High Electrochemical Performance Research Articles

Composite Solid-State Electrolyte with Vertical Ion Transport Channels for All-Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Composite solid electrolytes (CSEs) consisting of polymers and fast ionic conductors are considered a promising strategy for realizing safe rechargeable batteries with high energy density. However, randomly distributed fast ionic conductor fillers in the polymer matrix result in tortuous and discontinuous ion channels, which severely constrains the ion transport capacity and restricts its practical application. Here, CSEs with highly loaded vertical ion transport channels are fabricated by magnetically manipulating the alignment of Li0.35La0.55TiO3 nanowires. The construction of densely packed, vertically aligned ion transport channels can effectively enhance the ion transport capacity of the electrolyte, thereby significantly increasing ionic conductivity. At room temperature (RT), the presented CSE exhibits a remarkable ionic conductivity of up to 2.5 × 10-4 S cm-1. The assembled LiFePO4/Li cell delivers high capacities of 118 mAh g-1 at 5 C at 60°C and a RT capacity of 115 mAh g-1 can be achieved at a charging rate of 0.5 C. This work paves an encouraging avenue for further development of advanced CSEs that favor lithium metal batteries with high energy density and electrochemical performance.

Composite Gel Polymer Electrolyte for High-Performance Flexible Zinc-Air Batteries.

Enhancing ionic conductivity and electrolyte uptake is of significance for gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) for flexible zinc-air batteries (FZABs). Herein, a composite mesoporous silica/polyacrylamide (5 wt.% mPAM) GPE is constructed with comparable ionic conductivity to aqueous electrolytes, where the ionic conductivity is up to 337 mS cm-1, and the weight loss after exposing in air 72h is less than 18%, owing to the excellent electrolyte uptake and continuous ion migration network provided by the mesoporous silica fillers. When used as a quasi-solid-electrolyte, the rechargeable FZAB exhibited high electrochemical performance and structural stability, where the peak power density is up to 162.8mW cm-2, and the initial charge-discharge potential gap is as low as 0.62V, resulting in a long lifespan exceeding 110h, showcasing the combination of high durability, cost-effectiveness and easy production for practical applications.

Reinforcement and toughening of the self‐piercing riveted bonded joints induced by the pre‐embedded adhesive in rivet cavities

AbstractSelf‐piercing riveted bonded (SPRB) joints are widely used in body‐in‐white (BIW) to connect dissimilar materials owing to their high fatigue and electrochemical performance. However, the strength of the SPRB joint has been found to be inferior to that of self‐piercing riveted (SPR) joints, owing to the reduction in undercut induced by the introduction of an adhesive, especially under pull‐out loading conditions. Interestingly, the mechanical strength improved when the rivet cavity was pre‐embedded with an adhesive. Before the riveting process, the rivet cavities in SPRB joints were pre‐embedded with 0.01, 0.02, and 0.03 mL of adhesive, namely them PSPRB‐V1–V3, respectively. Finite element (FE) models of SPRB and PSPRB joints were developed to analyze their formability and mechanical properties. The simulated and experimental results showed that the hydraulic pressure in the rivet cavity increased as the pre‐embedded adhesive volume in the rivet cavity increased during the riveting process, which further improved the undercut, microhardness, effective bearing area, and mechanical properties of joints. Among the prepared PSPRB joints, the PSPRB‐V3 joint exhibited the best undercut and optimal mechanical properties. Specifically, its undercut and peak force increased by 16.43% and 12.87% compared with those of SPRB joints. These findings provide important guidance for designing steel‐aluminum SPRB joints that require high‐bearing capabilities.Highlights The effect of pre‐embedded adhesive on the SPRB joint cross‐section was studied. Failure mechanisms of the SPRB and PSPRB joints were investigated via FEM. The better PSPRB joint performance over SPRB joints was elucidated. The stress–strain history was considered in the FE model of the joint failure process. Strengthening mechanism of pre‐embedded adhesive in the rivet cavity was discussed.

High ionic conductive Sodium β-alumina (SBA) and SBA-NaPF6 composite solid electrolytes prepared by cold sintering process

Sodium β-alumina (SBA) electrolytes are among the most excellent candidates for all-solid-state batteries due to their high electrochemical performances and low cost of sodium resources. However, thermally sintering at above 1400 °C is required to fabricate high dense SBA electrolytes, thus giving rise to a huge energy consumption. Here, dense SBA electrolytes and (1-x)SBA-xNaPF6 (x=5, 10, 15, 20 wt%) composites were fabricated using cold sintering process (CSP) below 300 °C with 2 mol/L NaOH solution as transient chemistry. The ionic conductivity of SBA electrolytes is significantly enhanced from 5.53×10-6 S·cm-1 to 5.91 × 10−4 S·cm−1 as 15 wt% NaPF6 was introduced to the composite, which is comparable with the SBA sintered above 1400 °C. CSP may provide a promising approach for the fabrication of solid-state electrolytes by avoiding the detrimental impact of high temperature heat treatment.

