp. 2130001
Author(s):  
Yoshitaka Fujimoto

Molecular sensor applications are used in different fields including environmental monitoring and medical diagnosis. Graphene, a single atomic layer consisting of the hexagonally arranged carbon material, is one of the most promising materials for ideal channels in field-effect transistors to be used as electronic sensing applications owing to its lightweight, mechanical robustness, high electronic conductivity and large surface-to-volume ratio. This paper provides a review of molecular adsorptions, electronic properties and quantum transport of graphene based on the first-principles density-functional study. The adsorption properties of environmentally polluting or toxic molecules and electronic transport of graphene are revealed. The possibility of detecting these molecules selectively is also discussed for designing the graphene-based sensor applications.


2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (22) ◽  
pp. 1350156 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. ZHU ◽  
Y. REN ◽  
L. Q. GENG ◽  
T. CHEN ◽  
L. X. LI ◽  
...  

Amorphous V 2 O 5, LiPON and Li 2 Mn 2 O 4 thin films were fabricated by RF magnetron sputtering methods and the morphology of thin films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Then with these three materials deposited as the anode, solid electrolyte, cathode, and vanadium as current collector, a rocking-chair type of all-solid-state thin-film-type Lithium-ion rechargeable battery was prepared by using the same sputtering parameters on stainless steel substrates. Electrochemical studies show that the thin film battery has a good charge–discharge characteristic in the voltage range of 0.3–3.5 V, and after 30 cycles the cell performance turned to become stabilized with the charge capacity of 9 μAh/cm2, and capacity loss of single-cycle of about 0.2%. At the same time, due to electronic conductivity of the electrolyte film, self-discharge may exist, resulting in approximately 96.6% Coulombic efficiency.


Author(s):  
Xuxin Kang ◽  
Wei Xu ◽  
Xiangmei Duan

Abstract Rechargeable batteries with superior electronic conductivity, large capacity, low diffusion barriers and moderate open circuit voltage have attracted amount attention. Due to abundant resources and safety, as well as the high voltage and energy density, potassium ion batteries (KIBs) could be an ideal alternative to next−generation of rechargeable batteries. Based on the density functional theory calculations, we find that the SnS2 monolayer expands greatly during the potassiumization, which limits its practical application. The construction of graphene/SnS2/graphene (G/SnS2/G) heterojunction effectively prevents SnS2 sheet from deformation, and enhances the electronic conductivity. Moreover, the G/SnS2/G has not only a high theoretical special capacity of 680 mAh/g, but an ultra−low K diffusion barrier (0.08 eV) and an average open circuit voltage (0.22 V). Our results predict that the G/SnS2/G heterostructure could be used as a promising anode material for KIBs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. eaaz0510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yonggang Yao ◽  
Zhenyu Liu ◽  
Pengfei Xie ◽  
Zhennan Huang ◽  
Tangyuan Li ◽  
...  

Multi-elemental alloy nanoparticles (MEA-NPs) hold great promise for catalyst discovery in a virtually unlimited compositional space. However, rational and controllable synthesize of these intrinsically complex structures remains a challenge. Here, we report the computationally aided, entropy-driven design and synthesis of highly efficient and durable catalyst MEA-NPs. The computational strategy includes prescreening of millions of compositions, prediction of alloy formation by density functional theory calculations, and examination of structural stability by a hybrid Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics method. Selected compositions can be efficiently and rapidly synthesized at high temperature (e.g., 1500 K, 0.5 s) with excellent thermal stability. We applied these MEA-NPs for catalytic NH3 decomposition and observed outstanding performance due to the synergistic effect of multi-elemental mixing, their small size, and the alloy phase. We anticipate that the computationally aided rational design and rapid synthesis of MEA-NPs are broadly applicable for various catalytic reactions and will accelerate material discovery.


Crystals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhao Qian ◽  
Guanzhong Jiang ◽  
Yingying Ren ◽  
Xi Nie ◽  
Rajeev Ahuja

In this work, we have compared the potential applications of nine different elements doped Mg2NiH4 as conversion-type electrode materials in Li-ion batteries by means of state-of-the-art Density functional theory calculations. The electrochemical properties, such as specific capacity, volume change and average voltage, as well as the atomic and electronic structures of different doped systems have been investigated. The Na doping can improve the electrochemical capacity of the pristine material. Si and Ti doping can reduce the band gap and benefit the electronic conductivity of electrode materials. All of the nine doping elements can help to reduce the average voltage of negative electrodes and lead to reasonable volume changes. According to the computational screening, the Na, Si and Ti doping elements are thought to be promising to enhance the comprehensive properties of pure material. This theoretical study is proposed to encourage and expedite the development of metal-hydrides based lithium-storage materials.


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