Retention Ratio Research Articles

Cationic, electrostatic shielding, ion-sieving nanocellulose separators stabilize zinc metal anodes

A bio-based, electrostatic shielding, ion-sieving separator is proposed by surface amine functionalization of nanocellulose paper to stabilize Zn metal anode, for the first time. Such cationic nanocellulose separator exhibits uniformly and narrowly distributed nanopores with immobilized cationic groups, which yields a homogenous current distribution at the separator/electrode interfaces, inhibits SO42− migration, enhances the Zn2+ transference number to 0.73, and generates a zincophobic repulsion layer to eliminate the “tip effect”. Unlike pristine nanocellulose separator, the combination of ion-sieving nanofibrous network and immobilized electrostatic shielding functional groups lead to smoother and more compact Zn deposition/stripping behavior during repeated cycles. Hence, highly reversible Zn metal anodes and durable supercapacitors are realized: the symmetric Zn//Zn cells can last 180 h under a high current density of 20 mA cm−2 with a high capacity of 10 mAh cm−2, and the Zn//activated carbon supercapacitor shows a discharge capacity of 104.3 mA g−1 at 1 A g−1 with a capacity retention ratio of ∼ 80% after 2500 cycles. The surface charge engineering approach constitutes a practical separator modification strategy toward even Zn deposition and a promising route for the development of aqueous Zn-based energy storage devices with improved sustainability and enhanced cycling stability.

Uniformly sodium ions doped LiNi0.84Co0.11Mn0.05O2 cathode material with high performance for lithium-ion batteries

Nickel-rich ternary cathode material is widely used in various fields due to its superior operating voltage and theoretical specific capacity. However, the nickel-rich cathode material undergoes cation mixing in highly delithiated state, which leads to rapid capacity decay and poor cycling stability. In this study, sodium ions were uniformly doped into the nickel-rich cathode material (Na-LNCM) using a hydrothermal method to overcome the problems mentioned above. Na-LNCM exhibits better cycling and rate performance, and lower electrochemical polarization compared with those of pristine material. The specific capacity of the Na-LNCM material was 138.3 mAh∙g−1 at 10 C current density, and the capacity retention ratio was 82.9% after 100 cycles at 1 C. The apparent enhancement in electrochemical performances is attributed to the truth that sodium ions occupy Li sites in the Li slab, which can broaden Li layer spacing, widen the diffusion channels of Li+, reduce cation mixing, and support the crystal structure of nickel-rich ternary cathode material. Moreover, compared with other methods, the doped sodium ions can be distributed more uniformly by the hydrothermal method, which could further enhance the electrochemical performance of the cathode material.

Gross energy levels in practical diets for the Amazon river prawn postlarvae, Macrobrachium amazonicum

The present study evaluated the effect of different energy levels (15.07, 15.91, 17.17, 18.00, and 19.68 kJ g-1 of diet) on isoproteic practical diets for Macrobrachium amazonicum during the nursery phase on the zootechnical performance and proximate composition of the whole body. Postlarvae with a mean weight of 0.043 ± 0.01 g were stored in 25 experimental units, at 150 animals per m2, in a completely randomized design with five treatments and five replicates. The post-larvae were evaluated at the end of the experimental period according to the pre-established performance parameters. The analysis of variance for regression (α = 0.05) allowed us to estimate that the maximum final weight was observed in the treatment with 16.74 kJ g-1. In contrast, the lowest apparent feed conversion was observed at the 16.43 kJ g-1 level. The best values were found in 17.29 and 17.50 kJ g-1, respectively, for the energy and protein retention rates. As the best fit of the equation was presented for the energy retention ratio (R2 = 0.63), which approached the treatment of 17.17 kJ g-1, this energy level is recommended in postlarvae diets.

Lignin particles as green pore-forming agents for the fabrication of microporous polysulfone membranes

Templating polymeric membranes with micro-nano-scaled solid materials is an effective method to simultaneously improve the water flux and retention ratio. However, the fabrication of a green, recyclable, and size-controlled template material remains a challenge. Here, a new green pore-forming agent, lignin particles (LP), was developed to prepare porous polysulfone (PSF) membranes via the phase inversion technique. A series of LP have uniform sizes from ~200 nm to ~1800 nm. The performances of the templated PSF membranes cast at different sizes and contents of LP were examined for their surface and crosssection morphologies. The LP-templated PSF membranes displayed a remarkable enhancement in flux, porosity, and moisture content. Particularly, the PSF membranes cast with LP from ~200 to 1800 nm broke the traditional trade-off to a certain degree, which possessed stable retentions of bovine serum albumin (> 85 %) and significantly improved water flux (174.275 to 254.775 L m−2 h−1). In addition, the LP pore-forming agent is low-cost and environmentally friendly as it was prepared from industrial by-products and can be easily recycled. Overall, this study shows that lignin particles are green pore-forming agents that can be used for the fabrication of porous polymeric membranes with improved performance for water treatment.