Facile synthesis and first principles calculations of Li-MoS2/rGO nanocomposite for high-performance supercapacitor applications

Two-dimensional (2D) nanostructured materials such as graphene oxide nanosheets and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) are potential candidates for electrochemical energy storage applications. The layered structure of MoS2 makes it a promising active electrode material for supercapacitors. Lithium (Li) interacted with MoS2/reduced graphene oxide (Li-MoS2/rGO) nanocomposite has been synthesized in two steps using a sonochemical dispersion method, and a one-pot hydrothermal method resulting in few-layered MoS2/rGO nanosheets of 2D heterointerfaces. The Li-MoS2/rGO nanocomposite exhibits a high specific capacitance of 173.3 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1. Furthermore, an asymmetric supercapacitor device fabricated with Li-MoS2/rGO achieves a good energy density of 10.6 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 686.3 W kg−1 and outstanding cycling stability with 81.2 % capacity retention over 10,000 cycles. The dispersion of 2D-MoS2 in water is due to the strong electrostatic interface. The structural and electronic properties are theoretically calculated for pristine and Li-interacted MoS2/rGO heterostructure using density functional theory. A comparison of the density of states plots of the two heterostructures and the difference charge density plot of Li-MoS2/rGO heterostructure clearly brings out the importance of the presence of Li. A value of 64 μF cm−2 for the quantum capacitance for pristine MoS2/graphene heterostructure increases to a value 99 μF cm−2 corroborating the experimental observations and we assign this change to the transfer of charge from the Li atom to the outer S atoms in the MoS2/graphene heterostructure. This comprehensive approach, combining experimental synthesis with computational modelling, significantly advances the development and optimization of high-performance supercapacitor materials in the energy storage field. The Li-MoS2/rGO nanocomposite has excellent electrochemical specific capacitance and long-term cyclic stability and has been effectively used for supercapacitor applications with high electrochemical performance.

Elucidating the effect of annealing temperature on the atomic-level surface structure evolution and electrochemical performance of Mo doped LiMn2O4 cathode materials

Critical barriers to the extensive applications of the spinel LiMn2O4 cathodes include grievous capacity degradation and structural collapse. Bulk elemental doping combining surface modification, which is a common approach to address these challenges. Here, synchronous bulk Mo-doped and in-situ surface reconstructed layer coated LiMo0.02Mn1.98O4 cathodes are prepared by tuning the annealing temperatures. Using the spherical aberration-corrected scanning transmission microscopy (Cs-STEM) technique, we demonstrate that part of Mo6+ ions dopes into the octahedral Mn 16d sites to form LiMo0.02Mn1.98O4 that strengthens bulk structural stability. The other part of Mo6+ ions or the Mn atom occupying the Mn 16c sites of the spinel to form a surface reconstructed layer on the outermost surface that suppresses the side reaction and slows down the decomposition of the electrolyte. Specifically, the LiMo0.02Mn1.98O4 cathode calcined at 750 °C with an appropriate surface reconstructed layer exhibits an outstanding capacity retention of 76.28 % after 1000 cycles at 10C at 25 °C. Our work provides a simple and novel way toward high electrochemical performance tuning for spinel LiMn2O4 cathodes.

Amino Acid Supported Conductive Nanocomposite for Developing Flexible Electrode Material for Energy Storage

