Plateau Potentials Research Articles

Advantageous carbon deposition during the irreversible electrochemical oxidation of Na2C4O4 used as a presodiation source for the anode of sodium-ion systems

Well-percolated Na2C4O4-based electrodes have been realized to determine the nature of the oxidation products of the squarate anion (C4O42−), and then Na2C4O4 has been applied as a sacrificial material to presodiate the anodic host of a sodium-ion system. During the electrochemical oxidation of C4O42−, a potential plateau with an irreversible capacity close to the theoretical one (339 mAh g−1) was observed ca. 3.6 V vs. Na/Na+. The mass variation of the carbon-Na2C4O4 electrodes, together with the electrochemical mass spectrometry analysis of the gas phase, suggested that the oxidation product of the C4O42- anion is CO, which is further partly disproportionated into CO2 and carbon (confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and nitrogen adsorption), leading to a seven-fold enhancement of the conductivity. Thus, Na2C4O4 has been selected as a sacrificial material to overcome the metal deficiency issue in the anodic material of sodium-ion capacitors (NICs). An AC-Na2C4O4//Sn4P3 (AC=activated carbon) cell was realized, and sodium was transferred to Sn4P3 by electrochemical oxidation, giving an AC//NaxSn4P3 NIC. In the voltage range from 2.0 V to 3.8 V, the NIC displayed a high specific energy of 44 Wh kg−1 at 1 kW kg−1. Additionally, it demonstrated an excellent capacitance retention of 94% after ca. 11,000 cycles, owing to the CO2 oxidation product of C4O42− which leads to the formation of Na2CO3 passivating very efficiently the NaxSn4P3 anode surface. Hence, Na2C4O4 is a beneficial and easily available sacrificial material enabling to simplify the construction of Na-ion systems and improve significantly their performance.

Covalent sulfur as stable anode for potassium ion battery

The potassium bis(fluoro-sulfonyl)imide(KFSI)-based electrolyte has great application prospects in potassium ion batteries (PIBs). However, their development has been limited by the decomposition of electrolytes and the corrosion of Al foils (current collector) at high potential. Here, a N-doping, sulfur-rich chemically bonded porphyrin organic framework (SPOF) with a high potential plateau were synthesized as an anode to lower the redox potential of full cells and further inhibit the corrosion of Al foils. SPOF as anode delivers high reversible capacity (557 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1), excellent cycling performance (94% capacity retention over 1000 cycles at 500 mA g−1), and superior rate performance. Meanwhile, the ex-situ FTIR, Raman, and HRTEM revealed the stability of N-doping and the reversible covalent sulfur and S–S bonds changes during potassiation/depotassiation. In addition, full cells using SPOF anode and PTCDA cathode showed outstanding performance (high capacity of 300 mAh g−1 at 200 mA g−1). And the Al current collector of the full cell was not corroded after 150 cycles. Yet, the Al foils with PTCDA as cathode were seriously corroded. This work provides a new strategy for realizing ultra-high reversible capacity and cyclic stability of PIBs, and also accelerates the process of early commercial application of PIBs.

Bismuth oxychloride anchoring on graphene nanosheets as anode with a high relative energy density for potassium ion battery

In this work, we developed bismuth oxychloride anchoring on graphene nanosheets (BiOCl/G) composite via a simple one-step hydrothermal process for KIBs’ anode, which delivers a high reversible specific capacity of 251 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1 after 50 cycles. Meanwhile, our BiOCl/G composite also exhibits a low voltage plateau during potassiation-depotassiation process, and such low voltage plateau in anode is helpful to improve the energy density of the full battery. In addition, we also provide the energy changes for migration of K-ion of our composite according to the density functional theory calculation and the result shows that the introduction of graphene in BiOCl can reduce the adsorption energy variation, which is in favor of K-ion intercalation process. In consideration of low potential plateau of our composite, we also introduce a new evaluation method, relative energy density (ER), which not only includes the specific capacity, but also combines the potential plateau of the anode materials during potassiation-depotassiation process. According to the calculation, our BiOCl/G composite obtain an ultra-high ER of 541 Wh kg−1 at 50 mA g−1 after 50 cycles with a relative energy conversion efficiency of 81%.

The mechanism underlying transient weakness in myotonia congenita.