Pengaruh Probiotik Plus Herbal Terhadap Retensi Protein dan Retensi Lemak Benih Ikan Tawes (Barbonymus Gonionotus)

This study aims to evaluate the effect of probiotics plus different herbs on commercial feed on protein retention and fat retention in tawes fish. Tawes fish is a type of aquatic fish and includes herbivorous fish that eat plants. An important factor influencing fish growth is feed, where growth occurs if the fish get the right protein. Completely Randomized Design (CRD) experimental method was used in this study, with 4 treatments and 3 replications, namely PA (Probiotic), PB (Turmeric), PC (Kingur), PD (Temulawak). Tawes fish used had a length of 5 cm, and maintenance was carried out for 40 days. The results showed that the addition of probiotics plus different herbs to commercial feeds had a significant effect on fish growth parameters such as absolute weight, absolute length growth, specific growth rate, fat retention, protein retention, survival, and feed conversion ratio. PD dosage (Temulawak) gave the best results for absolute weight gain, absolute length growth, specific growth rate, and feed conversion ratio. The highest survival rates were found in PD and PB (Turmeric), while the highest protein retention was in P4 and the highest fat retention was in PA.

Preparation and performance optimization of MgAl2O4 spinel materials by single-step reaction sintering

To investigate the sintering mechanism of magnesium aluminate (MgAl2O4) spinel material. In this study, MgAl2O4 spinel materials were synthesized by single-step reaction sintering method using light calcined magnesia, white corundum as raw materials, and YSZ (yttrium oxide stabilized zirconia) as additive. The effects of w (MgO + Al2O3) content (20-80 wt%), molding pressure (100 MPa and 200 MPa), and YSZ additive (0-3 wt%) on the phase compositions, microstructures, sintering properties, mechanical properties, and thermal shock resistance were investigated. The results show that increasing the content of w (MgO + Al2O3) from 20 wt% to 80 wt% and molding pressure from 100 MPa to 200 MPa are a benefit to the formation of second MgAl2O4 spinel. Simultaneously this will lead to the increased apparent porosity due to the formation of point defects in MgO crystals during sintering. YSZ addition induced double vacancy defects in the MgAl2O4, which also facilitated the formation of the second MgAl2O4 spinel. Besides, YSZ additives plays a pinning role, preventing the migration of grain boundaries. The positive effect of adding 1 wt% of YSZ is intuitively manifested in increasing the sintering and mechanical properties. The material with superior comprehensive performance can be obtained by adding 1 wt% YSZ additive, 80 wt% of w (MgO + Al2O3), and forming under molding pressure of 200 MPa, followed by sintering at 1600 °C for 2 h. The final material exhibits the diameter shrinkage ratio of 3.32%, volume shrinkage ratio of 7.31%, apparent porosity of 14.21%, bulk density of 3.02 g cm−3, cold compressive strength of 176.88 MPa, and residual strength retention ratio of 84.92% after one thermal shock.

Construction of a robust solid electrolyte interphase on Ge anode to achieve a superior long-term cycle life of lithium-ion battery

Alloy-based materials are suffering a huge volume expansion/shrink during the repeated lithium-ion intercalation/deintercalation process, so they always display an unsatisfied electrochemical performance, especially for the cycle life. In this work, we design a localized highly concentrated electrolyte (LHCE) for Ge anode, by dissolving LiFSI in DME/TTE (3:7 by volume). Raman spectra illustrate that most FSI- anions in LHCE coordinate with Li+ ions, producing the solvated structure in form of AGGs or CIPs. XPS spectra prove that the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) is rich in inorganic phase, such as Li2CO3, Li3N, LiF and Li2O. So the SEI is more stable and thinner, and it can keep the integrity of Ge particles and avoid their crushing during a long-term cycle. Although a serious capacity decrease at around the 30th cycle is found in esters electrolytes, the similar phenomenon is never seen in LHCE. The PM-550 @Ge in LHCE remains a reversible capacity of 1040 mAh g−1 after 300 cycles at 0.5 A g−1, and the capacity retention ratio is as high as 84%. Even after a long cycling of 500 cycles, the PM-550 @Ge delivers a high reversible capacity of 951 mAh g−1 at 1.0 A g−1.

