Li-ion Battery Applications Research Articles

A carbon microsphere-modified ZnS-MnS@C composite anode for Li-ion battery applications

In this study, carbon-coated hetero-structured ZnS-MnS composite was successfully prepared using a simple hydrothermal method. The carbon content in the composite was determined by Raman spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed the crystallinity and phase purity of the composite with clear lattice fringes indicating the crystalline nature of the final composition. The nanoparticle morphology of ZnS-MnS@C was determined by scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The high surface area of the ZnS-MnS@C composite provided a large contact area for the electrolyte ions. Cyclic voltammetry confirmed the dual dependence (capacitive and diffusion-controlled mechanism) of the charge/discharge process. The lower charge transfer resistance and Warburg resistance of composite are beneficial for the more Li-ion intercalation/de-intercalation process. The first cycle charge/discharge capacities of the carbon microsphere/ZnS-MnS@C composite were 643.6/808.2 mAh g−1 at a current density of 100 mA g−1 with a coulombic efficiency of 79.6% After 500 cycles, the composite exhibited a discharge specific capacity of 563.4 mAh g−1 at a current density of 2000 mA g−1 with 96% of capacity retention. Even at a high current density of 5000 mA g−1, the composite exhibited a discharge-specific capacity of 221.3 mAh g−1. After carbon coating, the hetero-structured ZnS-MnS showed better Lithium-ion storage ability than the ZnS-MnS composite before coating. These results clearly indicate that, the composite is a promising anode material for Li-ion battery applications.

Fe2O3/carbon derived from peanut shell hybrid as an advanced anode for high performance lithium ion batteries

Carbon materials derived from biomass behave sustainability, easy availability, low cost and environmentally benign. And Fe2O3 are considered as promising anodes for high-performance Li-ion batteries (LIBs) because of their rich electrochemical properties, higher theoretical capacity (1007 mAh g−1), non-toxicity, high corrosion resistance and safety. However, the high irreversible capacity loss and poor cycling stability of Fe2O3 hinders its commercial applications in LIBs. In this work, we have developed a Fe2O3@C derived from peanut shell composite by two-step hydrothermal method and low-temperature calcination with the assistance of Fe(NO3)3. As an anode for LIBs, the Fe2O3@C composite an excellent electrochemical performance in term of the specific capacity of 1000.8 mAh g−1 at 200 mA g−1 after 100 cycles, and high rate capability of 573.5 mAh g−1 even at 1 A g−1 after 200 cycles. This enhancement could be attributed to the porous carbon matrix combined with Fe2O3 nanoparticles which could increase contact area between electrolyte and active materials, improve conductivity, and accommodate the volume variations via additional void space during cycling. This work may be provide a new approach to improve anode materials using carbon derived-from biomass with larger reversible capacity and long cycle life in LIBs.

Synthesis and Functional Properties of La2FeCrO6 Based Nanostructures

Ordered double perovskite La2FeCrO6 nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized via the citrate auto-combustion technique. The prepared sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), and Raman spectroscopy, which confirmed the double perovskite structure of the studied sample. XRD illustrated that the investigated sample has an orthorhombic structure with an average crystallite size of 25.3 nm. La2FeCrO6 NPs exhibit a porous structure and spongy morphology, as determined through analyses using Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The studied sample exhibits anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) behavior with weak ferromagnetic (FM) components, as an example of d5(Fe3+)–d3(Cr3+) systems. The AFM behavior is caused by the super-exchange interaction between [Fe3+(d5)–O–Cr3+(d3)], according to the Kanamori–Goodenough (KG) rule. This behavior is induced by the pdπ hybridization between the eg orbital of the transition metal and the pσ orbital of the oxygen, while the one induced by the pdσ hybridization is FM. The number of excited-state configurations mediated by the pdπ hybridization in the Fe–Cr pair is greater than that mediated by pdσ hybridization. Pb(II) heavy metal ions are used in adsorption studies. The electrostatic nature of the bonding between Pb(II) and the La2FeCrO6 nano ferrite sample is thought to be the main cause of the observed high sorption of La2FeCrO6 to a Pb(II) ion. La2FeCrO6 has a favorable morphology, which bodes well for its prospective applications in Li-ion batteries, water purification, and gas sensors.