In addition to the hallmark muscle stiffness, patients with recessive myotonia congenita (Becker disease) experience debilitating bouts of transient weakness that remain poorly understood despite years of study. We performed intracellular recordings from muscle of both genetic and pharmacologic mouse models of Becker disease to identify the mechanism underlying transient weakness. Our recordings reveal transient depolarizations (plateau potentials) of the membrane potential to -25 to -35 mV in the genetic and pharmacologic models of Becker disease. Both Na+ and Ca2+ currents contribute to plateau potentials. Na+ persistent inward current (NaPIC) through NaV1.4 channels is the key trigger of plateau potentials and current through CaV1.1 Ca2+ channels contributes to the duration of the plateau. Inhibiting NaPIC with ranolazine prevents the development of plateau potentials and eliminates transient weakness in vivo. These data suggest that targeting NaPIC may be an effective treatment to prevent transient weakness in myotonia congenita.

The Involvement of CaV1.3 Channels in Prolonged Root Reflexes and Its Potential as a Therapeutic Target in Spinal Cord Injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in not only the loss of voluntary muscle control, but also in the presence of involuntary movement or spasms. These spasms post-SCI involve hyperexcitability in the spinal motor system. Hyperactive motor commands post SCI result from enhanced excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) and persistent inward currents in voltage-gated L-type calcium channels (LTCCs), which are reflected in evoked root reflexes with different timings. To further understand the contributions of these cellular mechanisms and to explore the involvement of LTCC subtypes in SCI-induced hyperexcitability, we measured root reflexes with ventral root recordings and motoneuron activities with intracellular recordings in an in vitro preparation using a mouse model of chronic SCI (cSCI). Specifically, we explored the effects of 1-(3-chlorophenethyl)-3-cyclopentylpyrimidine-2,4,6-(1H,3H,5H)-trione (CPT), a selective negative allosteric modulator of CaV1.3 LTCCs. Our results suggest a hyperexcitability in the spinal motor system in these SCI mice. Bath application of CPT displayed slow onset but dose-dependent inhibition of the root reflexes with the strongest effect on LLRs. However, the inhibitory effect of CPT is less potent in cSCI mice than in acute SCI (aSCI) mice, suggesting changes either in composition of CaV1.3 or other cellular mechanisms in cSCI mice. For intracellular recordings, the intrinsic plateau potentials, was observed in more motoneurons in cSCI mice than in aSCI mice. CPT inhibited the plateau potentials and reduced motoneuron firings evoked by intracellular current injection. These results suggest that the LLR is an important target and that CPT has potential in the therapy of SCI-induced muscle spasms.

Pencil graphite as electrode platform for free chlorine sensors and energy storage devices.

Multifunctional and low-cost electrode materials are desirable for the next-generation sensors and energy storage applications. This paper reports the use of pencil graphite as an electrode for dual applications that include the detection of free residual chlorine using electro-oxidation process and as an electrochemical energy storage cathode. The pencil graphite is transferred to cellulose paper by drawing ten times and applied for the detection of free residual chlorine, which shows a sensitivity of 27 μA mM-1 cm-2 with a limit of detection of 88.9 μM and linearity up to 7 mM. The sample matrix effect study for the commonly interfering ions such as NO3-, SO42-, CO32-, Cl-, HCO3- shows minimal impact on free residual chlorine detection. Pencil graphite then used after cyclic voltammogram treatment as a cathode in the aqueous Zn/Al-ion battery, showing an average discharge potential plateau of ~1.1 V, with a specific cathode capacity of ~54.1 mAh g-1 at a current of 55 mA g-1. It maintains ~95.8% of its initial efficiency after 100 cycles. Results obtained from the density functional theory calculation is consistent with the electro-oxidation process involved in the detection of free residual chlorine, as well as intercalation and de-intercalation behavior of Al3+ into the graphite layers of Zn/Al-ion battery. Therefore, pencil graphite due to its excellent electro-oxidation and conducting properties, can be successfully implemented as low cost, disposable and green material for both sensor and energy-storage applications.

