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1. Ultrahigh capacity 2D anode materials for lithium/sodium-ion batteries: an entirely planar B ₇ P ₂ monolayer with suitable pore size and distribution

   https://doi.org/10.1039/D0TA02767G  

   Zhu, Changyan; Lin, Shiru; Zhang, Min; Li, Quan; Su, Zhongmin; Chen, Zhongfang (May 2020, Journal of Materials Chemistry A)

   Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used energy storage devices, and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are promising alternatives to LIBs because sodium is of high abundance and low toxicity. However, a dominant obstacle for the advancement of LIBs and SIBs is the lack of high capacity anode materials, especially for SIBs. Here, we propose that three characteristics, namely appropriate pore size, suitable pore distribution, and an entirely planar topology, can help achieve ultrahigh capacity 2D anode materials. Under such guidelines, we constructed a B 7 P 2 monolayer, and investigated its potential as a LIB/SIB anode material by means of density functional theory (DFT) computations. Encouragingly, the B 7 P 2 monolayer possesses all the essential properties of a high-capacity LIB/SIB anode: its high stability ensures the experimental feasibility of synthesis, its metallicity does not change upon Li/Na adsorption and desorption, the Li/Na can well diffuse on the surface, and the open-circuit voltage is in a good range. Most importantly, the B 7 P 2 monolayer has a high storage capacity of 3117 mA h g −1 for both LIBs and SIBs, and this capacity value ranks among the highest for 2D SIB anode materials. This study offers us some good clues to design/discover other anode materials with ultrahigh capacities, and serves us another vivid example that (implicit and hidden) trends/rules in the literature can guide us in the design of functional materials more efficiently. 

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2. A Self‐Healing Chemistry‐Enabled Organic Cathode for Sustainable and Stable Sodium‐Ion Batteries

   https://doi.org/10.1002/sstr.202300211  

   Huang, Jinghao; Li, Shi; Kim, Eric Youngsam; Cheng, Lei; Xu, Gui-Liang; Amine, Khalil; Wang, Chunsheng; Luo, Chao (December 2023, Small Structures)

   Sodium‐on batteries (SIBs) are promising alternatives to lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) because of the low cost, abundance, and high sustainability of sodium resources. Analogous to LIBs, the high‐capacity electrodes in SIBs always suffer from rapid capacity decay upon long‐term cycling due to the particle pulverization induced by a large volume change. Circumventing particle pulverization plays a critical role in developing high‐energy and long‐life SIBs. Herein, tetrahydroxy‐1,4‐benzoquinone disodium salt (TBDS) that can self‐heal the cracks by hydrogen bonding between hydroxyl group and carbonyl group is employed as a cathode for sustainable and stable SIBs. The self‐healing TBDS exhibits long cycle life of 1000 cycles with a high rate capability up to 2 A g⁻¹due to the fast Na‐ion diffusion reaction in the TBDS cathode. The intermolecular hydrogen bonding has been comprehensively characterized to understand the self‐healing mechanism. The hydrogen bonding‐enabled self‐healing organic materials are promising for developing high‐energy and long‐cycle‐life SIBs. 

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3. Unveiling the Thermal Stability of Sodium Ion Pouch Cells Using Accelerating Rate Calorimetry

   https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ad5e00  

   Chak, Chanmonirath Michael; Jayakumar, Rishivandhiga; Shipitsyn, Vadim; Bass, Ean; McCloskey, Reece; Zuo, Wenhua; Le, Phung_M L; Xu, Jun; Ma, Lin (July 2024, Journal of The Electrochemical Society)

   The thermal stability of ∼420 mAh Na_0.97Ca_0.03[Mn_0.39Fe_0.31Ni_0.22Zn_0.08]O₂(NCMFNZO)/hard carbon (HC) pouch cells was investigated using accelerating rate calorimetry (ARC) at elevated temperatures. 1 m NaPF₆in propylene carbonate (PC):ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) (1:1 by volume) was used as a control electrolyte. Adding 2 wt% fluoroethylene carbonate to the electrolyte improves the cell’s thermal stability by decreasing the self-heating rate (SHR) across the whole testing temperature range. The selected states-of-charge (SoC), including 70%, 84%, and 100%, exhibit minimal impact on the exothermic behavior, except for a slight decrease in SHR after ∼275 °C at 70% SoC. When compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries operating at 100% SoC, NCMFNZO/HC pouch cells demonstrate inferior thermal stability compared to LiFePO₄(LFP)/graphite pouch cells, displaying a higher SHR from 220 to 300 °C. LiNi_0.8Mn_0.1Co_0.1O₂/graphite + SiO_xpouch cells exhibit the worst safety performance, with an early onset temperature of ∼100 °C and the highest SHR across the entire temperature range. These results offer a direct comparison of the impact of SoC and electrolyte compositions on the thermal stability of SIBs at elevated temperatures, highlighting that there is still room for improvement in SIBs safety performance compared to LFP/graphite chemistry. 

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4. Fundamentals and perspectives of electrolyte additives for non-aqueous Na-ion batteries

   https://doi.org/10.20517/energymater.2023.22  

   Shipitsyn, Vadim; Antrasian, Nicholas; Soni, Vijayendra; Mu, Linqin; Ma, Lin (September 2023, Energy Materials)

   Despite extensive research efforts to develop non-aqueous sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) as alternatives to lithium-based energy storage battery systems, their performance is still hindered by electrode-electrolyte side reactions. As a feasible strategy, the engineering of electrolyte additives has been regarded as one of the effective ways to address these critical problems. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of recent progress in electrolyte additives for non-aqueous SIBs. We classify the additives based on their effects on specific electrode materials and discuss the functions and mechanisms of each additive category. Finally, we propose future directions for electrolyte additive research, including studies on additives for improving cell performance under extreme conditions, optimizing electrolyte additive combinations, understanding the effect of additives on cathode-anode interactions, and understanding the characteristics of electrolyte additives. 

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5. Understanding High-Voltage Behavior of Sodium-Ion Battery Cathode Materials Using Synchrotron X-ray and Neutron Techniques: A Review

   https://doi.org/10.3390/batteries9090461  

   Shipitsyn, Vadim; Jayakumar, Rishivandhiga; Zuo, Wenhua; Sun, Bing; Ma, Lin (September 2023, Batteries)

   Despite substantial research efforts in developing high-voltage sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) as high-energy-density alternatives to complement lithium-ion-based energy storage technologies, the lifetime of high-voltage SIBs is still associated with many fundamental scientific questions. In particular, the structure phase transition, oxygen loss, and cathode–electrolyte interphase (CEI) decay are intensely discussed in the field. Synchrotron X-ray and neutron scattering characterization techniques offer unique capabilities for investigating the complex structure and dynamics of high-voltage cathode behavior. In this review, to accelerate the development of stable high-voltage SIBs, we provide a comprehensive and thorough overview of the use of synchrotron X-ray and neutron scattering in studying SIB cathode materials with an emphasis on high-voltage layered transition metal oxide cathodes. We then discuss these characterizations in relation to polyanion-type cathodes, Prussian blue analogues, and organic cathode materials. Finally, future directions of these techniques in high-voltage SIB research are proposed, including CEI studies for polyanion-type cathodes and the extension of neutron scattering techniques, as well as the integration of morphology and phase characterizations. 

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