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We have devised an approach to fabricate dense textured V 2 O 5 thin films, which allows us to scrutinize the root cause of capacity fade in V 2 O 5 cathodes of Li-ion batteries. Specifically, we performed in situ measurements of stress of V 2 O 5 thin films during 50 electrochemical cycles. Surprisingly, electrochemical cycling appears to induce elastic and rate-independent deformation over a voltage range relevant to battery operation (4–2.8 V). However, the compressive stresses gradually increase with cycle number during the first few cycles, likely due to side reactions and/or residual Li left in the V 2 O 5 , even after delithiation (to 4 V). Further cycling leads to accumulated mechanical damage ( e.g. , fracture, delamination) and structural damage ( e.g. , amorphization), which ultimately result in severe capacity fade.
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A Comparative Study of Redox Mediators for Improved Performance of Li–Oxygen Batteries
Abstract Redox meditators (RMs) are soluble catalysts located in an electrolyte that can improve the energy efficiency (reduced overpotential) and cyclability of Li–oxygen (Li–O2) batteries. In this work, 20 RMs within a Li–O2system with dimethyl sulfoxide and tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether electrolytes are studied and their electrochemical features such as redox potential, the separation of cathodic and anodic peaks, and their current intensities are measured using cyclic voltammetry (CV) experiments. Six RMs are selected as “primary” choices based on their electrochemical performance, and stability tests are then performed to examine their electrochemical responses after consecutive cycles. Moreover, galvanostatic cycling tests are performed within a Li–O2battery system assembled with selected six RMs for real case consistency investigations. It is found that results from CV to galvanostatic cycling tests are consistent for halides and organometallic RMs, where the former exhibit much higher stability. However, the organic RMs show high reversibility in CV but low in battery cycling results. Density functional theory calculations are carried out to gain more understanding of the stability and redox potentials of the RMs. This study provides comparative information to select the most reliable RMs for Li–O2batteries along with new fundamental understanding of their electrochemical activity and stability.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1729420
- PAR ID:
- 10456401
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Advanced Energy Materials
- Volume:
- 10
- Issue:
- 27
- ISSN:
- 1614-6832
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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