N-Containing Carbon-Coated β-Si3 N4 Enhances Si Anodes for High-Performance Li-Ion Batteries.

The lithiation/delithiation properties of α-Si3 N4 and β-Si3 N4 are compared and the carbon coating effects are examined. Then, β-Si3 N4 at various fractions is used as the secondary phase in a Si anode to modify the electrode properties. The incorporated β-Si3 N4 decreases the crystal size of Si and introduces a new NSiO species at the β-Si3 N4 /Si interface. The nitrogen from the milled β-Si3 N4 diffuses into the surface carbon coating during the carbonization heat treatment, forming pyrrolic nitrogen and CNO species. The synergistic effects of combining β-Si3 N4 and Si phases on the specific capacity are confirmed. The operando X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data indicate that β-Si3 N4 is partially consumed during lithiation to form a favorable Li3 N species at the electrode. However, the crystalline structure of the hexagonal β-Si3 N4 is preserved after prolonged cycling, which prevents electrode agglomeration and performance deterioration. The carbon-coated β-Si3 N4 /Si composite anode shows specific capacities of 1068 and 480 mAh g-1 at 0.2 and 5 A g-1 , respectively. A full cell consisting of the carbon-coated β-Si3 N4 /Si anode and a LiNi0.8 Co0.1 Mn0.1 O2 cathode is constructed and its properties are evaluated. The potential of the proposed composite anodes for Li-ion battery applications is demonstrated.

A hierarchical control with thermal and electrical synergies on battery cycling ageing and energy flexibility in a multi-energy sharing network

Electrochemical batteries are essential for renewable sharing and sustainability transformation, whereas battery degradation will adversely affect energy flexibility and renewable energy penetration. Numerous studies have explored methods to decelerate battery degradation from the perspective of electrode materials, electrolytes, temperature control, and so on. However, in integrated multi-energy systems, few studies explored the combined operation of integrated thermal storages and smart battery charging/discharging methods to decelerate battery degradation, in accordance with the nonlinear degradation mechanism of batteries. In this study, renewable electricity (RE) recharging strategy and depth of discharge (DoD)-based control strategy were developed to decelerate the cycling ageing and prolong the service lifetime of both lead-acid and Li-ion batteries. The underlying mechanism of the excess RE recharging strategy on integrated thermal storage is to reduce the total number of cycles of batteries for service provision to buildings. The mechanism of the DoD-based control strategy is to achieve the minimum cycling ageing rate by dynamically searching for the minimum gradient along the battery degradation curve through the active switch between the charging and discharging processes, according to the battery state of charge and dynamic power. Research results show that the proposed excess RE-hot water storage tank recharging strategy and the DoD-based control strategy effectively decelerate the battery degradation, increasing the annual equivalent relative capacity of the battery from 94.21% to 95.29% and 94.73%, respectively. Furthermore, the proposed synergistic operation between thermal and electrical storages will improve the annual equivalent relative capacity from 94.21% to 95.46%. From the economic perspective, the synergistic operation can significantly reduce the total cost of the system from 7.96 × 105 US$ to 7.78 × 105 US$ by 2.26% for Li-ion batteries application and from 1.05 × 106 US$ to 8.47 × 105 US$ by 19.33% for lead-acid batteries application. Research results can provide frontier guidelines with cutting-edge technologies for energy saving, decarbonization, and carbon neutrality transformation from perspectives of dynamic controls and synergistic operations on thermal/electrical storage.