One-Step Solvothermal Route to Sn4P3-Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanohybrids as Cycle-Stable Anode Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Sn4P3, owing to its high theoretical volumetric capacity, good electrical conductivity, and relatively appropriate potential plateau, has been recognized as an ideal anode for sodium-ion batteries (NIBs). However, the current synthetic routes for Sn4P3-based nanohybrids typically involve foreign-template-based multistep procedures, limiting their large-scale production and applications in NIBs. Using commercial red phosphorus as the phosphorus source and nontoxic ethanolamine as the solvent, we herein report a facile and scalable solvothermal protocol for the one-step preparation of Sn4P3-reduced oxide graphene (denoted as Sn4P3-rGO) hybrid materials. Benefiting from the novel strategy and elaborate design, ultrasmall Sn4P3 nanoparticles (2.7 nm on average) are homogeneously anchored onto rGO. The high conductivity of the rGO network and the short electron/ion diffusion path of ultrasmall Sn4P3 nanoparticles give the Sn4P3-rGO hybrid high capacities and stable long-term cyclability. Specifically, the optimized Sn4P3-rGO hybrid displays a remarkable reversible capacity of 663.5 mA h g-1 at a current density of 200 mA g-1, ultralong-term cycle life (301 mA h g-1 after 2500 cycles at a high current density of 2000 mA g-1), and excellent rate capability, presenting itself as a highly promising anode material for NIBs.

Behavioral Time Scale Plasticity of Place Fields: Mathematical Analysis.

Traditional synaptic plasticity experiments and models depend on tight temporal correlations between pre- and postsynaptic activity. These tight temporal correlations, on the order of tens of milliseconds, are incompatible with significantly longer behavioral time scales, and as such might not be able to account for plasticity induced by behavior. Indeed, recent findings in hippocampus suggest that rapid, bidirectional synaptic plasticity which modifies place fields in CA1 operates at behavioral time scales. These experimental results suggest that presynaptic activity generates synaptic eligibility traces both for potentiation and depression, which last on the order of seconds. These traces can be converted to changes in synaptic efficacies by the activation of an instructive signal that depends on naturally occurring or experimentally induced plateau potentials. We have developed a simple mathematical model that is consistent with these observations. This model can be fully analyzed to find the fixed points of induced place fields and how these fixed points depend on system parameters such as the size and shape of presynaptic place fields, the animal's velocity during induction, and the parameters of the plasticity rule. We also make predictions about the convergence time to these fixed points, both for induced and pre-existing place fields.

Paclitaxel mitigates structural alterations and cardiac conduction system defects in a mouse model of Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome.

AimsHutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is an ultrarare laminopathy caused by expression of progerin, a lamin A variant, also present at low levels in non-HGPS individuals. HGPS patients age and die prematurely, predominantly from cardiovascular complications. Progerin-induced cardiac repolarization defects have been described previously, although the underlying mechanisms are unknown.Methods and resultsWe conducted studies in heart tissue from progerin-expressing LmnaG609G/G609G (G609G) mice, including microscopy, intracellular calcium dynamics, patch-clamping, in vivo magnetic resonance imaging, and electrocardiography. G609G mouse cardiomyocytes showed tubulin-cytoskeleton disorganization, t-tubular system disruption, sarcomere shortening, altered excitation–contraction coupling, and reductions in ventricular thickening and cardiac index. G609G mice exhibited severe bradycardia, and significant alterations of atrio-ventricular conduction and repolarization. Most importantly, 50% of G609G mice had altered heart rate variability, and sinoatrial block, both significant signs of premature cardiac aging. G609G cardiomyocytes had electrophysiological alterations, which resulted in an elevated action potential plateau and early afterdepolarization bursting, reflecting slower sodium current inactivation and long Ca+2 transient duration, which may also help explain the mild QT prolongation in some HGPS patients. Chronic treatment with low-dose paclitaxel ameliorated structural and functional alterations in G609G hearts.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that tubulin-cytoskeleton disorganization in progerin-expressing cardiomyocytes causes structural, cardiac conduction, and excitation–contraction coupling defects, all of which can be partially corrected by chronic treatment with low dose paclitaxel.

An increase in dendritic plateau potentials is associated with experience-dependent cortical map reorganization

The organization of sensory maps in the cerebral cortex depends on experience, which drives homeostatic and long-term synaptic plasticity of cortico-cortical circuits. In the mouse primary somatosensory cortex (S1) afferents from the higher-order, posterior medial thalamic nucleus (POm) gate synaptic plasticity in layer (L) 2/3 pyramidal neurons via disinhibition and the production of dendritic plateau potentials. Here we address whether these thalamocortically mediated responses play a role in whisker map plasticity in S1. We find that trimming all but two whiskers causes a partial fusion of the representations of the two spared whiskers, concomitantly with an increase in the occurrence of POm-driven N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-dependent plateau potentials. Blocking the plateau potentials restores the archetypical organization of the sensory map. Our results reveal a mechanism for experience-dependent cortical map plasticity in which higher-order thalamocortically mediated plateau potentials facilitate the fusion of normally segregated cortical representations.

