Abstract All‐solid‐state sodium ion batteries (AS3iBs) are highly sought after for stationary energy storage systems due to their suitable safety and stability over a wide temperature range. Hard carbon (HC), which is low cost, exhibits a low redox potential, and a high capacity, is integral to achieve a practical large‐scale sodium‐ion battery. However, the energy density of the battery utilizing this anode material is hampered by its low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE). Herein, two strategies, namely i) additional pyrolysis and ii) presodiation by thermal decomposition of NaBH4, are explored to improve the ICE of pristine HC. Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrochemical characterizations elucidate that the thermal treatment increases the Csp2content in the HC structure, while the presodiation supplies the sodium to occupy the intrinsic irreversible sites. Consequently, presodiated HC exhibits an outstanding ICE (>99%) compared to the thermally treated (90%) or pristine HC (83%) in half‐cell configurations. More importantly, AS3iB using presodiated HC and NaCrO2as the anode and cathode, respectively, exhibits a high ICE of 92% and an initial discharge energy density of .
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Studying voltage losses during discharge for biphenyl-sodium polysulfide organic redox flow batteries
Voltage losses during discharge have been quantitatively investigated in a coulombically balanced biphenyl (Bp)|sodium-polysulfide (Na2Sx) organic redox flow battery. The individual half-cell electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) response was studied using a flow cell with an in-situ sodium/sodium-ion reference electrode. The anode, consisting of Bp/Bp− couple, contributed approximately 58% of the total cell overpotential during discharge. Further investigation revealed that kinetic overpotential dominating both anode and cathode voltage losses during discharge. The EIS response for the sodium-polysulfide half-cell exhibits two semicircles at high and low frequencies. Since there is limited literature relating the high-frequency semicircle to a physical process, this work extends the investigation of cathode high-frequency EIS features using in-situ and ex-situ electrochemical diagnostic tools. The Bp Nyquist plot consisted of a single semi-circle due to its simpler redox reaction relative to the more complicated Na2Sx. Tafel analysis was used to calculate exchange current density values, with Bp having a lower exchange current density than Na2Sx. This finding explains the relatively higher Bp kinetic voltage loss as compared to Na2Sx.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1933800
- PAR ID:
- 10492642
- Publisher / Repository:
- Elsevier
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Power Sources
- Volume:
- 585
- Issue:
- C
- ISSN:
- 0378-7753
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 233538
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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