Scalable synthesis of few-layered MoS2/C sandwiched nanocomposites via ionic crystal (NH4)2MoS4 assisted ball-milling method and their enhanced high-rate lithium storage property

Ball milling has been proven to be an efficient method for exfoliating and reassembling heterogeneous layered nanocomposites on a large scale. This study explores the use of ammonium tetrathiomolybdate (NH4)2MoS4, an ion crystal with an octahedral structure, as both a precursor of layered molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and an intermediate during ball milling to assist in the exfoliation and fragilization of expandable graphite (EG). Due to its ion crystal structure and high hardness, (NH4)2MoS4 can efficiently transfer and magnify the impacting and shearing forces generated during the ball milling process, accelerating the exfoliation and fragmentation efficiency of EG. Moreover, (NH4)2MoS4 is nano-crystallized by the ball milling forces and uniformly distributed on the carbon nanosheets. Electrochemical performance tests indicate that the resulting nanocomposites, with a satisfactory heterogeneous structure, exhibit excellent Li-storage capacity, achieving 529 mA h g−1 after 150 cycles at a high current density of 500 mA g−1. The relationship between the microstructure and improved electrochemical performance, as well as the formation mechanism of the product, is discussed in detail. This study provides a new approach for conveniently constructing nanocomposites using two types of layered materials that offer satisfactory rate capability and cyclability, making them potentially suitable for application in Li-ion batteries.

Synthesis and electrochemical performance of La2CuO4 as a promising coating material for high voltage Li-rich layered oxide cathodes

The structural transformations, oxygen releasing and side reactions with electrolytes on the surface are considered as the main causes of the performance degradation of Li-rich layered oxides (LROs) cathodes in Li-ion batteries. Thus, stabilizing the surfaces of LROs is the key to realize their practical application in high energy density Li-ion batteries. Surface coating is regarded as one of the most effective strategies for high voltage cathodes. The ideal coating materials should prevent cathodes from electrolyte corrosion and possess both electronic and Li-ionic conductivities simultaneously. However, commonly reported coating materials are unable to balance these functions well. Herein, a new type of coating material, La2CuO4 was introduced to mitigate the surface issues of LROs for the first time, due to its superb electronic conductivity (26–35 mS⋅cm−1) and lithium-ionic diffusion coefficient (10−12–10−13 cm2⋅s−1). After coating with the La2CuO4, the capacity retention of Li1.2Ni0.54Co0.13Mn0.13O2 cathode was increased to 85.9% (compared to 79.3% of uncoated cathode) after 150 cycles in the voltage range of 2.0–4.8 V. In addition, only negligible degradations on the deliverable capacity and rate capability were observed.

2D-Channel-Forming Catechol-Based Polyphosphates as Solid Polymer Electrolytes and Their Microstructure-Assisted Li-Ion Conductivity

Electrochemical energy storage devices are the much-required technology for potential applications in renewable energy systems from intermittent wind and solar sources and portable applications in electric vehicles. This paper describes the synthesis, characterization, and Li-ion conductivity of catechol-based copolymer of polyphosphates (P1–P4) for solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) applications in Li-ion batteries. The synthesized polymers are thermally stable with a high molecular weight and porous nature and their particles have a rodlike morphology. The Li-ion conductivity of one of the SPEs produced using P3 with 20 wt % of LiTFSI is 1.4 × 10–3 S cm–1 at 80 °C, while P1 having 40 wt % of LiTFSI shows the conductivity of 1.2 × 10–3 S cm–1 at 80 °C. The remaining polymers (P1–P4) show good conductivity at room temperature (∼10–4 S cm–1). The results demonstrate the highest Li-ion conductivity among those reported in the literature so far at 80 °C. The high conductivity achieved is attributed to the microstructure of polymer molecules dictated by the bulky and rigid groups as a co-monomer, which creates perpetual voids in the polymer matrices. Galvanostatic charge–discharge cycling studies on the coin cells fabricated using SPE1 exhibit constant overpotential values and stable cycling behavior for about 2000 cycles.