A Quenched Double‐Hydrophilic Coating for the Enhancement of Water Retention of Hydrogels

AbstractWith the emergence of various hydrogels with excellent functions, the air‐drying of hydrogels has attracted extensive attention. Improving the water retention capacity is critical in the application of hydrogels. Herein, inspired by the dense aggregation structure of natural hydrophilic macromolecules, hydrophilic substances (gelatin and glycerol) are first applied to enhance the water retention capacity of hydrogels by constructing a quenched double‐hydrophilic coating. The weight retention ratio of the modified hydrogels is increased to 72.5% at 25 °C and 40 RH% after 5 days. Furthermore, the construction of hydrophilic coating on the surface does not affect the mechanical properties, and the modified hydrogels still retain strong water retention capacity after loading. In addition, this approach is applicable to hydrogels with different shapes and types, and various materials can be selected. Therefore, the proposed method provides new insights for expanding the application scope and service life of hydrogels.

Capture of iodine gas by Bi-based composites derived from rice husk: Influence of the type of support on the iodine adsorption and retention

The development of Bi-based composites with low cost, high adsorption capacity and retention is highly desired for iodine gas capture. Herein, three novel Bi-based composites (Bi0-SiO2, Bi0-C/SiO2 and Bi0-C) were prepared by simple sintering process using rice husk as C and SiO2 sources and applied for iodine gas capture. The results demonstrated that the type of support strongly affected the iodine adsorption and retention. The Bi0-SiO2, Bi0-C/SiO2 and Bi0-C composites exhibited the iodine adsorption capacity of 812, 911 and 1334 mg/g, and the iodine retention ratio of 90.9, 86.9 and 65.4%. The Bi0-SiO2 showed the highest iodine retention because the SiO2 supports have no affinity for iodine and the adsorption mainly came from the chemical adsorption of Bi0 (2Bi + 3I2 = 2BiI3). While the Bi0-C exhibited the highest adsorption capacity due to the synergistic adsorption effect between C supports and Bi0 sites. Except for the chemical reaction, charge transfer between C and I (C-I) also contributed to the iodine adsorption. The results demonstrated that the new Bi-based composites would be promising iodine gas adsorbent and the new strategy could be extended to the development of other adsorbents.

Minimizing catalyst amount in sulfur cathodes with titanium monoxide: Toward more applicable Li-sulfur batteries

Using economical oxide catalysts into sulfur (S8) cathodes proves an efficient way to address kinetic issues in Li-sulfur batteries (LSBs). However, these catalysts often occupy too much proportion in weight, thus attenuating the cathode gravimetric energy density. Also, they tend to be sulfurized/ deteriorated in electrode fabrication or battery cycling. To overcome above constraints, we herein propose to minimize the catalyst amount in S8 cathodes with titanium monoxide (TiO) nanoclusters. In such configured cathodes, there are only ∼ 1.47 % of TiO nano catalysts in weight; such oxides with rich (200) facet prove efficient kinetic-boosting properties on Li2Sn phase conversions. Notably, they exhibit prominent electrochemical stability over all cyclic periods, without evident sulfuration or phase deteriorations. The in-situ Raman monitoring toward LSBs reveals the liquid-to-solid polysulfide transitions can be well accelerated even under lean-catalyst conditions. As evaluated, the cathodes of S8 infused in lean TiO-involved carbon hosts (S8@L-TiO@CH) show a great specific capacity of 1331 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C, with a high capacity retention ratio of 78.5 % at the end of cycling. This work may guide a research trend to endow S8 cathodes with elevated viability/durability for practical usage.

Encapsulation of SOD in chitosan-coated gel particles of alginate or mixture of alginate and shellac for targeted intestinal delivery