Introduction: This study focused on synthesizing biocompatible, flexible and wearable electrode materials for energy storage applications. The unique zwitterionic structure of L-proline provides numerous interesting properties to the nanocomposite such as high ionic interactions through the various ion migration channels, and strong hydration characteristics. These features are key to thehigh performance of energy deposition systems.Methods: Binary nanocomposites containing L-proline (Pro) amino acid and polypyrrole (Ppy) were produced on rGO modified carbon textile (rGO-CC) to develop electroactive materials. Two step hydrothermal method was used to produce flexible electrodes. DRIFT spectroscopy andAFM analysis were performed to clarify the structural and the morphological characterization. Electrochemical behavior was evaluated utilizing CV, GCD and EIS methods.Results: ProPpy@rGO-CC electrode materials exhibit high electrochemical performances in aqueous electrolytes (0.1 M NaCl). The prepared electrode shows high specific capacitance of 500.4 Fg-1 (at 25 mVs−1) at the ambient conditions. Additionally, after 5,000 charge/discharge cycles the specific capacitance retains a high level of 95% confirming the good cycle stability. The energy and the power densities were found to be 278 Wh kg−1 and 12.5 kW kg−1, respectively.Conclusion: The results indicate that the ProPpy@rGO-CC electrode is a promising candidate for next-generation high-performance energy deposition systems. The unique structural features of L-proline contribute to the formation of a large number of electroactive sites and short diffusion pathways.

Fluorine-Free Cycloaliphatic Epoxy-Based Siloxane Nanohybrid Binder with High Polar Hydroxyl Group Content Enabling LiFePO4-Type Battery with High Electrochemical Performance and Stability.

LiFePO4-type (LFP) batteries have attracted significant attention in most battery manufacturing industries due to their long lifespan, high-temperature safety, and low cost of raw materials. However, as an active material, LFP still suffers from several intrinsic drawbacks, including poor conductivity, a low Li+ diffusion coefficient, low capacity, and a lack of electrochemical stability, primarily due to conventional fluorine-based binders. Here, we report a simple yet effective approach to developing a fluorine-free binder based on a robust cycloaliphatic epoxy-based siloxane nanohybrid material (CES) to achieve high electrochemical stability in LFP batteries. The high content of silanol moieties in CES induces a strong affinity for the active material and conductive agent, significantly improving rheological (thixotropy) and mechanical (adhesion and cohesion) properties, which enable the formation of a uniformly coated electrode. As a result, we achieved superior electrochemical performance and stability in CES-applied electrodes compared to those with conventional fluorine-based binders. We investigate the reasons behind the contribution of CES to the electrochemical stability of LFP batteries through various analyses. The high thermal and oxidation stability of CES effectively prevents degradation of LFP-based active materials. Our binder development strategy offers a significant breakthrough in replacing conventional fluorine-based binders, advancing the development of high-performance and stable secondary batteries.

Iron and Nitrogen-Doped Wheat Straw Hierarchical Porous Carbon Materials for Supercapacitors.

In this paper, we prepared a new type of iron and nitrogen co-doped porous carbon material (WSC-Fe/N) using a carbonization-activation process with wheat straw as a precursor and FeCl3 and NH4Cl as co-doping agents and analyzed the electrochemical properties of the resulting electrode material. Through precise control of the doping elements and carbonization temperature (900 °C), the resulting WSC-Fe/N-900 material exhibits abundant micropores, uniform mesopores, a significant specific surface area (2576.6 m2 g-1), an optimal level of iron doping (1.7 wt.%), and excellent graphitization. These characteristics were confirmed through X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Additionally, the WSC-Fe/N-900 electrode demonstrated a specific capacitance of 400.5 F g-1 at a current density of 0.5 A g-1, maintaining a high capacitance of 308 F g-1 even at 10 A g-1. The solid-state symmetric supercapacitor in an aqueous electrolyte achieved an energy density of 9.2 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 250 W kg-1 and maintained an energy density of 6.5 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 5000 W kg-1, demonstrating remarkable synergistic energy-power output characteristics. In terms of structural properties, the porous characteristics of WSC-Fe/N-900 not only enhance the specific surface area of the electrode but also improve the diffusion capability of electrolyte ions within the electrode, thereby enhancing capacitance performance. The reliability of the electrode material demonstrated good performance in long-term cycling tests, maintaining a capacitance retention rate of 93% after 10,000 charge-discharge cycles, indicating excellent electrochemical stability. Furthermore, over time, the aging effect of the WSC-Fe/N-900 electrode material is minimal, maintaining high electrochemical performance even after prolonged use, suggesting that this material is suitable for long-term energy storage applications. This study introduces a novel strategy for producing porous carbon materials for supercapacitors, advancing the development of economically efficient and environmentally friendly energy storage solutions.

Architecting V2O5 with a Triune Crystal Water-Amorphous-Crystalline Feature for Robust Zinc-Ion Batteries.