Defect Chemistry and Mixed Conduction in Lithium Lanthanum Titanate During the Transition from Electrolyte to Anode Material

Lithium lanthanum titanate Li0.29+δ La0.57TiO3 (LLTO) is a promising material in Li ion battery application, due to its ambient stability and high ionic conductivity. When it is subjected to a high Li chemical potential, additional Li ions intercalate into vacant A sites, which is balanced by the reduction of Ti4+ ions to Ti3+. At this point, LLTO becomes a mixed ion and electron conductor, which means that it undergoes a transition from an electrolyte to a high rate capable electrode material in the potential range below ca 1.7 V vs Li metal. However, the exact voltage of the transition from electrolyte to the electrode, as well as the electronic conductivity of reduced LLTO were still unknown. Here, we investigate the thermodynamics of lithium insertion as well as ion and electron conductivity of reduced LLTO by employing a galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). We can show that LLTO gradually changes from electrolyte material to a mixed conductor, with an ion transference number that depends on the Li chemical potential. Lastly, we present a defect chemical model that fits excellently to the U(δ) curves and the conductivity data.

Properties of Bacterial Cellulose/Polyvinyl Composite Membrane for Polymer Electrolyte Li ion Battery

High ionic conductivity and porous properties of material play important role as a solid polymer electrolyte in Li ion battery application. In this study, a bacterial cellulose (BC)- based polymer was modified with polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Blending the polymer host is one more approach to work on the morphology pore and electrochemical properties of polymer electrolytes. The slurry of BC is rich of fibers that contribute to forming of the pore template for solid electrolyte membrane. Polyvinyl act as material to creating pore and increases the polymer segmental ion lithium mobility. Pore morphology of BC-PVA and -PVP composite membrane homogeneously distributed by SEM observations. The presence of many pores makes the tensile strength of the BC PVA membrane lower. For solid electrolytes purposes, it does not affect battery performance but has a greater possibility for battery lifetime. The presence of pores contributes to the absorption of electrolytes membranes. In addition, enhancement of the conductivity upon addition of salt is correlated to the enhancement of pores from solid polymer electrolyte. The conductivity of BC-PVA composite is reported 8.7 x 10-5 Scm-1 , and this ion conductivity is slightly higher than conductivity in BC-PVP 8.4 x 10-7 Scm-1 at room temperature. In the future, BC-PVA can be applied for solid electrolyte membranes material based on cellulose.

Critical roles of synthesis temperature and an effective solid electrolyte interphase in improving the electrochemical performance of carbon coated Fe3BO5 anode at high C-rates

Samples of core/yolk-shell structured, carbon-coated vonsenite (Fe3BO5) are synthesized by the solid-state method and utilized as conversion-type anode materials. The core consists of vonsenite nanoparticles, while the shell is composed of a defective (partially graphitized) carbon layer. A higher synthetic temperature leads to the formation of larger amounts of metallic impurities as a result of the carbothermal reduction. The electrochemical characteristics of the sample synthesized at a lower temperature (600 °C) are better than those of the samples synthesized at higher temperatures and without the carbon coating. This can be attributed to the smaller-sized crystallites having the least amount of metallic impurities and a better-formed solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). This optimized sample demonstrates an outstanding reversible specific discharge capacity of 976 mAh g-1 at a current density of 0.05 A g-1. Long cyclability test at an ultra-high C-rate of 5 A g-1 outlines the critical role of an effective SEI and carbon coating. Remarkably, this sample is able to sustain even further electrochemical abuse, and shows electrochemical activity up to a C-rate of 20 A g-1, thus validating the usefulness of this material as a safe and stable anode for fast charging-discharging Li-ion battery applications.