The chitosan-coated alginate gel particles (CS/SA) and chitosan-coated alginate-shellac gel particles (CS/SA/Lac) were constructed to serve as a potential oral delivery system to enhance the stability and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in this study. The encapsulation efficiency (EE), enzyme activity retention ratio (ER), particle structure, and SOD release behavior, as well as the effect of shellac, were evaluated. The best formula is determined by the percentage of total effective activity (PTEA).The results showed that CS/SA prepared by 0.30‰ chitosan, 1.00% CaCl2, 2.00% sodium alginate (M/G = 1:1, Mw: 38,857 kDa), and gelation solution pH 5.50 had the best chitosan shell, the strongest gel structure and the maximum PTEA which was 10.75 ± 1.45%. Based on the optimal formula, addition of shellac that formed shellac-Ca2+ microspheres in the gel network was averse to SOD encapsulation, but it significantly improved the stability of SOD in gastric conditions. By adding 15.00% shellac, the PTEA reached 16.30 ± 1.64%. At optimal formulation, SOD encapsulated in CS/SA was completely released in the stimulated intestinal fluid and accumulative release enzyme activity (EA) was 966.62 ± 103.75 (U) after 6 h. However, the CS/SA/Lac with a low swelling ratio only released SOD in stimulated colonic fluid and the EA value reached 1692.28 ± 101.82 (U) after 1 h. These findings demonstrated that CS/SA and CS/SA/Lac were excellent candidates for SOD oral administration, which was useful in the food and biomedical industries for developing functional products containing SOD.

Modulating and optimizing Pluronic F-68 concentrations and feeding for intensified perfusion Chinese hamster ovary cell cultures.

Perfusion culture is often performed with micro-sparger to fulfill the high oxygen demand from the densified cells. Protective additive Pluronic F-68 (PF-68) is widely used to mitigate the adverse effect in cell viability from micro-sparging. In this study, different PF-68 retention ratio in alternating tangential filtration (ATF) columns was found to be crucial for cell performance of different perfusion culture modes. The PF-68 in the perfusion medium was found retained inside the bioreactor when exchanged through ATF hollow fibers with a small pore size (50 kD). The accumulated PF-68 could provide sufficient protection for cells under micro-sparging. On the other hand, with large-pore-size (0.2μm) hollow fibers, PF-68 could pass through the ATF filtration membranes with little retention, and consequently led to compromised cell growth. To overcome the defect, a PF-68 feeding strategy was designed and successfully verified on promoting cell growth with different Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines. With PF-68 feeding, enhancements were observed in both viable cell densities (20%-30%) and productivity (~30%). A threshold PF-68 concentration of 5g/L for high-density cell culture (up to 100 × 106 cells/mL) was also proposed and verified. The additional PF-68 feeding was not observed to affect product qualities. By designing the PF-68 concentration of perfusion medium to or higher than the threshold level, a similar cell growth enhancement was also achieved. This study systematically investigated the protecting role of PF-68 in intensified CHO cell cultures, shedding a light on the optimization of perfusion cultures through the control of protective additives.

Preparation of long cycle lifespan spinel LiMn2O4 cathode material by a dual-modified strategy

Spinel LiMn2O4 has been identified as a cathode material with extensive application potential for Li-ion batteries. However, during cycling, the Jahn−Teller effect and Mn dissolution have a substantial impact on its specific capacity and cycle span. Herein, combining Fe and Cr elements co-doping with single crystal truncated octahedron morphology is proposed to solve these problems. The Fe−Cr co-doping markedly restrains the Jahn−Teller effect, and promotes the development of crystal and selective growth of crystal surfaces in spinel LiMn2O4. The high exposure (111) surfaces of the truncated octahedron reduce the dissolution of Mn, and a tiny proportion of (110) and (100) surfaces increase the diffusion channels of Li+. HAADF-STEM characterization indicates that the Fe and Cr elements largely replace the Mn atoms at the octahedral 16d site. Because of these advantages, the optimal LiFe0.05Cr0.08Mn1.95-xO4 (LFCMO-8) delivers excellent electrochemical performance with 119.6 mAh·g−1 discharge capacity and 78.1% capacity retention after 500 cycles at 1 C. At comparatively higher current densities of 20 C and 30 C, the superior capacity retention ratios of 79.8% and 87.3% are still achieved after 2000 cycles. Even at 40 C, the LFCMO-8 sample can still reach 98.8% capacity retention rate after 2000 cycles. After 1000 cycles at 5 C, the LFCMO-8 sample still maintained a capacity retention of 45.4% at high temperature (55 °C). ICP-OES test combined with a V-shaped tube device indicates that the Mn dissolution of LCFMO-8 only accounted for 11.8% of LiFe0.05Mn1.95O4 (LFMO). This study serves as a meaningful reference for the preparation of high-performance LiMn2O4 cathode materials.

Locating, tracingand sequencing multiple expanded genetic letters in complex DNA context via a bridge-base approach.