The notorious collapse of the electrode structure and strong electrostatic interactions in aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) limit the achievement of a long cycle life. Herein, by designing an ordered/disordered hybrid structure, we have effectively preserved the integrity of the V2O5·1.6H2O (VOH) electrode. Moreover, our approach facilitates the release of stress concentration contributed to by the amorphous component, alleviating the strong electrostatic interaction merited by crystal water and promoting the diffusion kinetics of Zn2+ assisted by the crystalline component. Noteworthy, the crystal water serves as an interlayer pillar significantly enhancing the structural stability of the electrode. As a result, our VOH electrode exhibits high electrochemical performance. It delivered 227.8 mAh g-1 at a higher current density of 2 A g-1, and a high cycle life of 1000 cycles with 95% capacity retention was achieved at a current density of 1 A g-1.

Microstructure reconstruction via confined carbonization achieves highly available sodium ion diffusion channels in hard carbon

Hard carbon is considered as the main candidate negative electrode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to its high stability and electrochemical performance. However, the complex carbon structure and composition of hard carbon are difficult to achieve precise control during the preparation process, which leads to difficulties in accurately determining the attribution of electrochemical behavior. Here, we propose a confined carbonization strategy to achieve microstructure reconstruction of hard carbon, characterized by the anchoring of polymers in the mesopores of porous carbon to generate ordered carbon structures at high temperatures. The stacking of ordered carbon on micropores in porous carbon achieves the transition from exposed pores to closed pores (nano cleithral pores). Through mechanism detection, it is found that the ordered carbon structure provides sub nanochannels for sodium ion migration, which contributes to high slope capacity. In addition, the nano cleithral pores are sites filled with sodium ions and provide high plateau capacity. Benefiting from theses available sodium ion transport channels, carbon materials have achieved a transition from surface-controlled process to diffusion-controlled process in the sodium storage process via confined carbonization. The as-prepared carbon delivers a superior capacity of 356.2 mAh g–1 (215.6 mAh g–1 for plateau capacity) at 20 mA g–1 with excellent rate and cycling performance. This work reveals the correlation between structure and electrochemical performance for carbon electrode, providing profound guidance for the precise preparation of high-performance carbon materials.

Nanowires for Solid‐State Lithium Batteries

AbstractA vital approach to accessing high‐safety and high‐energy‐density lithium batteries is to develop solid‐state electrolytes (SSEs) instead of liquid electrolytes. However, lithium‐ion transport and interface stability issues puzzle the construction of solid‐state lithium batteries (SSLBs). Thus, developing fast‐ionic conductors with high electrochemical performances and chemical stability is crucial to SSLBs. Nanowires (NWs) possess high aspect ratios for maintaining carrier transport along the radial direction, thus being extensively employed in SSLBs for the enhancement of ion transport efficiency, mechanical properties, thermostability, flame retardancy, and interface stability between electrodes and electrolytes, consequently boosting the cycle stability and safety of SSLBs. In this work, the advances in NWs for SSLBs, from rational design and synthesis strategies to applications in composite cathodes, anode materials, and SSEs of SSLBs, are systematically reviewed. The key role of NWs in electrodes and the enhancement mechanism of SSE performance by introducing NWs are concluded in detail. Finally, the existing challenges and anticipated prospects for the future development of advanced nanowire‐based SSLBs are summarized and demonstrated. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding to facilitate the application of NWs in SSLBs.

Innovative Air Cathode with Ni-Doped Cobalt Sulfide in Highly Ordered Macroporous Carbon Matrix for Rechargeable Zn-Air Battery.

To realize the practical application of rechargeable Zn-Air batteries (ZABs), it is imperative to develop a non-noble metal-based electrocatalyst with high electrochemical performance for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, Ni-doped Co9S8 nanoparticles dispersed on an inverse opal-structured N, S co-doped carbon matrix (IO─NixCo9-xS8@NSC) as a bifunctional electrocatalyst is presented. The unique 3D porous structure, arranged in an inverse opal pattern, provides a large active surface area. Also, the conductive carbon substrate ensures the homogeneous dispersion of NixCo9-xS8 nanocrystals, preventing aggregation and increasing the exposure of active sites. The introduction of heteroatom dopants into the Co9S8 structure generates defect sites and enhances surface polarity, thereby improving electrocatalytic performance in alkaline solutions. Consequently, the IO─NixCo9-xS8@NSC shows excellent bifunctional activity with a high half-wave potential of 0.926V for ORR and a low overpotential of 289mV at 10mA cm-2 for OER. Moreover, the rechargeable ZAB assembled with prepared electrocatalyst exhibits a higher specific capacity (768 mAh gZn -1), peak power density (180.2mW cm-2), and outstanding stability (over 160h) compared to precious metal-based electrocatalyst.