2-dimensional biphenylene monolayer as anode in Li ion secondary battery with high storage capacity: Acumen from density functional theory

Energy storage methods are cardinal for the mitigation of intermittency of renewable energy and among many technologies available, Li-ion batteries (LIBs) dominate the market on the account of their significant attributes. However, there is still room for improvement in their performance for high-end applications. Modifying the anode material can significantly affect the overall battery performance. It becomes necessary to discover a satisfactory negative electrode for more productive Li ion batteries. The present density functional theory based work examines the potential of a novel, experimentally fabricated 2D monolayer, Biphenylene having sp2 carbon atoms arranged periodically in four, six, and eight-membered rings, for its application in LIBs as adequate anode. Phonon spectrum and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) signify the dynamic and thermal stability of the nanosheet. The band structures and density of states reveal the metallic nature which is maintained after the Li (adatom) adsorption as well. The mean adsorption energies for subsequent loading of Li over the sheet vary from -0.44 to -0.15 eV. The appreciative interactions between the adatom and the monolayer are well authenticated by charge transfer analysis. The Biphenylene monolayer is observed to offer a low diffusion barrier of 0.23 eV for the Li atoms. High storage capacity of 1302 mAhg−1 (almost 3.5 times higher than that of marketable Graphite), a low voltage of 0.34 V, and low volume changes (less than 3%) are noticed. This comprehensive study authenticates the capability of the 2D carbonous Biphenylene sheet as a suitable LIB negative electrode.

Structural and Dynamic Characterization of Li–Ionic Liquid Electrolyte Solutions for Application in Li-Ion Batteries: A Molecular Dynamics Approach

Pyrrolidinium-based (Pyr) ionic liquids (ILs) have been proposed as electrolyte components in lithium-ion batteries (LiBs), mainly due to their higher electrochemical stability and wider electrochemical window. Since they are not naturally electroactive, in order to allow their use in LiBs, it is necessary to mix the ionic liquids with lithium salts (Li). Li–PF6, Li–BF4, and Li–TFSI are among the lithium salts more frequently used in LiBs, and each anion, namely PF6 (hexafluorophosphate), BF4 (tetrafluoroborate), and TFSI (bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)azanide), has its own solvation characteristics and interaction profile with the pyrrolidinium ions. The size of Pyr cations, the anion size and symmetry, and cation–anion combinations influence the Li-ion solvation properties. In this work, we used molecular dynamics calculations to achieve a comprehensive view of the role of each cation–anion combination and of different fractions of lithium in the solutions to assess their relative advantage for Li-ion battery applications, by comparing the solvation and structural properties of the systems. This is the most-comprehensive work so far to consider pyrrolidinium-based ILs with different anions and different amounts of Li: from it, we can systematically determine the role of each constituent and its concentration on the structural and dynamic properties of the electrolyte solutions.

Enhanced Electrochemical Performance of Rare-Earth Metal-Ion-Doped Nanocrystalline Li4Ti5O12Electrodes in High-Power Li-Ion Batteries

