The Sodium-Ion Battery: Effect of Electrolyte Additives on the SEI Layer of Hard Carbon Anodes

Abstract

Since their discovery, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have dominated the energy storage and power market due to their attractive attributes. However, LIBs cannot cope with the ever-growing energy demand and new alternatives must be explored. The low cost, and abundance of sodium, as well as its similar chemical properties to lithium, make the sodium-ion battery (SIB) a promising alternative for the future.1-5 SIBs often suffer from a short cycle lifespan, which is mainly attributed to the formation of an unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer on the hard carbon anode surface. During the first cycle, the electrolyte solution is reduced, and its decomposition products form a passivation film (SEI) on the anode. Ideally, the SEI should protect the electrolyte from further decomposition during subsequent cycling, while being permeable to sodium ions. To reach this ideal situation, the employment of film-forming electrolyte additives in small amounts is necessary.6-11 In this study, in-operando electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance is used to monitor how additives affect the mass variation during the sodium intercalation/de-intercalation process. Mass spectrometry is further employed to identify and quantify the generated gaseous species during the initial SEI formation. After cycling, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are used to explore the additives effect on the SEI thickness and composition. A range of additives are considered including 1,3-propane sultone, succinonitrile and sodium-difluoro(oxalato)borate. The results of this study will be presented, along with suggestions for future research. Reference s : [1] P. K. Nayak, L. Yang, W. Brehm, P. Adelhelm, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 57 (2018) 102–120.[2] S. Roberts, E. Kendrick, Nanotechnol. Sci. Appl.11 (2018) 23-33.[3] H. Li, X. Zhang, Z. Zhao, Z. Hu, X. Liu, G. Yu, Energy Storage Mater. 26 (2020) 83–104.[4] J. Deng, W. B. Luo, S. L. Chou, H. K. Liu, S. X. Dou, Adv. Energy Mater. 8 (2018) 1–17.[5] L. Li, Y. Zheng, S. Zhang, J. Yang, Z. Shao, Z. Guo, Energy Environ. Sci., 11 (2018) 2310–2340.[6] G. Eshetu, M. Martinez-Ibañez, E. Sánchez-Diez, I. Gracia, L. Chunmei, L. M. Rodriguez-Martinez, T. Rojo, H. Zhang, M. Armand, Chem. Asian J. 13 (2018) 2770-2780.[7] M. Dahbi, T. Nakano, N. Yabuuchi, S. Fujimura, K. Chihara, K. Kubota, J.Y. Son, Y.T. Cui, H. Oji, S. Komaba, ChemElectroChem, 3 (2016) 1856–1867.[8] G. Yan, K. Reeves, D. Foix, Z. Li, C. Cometto, S. Mariyappan, M. Salanne, J.M. Tarascon, Adv. Energy Mater. 4 (2019) 36244–36251.[9] S. Komaba, W. Murata, T. Ishikawa, N. Yabuuchi, T. Ozeki, T. Nakayama, O. Atsushi, G. Kazuma, K. Fujiwara, Adv. Funct. Mater. 21 (2011) 3859-3867.[10] A. Bouibes, N. Takenaka, T. Fujie, K. Kubota, S. Komaba, M. Nagaoka, Appl. Mater. Interfaces. 10 (2018) 28525-28532.[11] M.A. Muñoz-Márquez, D. Saurel, J.L. Gómez-Cámer, M. Casas-Cabanas, E. Castillo-Martínez, T. Rojo, Adv. Energy Mater. 7 (2017) 1-31.