An Electrically-Coupled Pioneer Circuit Enables Motor Development Via Proprioceptive Feedback

Precocious movements are widely seen in embryos of various animal species. Whether such movements via proprioceptive feedback play instructive roles in motor development or are mere reflection of activities in immature motor circuits is a long-standing question. Here we image the emerging motor activities in Drosophila embryos that lack proprioceptive feedback, and show that proprioceptive experience is essential for the development of locomotor central pattern generators (CPGs). Downstream of proprioceptive inputs, we identify a pioneer premotor circuit composed of two pairs of segmental interneurons, whose gap-junctional transmission requires proprioceptive experience and plays a crucial role in CPG formation. The circuit autonomously generates rhythmic plateau potentials via IP3-mediated Ca2+ release from internal stores, which contribute to muscle contractions and hence produce proprioceptive feedback. Our findings demonstrate the importance of self-generated movements in instructing motor development, and identify the cells, circuit, and physiology at the core of this proprioceptive feedback.

Influence of over-stoichiometry on hydrogen storage and electrochemical properties of Sm-doped low-Co AB5-type alloys as negative electrode materials in nickel-metal hydride batteries

The La0.582Ce0.191Zr0.025Sm0.202(Ni0.849Co0.032Mn0.05Al0.069)5+x (x = 0.00, 0.10, 0.20, 0.35 or 0.47) hydrogen storage alloys are firstly synthesized to explore the influence of over-stoichiometry on crystal structure and electrochemical performance for nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery anodes. These alloys possess major CaCu5-type AB5 and minor BiF3-type Ni2MnAl phases. The decreasing of cell volume and charge acceptance ability of the alloy electrodes reduces capacity and peak power density. Meanwhile, the decreasing of MH stability results in the poorer charge retention rate. The enhanced anti-pulverization property of larger anisotropic factor (c/a) and the weakened electrode polarization promote the cycle stability. Moreover, the higher discharge plateau potential is beneficial to the discharge capacity at − 20 and − 40 °C. The high rate discharge ability (HRD) and initial voltage drop decrease at first and then increase because of the changing rate-determining factor of HRD with the shifted x.

Nitrogen-doped microporous carbon with narrow pore size distribution as sulfur host to encapsulate small sulfur molecules for highly stable lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery with high theoretical energy density has been considered as an important energy storage system. However, its application has been limited by low cycling stability and rapid capacity decay due to the shuttle of lithium polysulfide (Li2Sn, n > 5). These problems can be solved using small sulfur molecules (S2–4) as the active material, while synthesis of carbon hosts with suitable pores size and narrow pore distribution to encapsulate small sulfur molecules are still challenging. Here, we report a novel nitrogen-doping microporous carbon (NDMC) sulfur host with narrow micropore unimodal size distribution centered at 0.57 nm. By accommodating small sulfur molecules (S2–4) within the subnanopores of NDMC, the formation and shuttle of soluble lithium polysulfide (LiPS) can be avoided. The cathode shows only a long potential plateau due to the direct conversion from S2–4 to Li2S. In carbonate-based electrolyte, the NDMC/S-2 cathode remains a stable and reversible capacity of 902 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C with 100% Coulombic efficiency after 500 cycles, and capacity fading per cycle is only around 0.02%. Besides, an excellent capacity of 511.8 mAh g−1 is achieved even at an ultrahigh rate of 10 C, demonstrating a superior rate capability performance. This NDMC/S composite also shows excellent cycling stability in ether-based electrolyte. All the above demonstrate the NDMC has great potential application in Li-S batteries.

Unveiling the Complex Redox Reactions of SnO2 in Li-Ion Batteries Using Operando X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and In Situ X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy.