A comprehensive and comparative exploration research performed, aiming to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms of rare-earth (RE) metal-ion doping into Li4Ti5O12 (LTO), reveals the enhanced electrochemical performance of the nanocrystalline RE-LTO electrodes in high-power Li-ion batteries. Pristi ne Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) and rare-earth metal-doped Li4-x/3Ti5-2x/3LnxO12 (RE-LTO with RE = Dy, Ce, Nd, Sm, and Eu; x ≈ 0.1) nanocrystalline anode materials were synthesized using a simple mechanochemical method and subsequent calcination at 850 °C. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of pristine and RE-LTO samples exhibit predominant (111) orientation along with other characteristic peaks corresponding to cubic spinel lattice. No evidence of RE-doping-induced changes was seen in the crystal structure and phase. The average crystallite size for pristine and RE-LTO samples varies in the range of 50-40 nm, confirming the formation of nanoscale crystalline materials and revealing the good efficiency of the ball-milling-assisted process adopted to synthesize nanoscale particles. Raman spectroscopic analyses of the chemical bonding indicate and further validate the phase structural quality in addition to corroborating with XRD data for the cubic spinel structure formation. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals that both pristine and RE-LTO particles have a similar cubic shape, but RE-LTO particles are better interconnected, which provide a high specific surface area for enhanced Li+-ion storage. The detailed electrochemical characterization confirms that the RE-LTO electrodes constitute promising anode materials for high-power Li-ion batteries. The RE-LTO electrodes deliver better discharge capacities (in the range of 172-198 mAh g-1 at 1C rate) than virgin LTO (168 mAh g-1). Among them, Eu-LTO provides the best discharge capacity of 198 mAh g-1 at a 1C rate. When cycled at a high current rate of 50C, all RE-LTO electrodes show nearly 70% of their initial discharge capacities, resulting in higher rate capability than virgin LTO (63%). The results discussed in this work unfold the fundamental mechanisms of RE doping into LTO and demonstrate the enhanced electrochemical performance derived via chemical composition tailoring in RE-LTO compounds for application in high-power Li-ion batteries.

Direct spectroscopic observation of the reversible redox mechanism in A3V2(PO4)3(A=Li,Na) cathode materials for Li-ion batteries

Alkali Vanadium (III) phosphates are a promising class of positive electrode materials for Li-, Na- and K-ion battery applications. Herein, the reversible redox mechanism of Li3V2(PO4)3 and Na3V2(PO4)3 cathodes during charge/discharge vs. Li+/Li0 is directly observed by Soft X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy. For both Li3V2(PO4)3 and Na3V2(PO4)3 spontaneous surface Li + insertion is observed after exposure to Li + electrolyte. Furthermore, for Li3V2(PO4)3 a reversible charge-discharge process is observed from 3.0 V–4.8 V with only slight increase in O contributions to O 2p - V 3d unoccupied hybridised states after charge/discharge vs. Li+/Li0. For Na3V2(PO4)3, persistent VO6 tetrahedral distortion and an accompanying V5+ state is observed, particularly at the surface, after discharge vs. Li+/Li. These observations further elucidate the particular atomic and electronic structure changes and charge-discharge mechanisms of high voltage NASICON and anti-NASICON cathode materials for Li-ion battery applications.

An easy large-scale preparation of γ-MnOOH 1D nanorods for advanced LIBs application

MnOOH is a widely used inorganic material, and is mainly prepared using sealed autoclaves under heating conditions, which restricts its large-scale preparation. In this study, a novel reaction route under normal pressure and normal temperature is first designed to prepare γ-MnOOH nanorods by reacting KMnO4 and N(CH3COO)3. Further, MnO2 and LiMn2O4 with inherited morphology are synthesized adopting the as-prepared γ-MnOOH nanorods as the template. Several techniques including X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscope have been utilized to characterize the resulting powders. When applied as an electrode of Li-half batteries, the intrinsic one-dimension (1D) structure characteristic endows the resultants with prominent electrochemical properties including high capacity, great cyclic stability and excellent rate capability, indicating its significant potential for application in advanced Li-ion batteries (LIBs). Furthermore, the as-prepared MnOOH nanorods can also be extended to other fields.

Inhibition of lithium dendrite growth by high-thermal-stability separator containing sulfonated covalent organic frameworks and polybenzimidazole