Nitrogen Doping Engineering of V2CTx based Zinc Ion Hybrid Microcapacitors with Quadruple High Energy Density

To accommodate the long-term and stable energy supply requirements for wearable electronics, the reported flexible zinc ion hybrid microcapacitor (ZIHMC) needs to further increase the energy density. So, a nitrogen doped V2CTx (N-V2CTx) based ZIHMC was proposed to achieve high electrochemical performance. The introduction of N heteroatoms by NH3 annealing can dramatically increase the electrical conductivity of V2CTx and simultaneously widen the voltage window to 1.9 V. In detail, the doped nitrogen atoms in V2CTx based device has a maximum capacity of 293.0 mF cm–2, four times higher than that of pure V2CTx based ZIHMC. The mechanism of the enhanced electrochemical performance by nitrogen doped V2CTx was revealed by the experimental analysis and theoretical simulation. And the N-V2CTx based ZIHMC demonstrated high energy density with 150.0 μWh cm–2 at a power density of 380.0 μW cm–2 and excellent stability with 94.80% capacitance retention after 3000 charge-discharge cycles. The N-V2CTx based ZIHMC also presents excellent flexibility without virtually capacity loss after 3000 bending cycles. The good electrochemical performance and flexibility of N-V2CTx ZIHMC make it has potential applications in flexible wearable electronics.

Manganese Oxide-Doped Hierarchical Porous Carbon Derived from Tea Leaf Waste for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

Hierarchical porous carbon derived from discarded biomass for energy storage materials has attracted increasing research attention due to its cost-effectiveness, ease of fabrication, environmental protection, and sustainability. Brewed tea leaves are rich in heteroatoms that are beneficial to capacitive energy storage behavior. Therefore, we synthesized high electrochemical performance carbon-based composites from Tie guan yin tea leaf waste using a facile procedure comprising hydrothermal, chemical activation, and calcination processes. In particular, potassium permanganate (KMnO4) was incorporated into the potassium hydroxide (KOH) activation agent; therefore, during the activation process, KOH continued to erode the biomass precursor, producing abundant pores, and KMnO4 synchronously underwent a redox reaction to form MnO nanoparticles and anchor on the porous carbon through chemical bonding. MnO nanoparticles provided additional pseudocapacitive charge storage capabilities through redox reactions. The results show that the amount of MnO produced is proportional to the amount of KMnO4 incorporated. However, the specific surface area of the composite material decreases with the incorporated amount of KMnO4 due to the accumulation and aggregation of MnO nanoparticles, thereby even blocking some micropores. Optimization of MnO nanocrystal loading can promote the crystallinity and graphitization degree of carbonaceous materials. The specimen prepared with a weight ratio of KMnO4 to hydrochar of 0.02 exhibited a high capacitance of 337 F/g, an increase of 70%, owing to the synergistic effect between the Tie guan yin tea leaf-derived activated carbon and MnO nanoparticles. With this facile preparation method and the resulting high electrochemical performance, the development of manganese oxide/carbon composites derived from tea leaf biomass is expected to become a promising candidate as an energy storage material for supercapacitors.

Mechanically Robust Polyimide Binder Realizes Stable and High Electrochemical Performance for Micro-Silicon Anodes in Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Silicon is regarded as a highly promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries, attributed to its substantial theoretical specific capacity. The practical implementation of Si-anodes is hindered by side reactions and significant volumetric changes, ~300% to 400%, occurring during the lithiation/delithiation processes. Pertinent binders can effectively mitigate the stress resulting from the volumetric exchange in Si-anodes. Herein, we developed a mechanically stable polyimide binder PI-CF3 and introduced trifluoromethyl and hydroxyl groups for commercial microparticular Si-anodes. With the highest Young's modulus of ~921.1 MPa, the binder presented the maximum resilience during the charging and discharging of Micro-Si, integrating the morphology, and reducing the degree to which the electrode disrupted ion and electric pathways. Moreover, -OH and -CF3 groups of the binder could potentially interact with the oxide layer at the surface of silicon through H-bonds resulting in a cross-linking network to improve interface stability. The as-prepared PI-CF3 binder with excellent intrinsic mechanical and electro-rich groups stabilizes the electrode structure and facilitates fast Li+ transportation. Consequently, at 0.6 Ag-1, the micro-Si anode produced an initial specific capacity of 1838 mAh g-1 at Si 0.66 mg cm-2. Besides, at Si 0.78 mg cm-2 specific capacity retained around 1219 mAh g-1 over 330 cycles.