We experimentally determine the redox reactions during (de-)lithiation of the SnO2 working electrode cycled in (Li2S)3-P2S5 solid electrolyte by combining operando X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Specifically, we have accurately determined the composition changes in the SnO2 working electrode upon cycling and identified the onset voltage formation of the various phases. Starting from the open-circuit potential, we find that, on lithiation, the Sn M-edge absorption spectra reveal unequivocally the formation of SnOx (x ≤ 1) and Li2SnO3 already at a potential of 1.6 V vs Li+/Li, while Sn 3d/Sn 4d, O 1s, and Li 1s core-level spectra show the formation of Sn0 and Li2O along the first potential plateau at 0.8 V vs Li+/Li and of Li8SnO6 at lower potentials. Below 0.6 V vs Li+/Li, an alloying reaction takes place until the end of the lithiation process at 0.05 V vs Li+/Li, as shown by the formation of LixSn. During delithiation, both the conversion and alloying reactions are found to be partially reversible, starting by the re-formation of Sn0 at 0.3 V vs Li+/Li and followed by the re-formation of Li8SnO6 and SnOx above 0.5 V vs Li+/Li. The conversion and alloying reactions are found to overlap during both lithiation and delithiation. Finally, we validate the theoretical prediction for the SnO2 conversion and alloy (de-)lithiation reactions and clarify the open questions about their reaction mechanism.

Observation of lithium stripping in super-concentrated electrolyte at potentials lower than regular Li stripping.

Lithium plating/stripping was investigated under constant current mode using a copper powder electrode in a super-concentrated electrolyte of lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide (LiFSA) with methylphenylamino-di(trifluoroethyl) phosphate (PNMePh) and vinylene carbonate (VC) as additives. Typical Li plating/stripping for Cu electrodes in organic electrolytes of conventional lithium batteries proceeds at potentials of several millivolts versus a Li counter electrode. In contrast, a large overpotential of hundreds of millivolts was observed for Li plating/stripping with the super-concentrated electrolyte. When Li stripping started immediately after Li plating and with no rest time between plating and stripping, two potential plateaus, i.e., two-step Li stripping, was observed. The potential plateau for the 1st stripping step appeared at −0.2 V versus a Li metal counter electrode. The electrical capacity for the 1st stripping step was 0.04 mA h cm−2, which indicates irregular Li stripping. Two-step Li stripping was also recorded using cyclic voltammetry. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies indicated that the two-step Li stripping behaviour reflected two different solid electrolyte interphases (SEIs) on electrodeposited Li in a Cu electrode. The SEI for the 1st-step stripping was in a transition period of the SEI formation. The open circuit voltage (OCV) relaxation with an order of tens of hours was detected after Li plating and before Li stripping. The in operando EIS study suggested a decrease of the charge transfer resistance in the Cu powder electrode during the OCV relaxation. Since the capacitance for the voltage relaxation was a dozen microfarads, it had a slight contribution to the 1st-step Li stripping behaviour. The voltage relaxation indicated the possibility that it is difficult for Li ions to be electrodeposited or that the Li plating is in a quasi-stable state.

Lithium-ion attack on yttrium oxide in the presence of copper powder during Li plating in a super-concentrated electrolyte.

Li plating/stripping on Cu and Y2O3 (Cu + Y2O3) electrodes was examined in a super-concentrated electrolyte of lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide and methylphenylamino-di(trifluoroethyl) phosphate. In principle, Li+ ions cannot intercalate into a Y2O3 crystal because its intercalation potential obtained from first-principles calculations is −1.02 V vs. Li+/Li. However, a drastic decrease in the electrode potential and a subsequent constant-potential region were observed during Li plating onto a Cu + Y2O3 electrode, suggesting that Li+ interacted with Y2O3. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectra of the Cu + Y2O3 electrodes after the Li plating were recorded to verify this phenomenon. The XRD and XAFS results indicated that the crystallinity of Y2O3 crystals was lowered because of attack by Li+ ions or that the Y2O3 crystal structure was broken while the +3 valence state of Y was maintained.

An electrochemical study on LiMn2O4 for Al3+ ion storage in aqueous electrolytes.

Herein, we report the possibility of electrochemical Al3+ ion insertion in LiMn2O4 in aqueous electrolytes. LiMn2O4 exhibits a discharge potential plateau of 1.5 V and a discharge capacity of 65 mA h g-1 is achieved at a current rate of 800 mA g-1 at the 75th cycle with the pre-addition of low-valence Mn ions in an aqueous AlCl3 electrolyte.