Li-ion batteries (LIBs) are considered an excellent energy storage system because of their ultrahigh energy density. However, safety problems caused by the shrinkage of their separators at high temperatures and the growth of lithium dendrites have seriously limited their further development and application. Therefore, it is important to develop a separator with excellent heat resistance that inhibits the growth of lithium dendrites. In this work, bifunctional separators are prepared using poly(aryl ether benzimidazole) (OPBI) and sulfonated covalent organic frameworks (SCOFs). OPBI is used as the matrix material of the separator owing to its outstanding thermal properties, and the microstructure and polar functional groups of the SCOFs regulate the transport of Li+ and reduce the growth of lithium dendrites. The obtained SCOF15@OPBI hybrid separators exhibited excellent thermal stability (no change in physical size at 200 °C for 1 h) and stabilized the lithium plating/stripping process on the anode for more than 3200 h with a relatively low voltage hysteresis of roughly 1.6 mV at 0.5 mA cm−2. The hybrid separator also showed high ionic conductivity (1.76 mS cm−1) and an outstanding electrolyte uptake rate (439%), and a cell containing the hybrid separator exhibited a satisfactory discharge specific capacity (153.2 mA h g−1). The hybrid separator promotes large-scale energy storage applications of LIBs.

Polymers with Cyanoethyl Ether and Propanesulfonate Ether Side Chains for Solid-State Li-Ion Battery Applications

Two key challenges of solid-state polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are low ionic conductivity and low lithium transference number, which must be resolved in order to achieve satisfactory cycling performance for solid-state lithium batteries. Herein, we successfully substituted β-cyanoethyl ether [−O–(CH2)2–CN] and propanesulfonate ether [−O–(CH2)3–SO3–] groups for the −OH group in polyvinyl alcohol. SPEs were then prepared by mixing the resultant graft-polymer with various levels of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI). The SPE with an optimal concentration of LiTFSI (50 wt %) showed a maximum ionic conductivity of 5.4 × 10–4 S cm–1 with an activation energy of 31.6 kJ mol–1, an electrochemical stability window of 5.3 V (vs Li/Li+), and a lithium-ion transference number of 0.48 at room temperature (∼25 °C). The plating/stripping tests for a Li|SPE|Li cell demonstrated a steady voltage profile without short-circuiting issues for 500 cycles (i.e., 500 h). Furthermore, a solid-state Li|SPE|LiFePO4 battery was assembled with exceptional cycling stability at 25 °C. A discharge (DC) capacity of 159.1 mA h g–1 was attained at a 0.1 C-rate. In addition, the DC capacity at a 0.5 C-rate and capacity retention after 576 cycles are 138.0 mA h g–1 and 70%, respectively.

Mesoporous core/shell MnFe2O4 nanocomposite derived from facile sonoelectrochemical process: An eco-friendly method for rapid synthesis and versatile industrial applications

Background: Replacing the current usage of toxic, hazardous, irreversible materials in existing industrial production for various applications into eco-friendly material with easy availability and finding an economic synthesis method with structure tunable properties to produce effective magnetic nanocomposite are still need to be developed for advanced chemical technology. Methods: Mesoporous core/shell MnFe2O4 nanocomposite have been synthesized in this report at 15 min using a facile, eco-friendly sonoelectrochemical process. Significant findings: The presence of manganese over magnetite (Fe3O4) was confirmed through FTIR, XRD, elemental mapping and EDS studies. The size and shape of the nanocomposite were analyzed from FESEM and HRTEM analyses. It was revealed that the synthesized nanocomposites are spherical in shape and have an average diameter of 65±10 nm with 10±2 nm shell thickness. Encapsulating manganese over core Fe3O4 nanoparticles had improved the thermal stability up to 7% than the mere Fe3O4 which was confirmed by thermogravimetry analysis. The BET analysis had revealed that the sonoelectrochemically synthesized nanocomposites are having higher surface area of 385.7 m2 g-1 and possess a mesoporous nature with a mean pore diameter of 1.90 nm. Based on these superior properties, the core/shell MnFe2O4 nanocomposite could be utilized as a promising material towards various industrial applications such as heavy metal removal, hydrogen production, hyperthermia, Li-ion battery, drug delivery, catalysis, and sensor applications.

Density functional theory study of monoclinic Li3Co2SbO6 for Li ion battery applications

Density functional theory study of monoclinic Li3Co2SbO6 for Li ion battery applications