Thermal conversion engineering of vanadium nitride-oxide cathode for high-rate aqueous Zn-ion battery

Vanadium-based materials are promising cathodes for high electrochemical performance aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs) due to their high specific capacity and multielectron redox reactions. However, vanadium-based materials suffer from low intrinsic conductivities and slow reaction kinetics, leading to poor rate performance. Here, we introduce vanadium nitride-oxide (VOVN) composites fabricated through a thermal conversion strategy, which exhibit high capacity and superior rate performance. The interface regulation of V2O3 and VN composite promotes charge carrier transport and enhances cathode reaction kinetics. Additionally, the dual energy storage mechanism in VOVN composites facilitates highly reversible Zn2+ storage processes. Consequently, the VOVN cathode demonstrates high discharge capacity (445.3 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1), excellent rate performance (151.4 mAh g−1 at 30 A g−1), and fast diffusion coefficient (10−9–10−10 cm2 s−1). This study provides a straightforward and effective approach to developing high-performance cathodes for AZIBs.

Tip effect of NiCo-LDH with low crystallinity for enhanced energy storage performance of yarn-shaped supercapacitors

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are considered promising materials for supercapacitor applications. However, the development of yarn-shaped supercapacitors (YSCs) with high electrochemical performance utilizing LDHs remains challenging. In this study, the NiCo-LDHs with various morphologies (nano-needles, nano-sheets, needle-sheet composites, and nano-flowers) were grown on carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-functionalized cotton yarn via a co-precipitation technique for YSC applications. Among these, the yarn incorporating nano-needle NiCo-LDHs exhibited reduced crystallinity yet demonstrated a superior areal capacitance compared to other morphologies, following a diffusion-controlled process. Finite element simulations were subsequently conducted to investigate this phenomenon, revealing that the lower-crystallinity nano-needle NiCo-LDHs accumulated a greater charge at their tips, thereby enhancing redox reactions and achieving higher energy storage capacitance. Subsequently, the yarns with nano-needle NiCo-LDHs were assembled into flexible quasi-solid-state symmetric YSCs, achieving a peak areal capacitance of 124.27 mF cm−2 and an exceptionally high energy density of 39.4 μWh cm−2 at a current density of 0.2 mA cm−2. Furthermore, our YSCs can be scaled up through serial or parallel connections and integrated into fabrics, making them suitable for wearable energy storage applications. This work provides an efficient method for fabricating high-performance YSCs and demonstrates significant potential for wearable energy storage devices.

Inside Cover Picture

The BiOCl0.5Br0.5 with flower‐like structure exhibits the layered structure, in which the self‐hybridization of chlorine and bromine atoms induces an intensified internal electric field and wider Van der Waals gap, providing a fast diffusion path for K+ ion. Combining the decreasing of the electron polarons induced by the hybridized structure and the in situ formation of hole‐like polarons caused by the dynamic K+ ion‐halogen atoms correlation, the BiOCl0.5Br0.5 anode exhibits a stimulative K+ ion diffusion kinetics, thus enabling a high electrochemical performance in potassium‐ion batteries. More details are discussed in the article by Wu et al. on pages 2589—2598.image

Preparation and characterization of high performance super activated carbon based on coupled coal/sargassum precursors

High electrochemical performance supercapacitors require activated carbon with high specific surface area, suitable pore size distribution and surface properties, and high electrical conductivity as electrode materials, whereas there exists a trade-off relationship between specific surface area and electrical conductivity, which is not well met by a single type of carbon source. To solve this problem, the coal and sargassum are adopted to obtain the coupling product via co-thermal dissolution, followed by carbonization and KOH activation. The effects of mixing mass ratio and activation temperature on the prepared activated carbon (AC) are investigated using single factor experimental method. The experimental results show that AC1/3-800 has abundant micropore and mesopore content, good pore structure connectivity, high electrical conductivity and good wettability, and superior electrochemical properties compared with other activated carbons prepared in this experiment. Its total specific surface area is up to 2098.5 m2·g–1, the pore volume is up to 1.33 cm3·g–1, the content of mespores with diameter of 6–8 nm is significantly increased, and the pore size distribution is wide and uniform. When the current density increases from 0.1 A·g–1 to 10 A·g–1, the gravimetric capacitance decreases from 219 F·g–1 to 186 F·g–1 with a capacitance retention of 84.9%, the equivalent series resistance is very small, and the rate performance and reversibility of charging and discharging have also been excellent.