Manganese‐rich layered oxide materials hold great potential as low‐cost and high‐capacity cathodes for Na‐ion batteries. However, they usually form a P2 phase and suffer from fast capacity fade. In this work, an O3 phase sodium cathode has been developed out of a Li and Mn‐rich layered material by leveraging the creation of transition metal (TM) and oxygen vacancies and the electrochemical exchange of Na and Li. The Mn‐rich layered cathode material remains primarily O3 phase during sodiation/desodiation and can have a full sodiation capacity of ca. 220 mAh g−1. It delivers ca. 160 mAh g−1specific capacity between 2–3.8 V with >86 % retention over 250 cycles. The TM and oxygen vacancies pre‐formed in the sodiated material enables a reversible migration of TMs from the TM layer to the tetrahedral sites in the Na layer upon de‐sodiation and sodiation. The migration creates metastable states, leading to increased kinetic barrier that prohibits a complete O3‐P3 phase transition.
One major challenge that limits the applications of 2D semiconductors is the detrimental electronic trap states caused by vacancies. Here using grand‐canonical density functional theory calculations, a novel approach is demonstrated that uses aqueous electrochemistry to eliminate the trap states of the vacancies in 2D transition metal dichalcogenides while leaving the perfect part of the material intact. The success of this electrochemical approach is based on the selectivity control by the electrode potential and the isovalence between oxygen and chalcogen. Motivated by these results, electrochemical conditions are further identified to functionalize the vacancies by incorporating various single metal atoms, which can bring in magnetism, tune carrier concentration/polarity, and/or activate single‐atom catalysis, enabling a wide range of potential applications. These approaches may be generalized to other 2D materials. The results open up a new avenue for improving the properties and extending the applications of 2D materials.
more » « less- Award ID(s):
- 1900039
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10460314
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Small
- Volume:
- 15
- Issue:
- 47
- ISSN:
- 1613-6810
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Abstract -
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Abstract Manganese‐rich layered oxide materials hold great potential as low‐cost and high‐capacity cathodes for Na‐ion batteries. However, they usually form a P2 phase and suffer from fast capacity fade. In this work, an O3 phase sodium cathode has been developed out of a Li and Mn‐rich layered material by leveraging the creation of transition metal (TM) and oxygen vacancies and the electrochemical exchange of Na and Li. The Mn‐rich layered cathode material remains primarily O3 phase during sodiation/desodiation and can have a full sodiation capacity of ca. 220 mAh g−1. It delivers ca. 160 mAh g−1specific capacity between 2–3.8 V with >86 % retention over 250 cycles. The TM and oxygen vacancies pre‐formed in the sodiated material enables a reversible migration of TMs from the TM layer to the tetrahedral sites in the Na layer upon de‐sodiation and sodiation. The migration creates metastable states, leading to increased kinetic barrier that prohibits a complete O3‐P3 phase transition.
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= transitional metal, e.g., Mo, W, Re, Sn, or Pt; X= chalcogen, e.g., S, Se, or Te), TMD heterostructure (WS2/MoS2), and an atomically thin insulator (h‐BN). These results indicate the universality of the phenomenon in 2D non‐conductive materials, and feature low switching voltage, large ON/OFF ratio, and forming‐free characteristic. A dissociation–diffusion–adsorption model is proposed, attributing the enhanced conductance to metal atoms/ions adsorption into intrinsic vacancies, a conductive‐point mechanism supported by first‐principle calculations and scanning tunneling microscopy characterizations. The results motivate further research in the understanding and applications of defects in 2D materials. -
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Abstract Doping is a fundamental requirement for tuning and improving the properties of conventional semiconductors. Recent doping studies including niobium (Nb) doping of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and tungsten (W) doping of molybdenum diselenide (MoSe2) have suggested that substitutional doping may provide an efficient route to tune the doping type and suppress deep trap levels of 2D materials. To date, the impact of the doping on the structural, electronic, and photonic properties of in situ‐doped monolayers remains unanswered due to challenges including strong film substrate charge transfer, and difficulty achieving doping concentrations greater than 0.3 at%. Here, in situ rhenium (Re) doping of synthetic monolayer MoS2with ≈1 at% Re is demonstrated. To limit substrate film charge transfer,
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