A panel of unnatural base pairs is developed to expand genetic alphabets. One or more unnatural base pairs (UBPs) can be inserted to enlarge the capacity, diversity, and functionality of canonical DNA, so monitoring the multiple-UBPs-containing DNA by simple and convenient approaches is essential. Herein, we report a bridge-base approach to repurpose the capability of determining TPT3-NaM UBPs. The success of this approach depends on the design of isoTAT that can simultaneously pair with NaM and G as a bridge base, as well as the discovering of the transformation of NaM to A in absence of its complementary base. TPT3-NaM can be transferred to C-G or A-T by simple PCR assays with high read-through ratios and low sequence-dependent properties, permitting for the first time to dually locate the multiple sites of TPT3-NaM pairs. Then we show the unprecedented capacity of this approach to trace accurate changes and retention ratios of multiple TPT3-NaM UPBs during in vivo replications. In addition, the method can also be applied to identify multiple-site DNA lesions, transferring TPT3-NaM makers to different natural bases. Taken together, our work presents the first general and convenient approach capable of locating, tracing, and sequencing site- and number-unlimited TPT3-NaM pairs.

Hierarchical pomegranate-structure design enables stress management for volume release of Si anode

Si is a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries owing to its high theoretical capacity. However, large stress during (de)lithiation induces severe structural pulverization, electrical contact failure, and unstable solid-electrolyte interface, which hampers the practical application of Si anode. Herein, a Si-based anode with a hierarchical pomegranate-structure (HPS-Si) was designed to modulate the stress variation, and a sub-micronized Si-based sphere was assembled by the nano-sized Si nanospheres with sub-nanometer-sized multi-phase modification of the covalently linked SiO2–x, SiC, and carbon. The sub-micronized HPS-Si stacked with Si nanospheres can avoid agglomerates during cycling due to the high surface energy of nanomaterials. Meanwhile, the reasonable pore structure from SiO2 reduction owing to density difference is enough to accommodate the limited volume expansion. The Si spheres with a size of about 50 nm can prevent self-cracking. SiO2–x, and SiC as flexible and rigid layers, have been synergistically used to reduce the surface stress of conductive carbon layers to avoid cracking. The covalent bonding immensely strengthens the link of the modification with Si nanospheres, thus resisting stress effects. Consequently, a full cell comprising an HPS-Si anode and a LiCoO2 cathode achieved an energy density of 415 Wh kg−1 with a capacity retention ratio of 87.9% after 300 cycles based on the active materials. It is anticipated that the hierarchical pomegranate-structure design can provide inspiring insights for further studies of the practical application of silicon anode.

Investigation on mechanical properties and damage evolution of thermo-oxidative aged 3D angle-interlock woven composites under quasi-static tension

This paper reports tensile strain distribution and damage evolution of 3D angle-interlock woven composites (3DAWCs) after thermo-oxidative aging from tests and finite element analysis (FEA). It is found that the retention ratio of modulus in warp-directional loading (WP) is lower than that in weft-directional loading (WF) after 32 aging days. Aged samples exhibited reduced failure stress and strain. The surface strain distributions and damage patterns correlated with the woven structure. In WP, transverse cracks start from the resin-rich zone with the length limited to the distance between the warp yarns, followed by longitudinal cracks appearing at the warp-resin interface after loading to higher stress. In WF, only transverse cracks are initiated in the fiber-resin interface on the warp float and then propagate to the surrounding resin-rich zone. The crack initiation time is advanced and the failure strain decreases with the aging day. The FEA results support digital image correlation measurements and demonstrate that surface strain is influenced by the mesostructure in addition to the component's inherent properties.

Investigations on the Role of Commercial Probiotics on New Zealand White Rabbits Experimentally Infected with Eimeria stiedae

Coccidiosis is a serious parasitic disease that causes severe economic losses in rabbits. Commercial probiotics are widely used as potential therapeutic replacements for weight gain and increased resistance to many diseases. This study was conducted to determine the efficacy of a probiotic product called MiaClost as a liquid extract to protect animals from Eimeria stiedae infection. Thirty New Zealand white rabbits were divided into 5 equal groups. Rabbits in the first 3 groups were treated with concentrations of 107, 108, and 109 colony-forming units (CFU) per ml of MiaClost in their drinking water for 10 days before experimental infection with 1 × 104 of sporulated oocyst of E. stiedae. The last 2 groups served as positive and negative control groups. We found a significant reduction in mortality in rabbits receiving 109 CFU/ml MiaClost as well as an improvement in weight retention and food consumption ratios. Beneficial low oocyst output in feces of rabbits treated with 109 CFU/ml MiaClost led to a reduction in pathological changes in the liver and gall bladder. Our findings suggest that a liquid extract of MiaClost in concentration of 109 CFU/ml can provide protection against hepatic coccidiosis. Further research is needed to test this product against other diseases through different routes of consumption in animals.