Controlled synthesis of Li1.17Ni0.21Mn0.54Co0.08O2 as a cathode material for Li ion batteries

Abstract Li-rich layered oxides Li1+xMO2 (M: Ni, Co, Mn) being a combination between Li2MnO3 and LiMO2, are considered as attractive high-capacity electrode materials for Lithium ion batteries. Here, we present the composition Li1.17Ni0.21Mn0.54Co0.08O2 with low cobalt content. The synthesis process was optimized by varying the pH of the co-precipitation step and pure phase was obtained only for pH = 11.3. The morphology of the material consists on the agglomeration of quasi-spherical particles an average particle size of 157 nm. The electrochemical properties of this electrode material were investigated, and a specific capacity of 250 mAh/g was recorded in the voltage range of 2–4.8 V. While the first charge process evidenced a potential plateau at 4.5 V corresponding to the oxygen redox activity, the subsequent electrochemical behavior is governed by Ni2+/Ni4+ and Co3+/Co4+ redox couples. When cycled for 40 charge/discharge cycles at 0.1C rate, the capacity retention is still good and remains around 85% with a coulombic efficiency of around 98%. The comparison of the obtained performances with those of existing Li-rich electrode materials show the excellent features of the studied Li-rich material for the next generation Lithium-ion batteries.

Impact of the Crystalline Li15Si4 Phase on the Self-Discharge Mechanism of Silicon Negative Electrodes in Organic Electrolytes.

Because of their high specific capacity and rather low operating potential, silicon-based negative electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries have been the subject of extensive research over the past 2 decades. Although the understanding of the (de)lithiation behavior of silicon has significantly increased, several major challenges have not been solved yet, hindering its broad commercial application. One major issue is the low initial Coulombic efficiency and the ever-present self-discharge of silicon electrodes. Self-discharge itself affects the long-term stability of electrochemical storage systems and, additionally, must be taken into consideration for inevitable prelithiation approaches. The impact of the crystalline Li15Si4 phase is of great interest as the phase transformation between crystalline (c) and amorphous (a) phases not only increases the specific surface area but also causes huge polarization. Moreover, there is the possibility for electrochemical over-lithiation toward the Li15+aSi4 phase because of the electron-deficient Li15Si4 phase, which can be highly reactive toward the electrolyte. This poses the question about the impact of the c-Li15Si4 phase on the self-discharge behavior in comparison to its amorphous counterpart. Here, silicon thin films used as model electrodes are lithiated to cut-off potentials of 10 mV and 50 mV versus Li|Li+ (U10mV and U50mV) in order to systematically investigate their self-discharge mechanism via open-circuit potential (UOCP) measurements and to visualize the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) growth by means of scanning electrochemical microscopy. We show that the c-Li15Si4 phase is formed for the U10mV electrode, while it is not found for the U50mV electrode. In turn, the U50mV electrode displays an almost linear self-discharge behavior, whereas the U10mV electrode reaches a UOCP plateau at ca. 380 mV versus Li|Li+, which is due to the phase transition from c-Li15Si4 to the a-LixSi phase. At this plateau potential, the phase transformation at the Si|electrolyte interface results in an electronically more insulating and more uniform SEI (U10mV electrode), while the U50mV electrode displays a less uniform SEI layer. In summary, the self-discharge mechanism of silicon electrodes and, hence, the irreversible decomposition of the electrolyte and the corresponding SEI formation process heavily depend on the structural nature of the underlying lithium-silicon phase.

Sol-gel assisted spinel Li4Ti5O12 and its performance and stability as anode for long life Li-ion battery

Li-ion batteries are extensively used in portable electronics due to high energy, power density and superior electrochemical performance. For this, Li4Ti5O12 a zero strain anode material with excellent reversibility for the Li-ion insertion and de-insertion and flat potential plateau, serves as an ideal anode material. However, it has low conductivity which hampers its commercialization. In the present work, Li4Ti5O12 is prepared by sol–gel method. It’s structural analysis confirms the formation of nanoparticles with uniformly aligned grains and exhibits high discharge capacity of 181 mA.h/g at 0.1C. It is the synergetic effect of nanoparticles size and surface area, which imparts it the outstanding electrochemical performance in terms of long term stability and charge storage capacity.