Controllable preparation of N-doped porous carbons with enhanced porosity and energy storage capacity using high internal phase emulsion template

In this work, a series of N-doped porous carbons (NPCs) are prepared via high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) template, followed by growing polyaniline (PANI) arrays and subsequent carbonization/activation. As evidenced by SEM and N2 absorption/desorption results, the NPCs have interconnected hierarchical porous structures with abundant micropores and mesopores inside. The morphology and porous structures of NPCs can be tuned by changing aniline concentration and polymerization time, respectively. With the increase of aniline concentration or polymerization time, the porous structure of NPC becomes more and more serried, however too high aniline concentration (>0.75 M) makes the porous structure become sparse, which is because excess PANI will nucleate itself and make it detach from the surface of NPC. As a result, the specific surface area (SSA) of NPCs first increases to 1769 m2/g and then decreases. Electrochemical performances of the obtained NPCs are evaluated in detail. The test results indicate that both aniline concentration and polymerization time have notable influence on the specific capacitance of NPCs. The specific capacitance of NPC obtained under optimized conditions reaches up to 241 F/g at 1 A/g with a retention ratio of 97.8% after 10, 000 cycles at a high current density, proving its excellent energy storage capability and cycling stability. In two-electrode system, the NPC provides an energy density of 27 Wh/kg at a power density of 400 W/kg and remains a high energy density of 19 Wh/kg at a high power density of 10002 W/kg.

Transforming the Electrochemical Behaviors of Cobalt Oxide from "Supercapacitator" to "Battery" by Atomic-Level Structure Engineering for Inspiring the Advance of Co-Based Batteries.

Cobalt-based electrodes receive emerging attention for their high theoretical capacity and rich valence variation ability, but state-of-the-art cobalt-based electrodes present performance far below the theoretical value. Herein, the in-depth reaction mechanisms in the alkaline electrolyte are challenged and proven to be prone to the surface-redox pseudocapacitor behavior due to the low adsorption energy to OH. Using the atomic-level structure engineering strategy after substitution metal searching, the adsorption energy is effectively enhanced, and the peak of CoOOH can be observed from in situ characterization for the first time, leading to the successful transition of charge storage behavior from "supercapacitor" to "battery". When used in a Zn-Co battery as a proof of concept, it shows comprehensive electrochemical performance with a flat discharge voltage plateau of ≈1.7 V, an optimal energy density of 506 Wh kg-1 , and a capacity retention ratio of 85.1% after 2000 cycles, shining among the reported batteries. As a practical demonstration, this battery also shows excellent self-discharge performance with the capacity retentionof 90% after a 10 h delay. This work subtly tunes the intrinsic electrochemical properties of the cobalt-based material through atomic-level structure engineering, opening a new opportunity for the advance of energy storage systems.

Optimized layered ternary LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 cathode materials modified with ultrathin Li3InCl6 fast ion conductor layer for lithium-ion batteries

LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 (NCM523) powders modified with fast ion conductor Li3InCl6 (LIC) are fabricated via sol-gel and sintering processes, and the LIC layer with a thickness of about 2.4842 nm is uniformly covered on the surface to fabricate the targeted LIC@NCM523-2 composite powders, in which the LIC layer not only lowers the residual lithium content but also decreases the cation mixing degree. The LIC@NCM523-2 electrode preserves relatively intact morphology and layered structure after cycles. Moreover, the LIC@NCM523-2 electrode delivers discharge specific capacity of 130.5 mAh g−1 with capacity retention ratio of 76.8% after 200 cycles at 1.0 C and 25 °C, and retains about 108.8 mAh g−1 at the 200th cycle at 1.0 C and 60 °C. Importantly, the LIC@NCM523-2 electrode exhibits desirable discharge specific capacity of 128.2 mAh g−1 at 5.0 C and easily returns back to 164.3 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C and 25 °C. Those outstanding electrochemical properties are ascribed to the fact that the appropriate thickness LIC layer protects active particles from the corrosion of liquid electrolytes to stabilize the internal structure and provides high conductivity to facilitate Li+ ions transport, elucidating the importance of the surface modified strategy with the fast ion conductor LIC layer.