Selenium Batteries Research Articles

High‐Capacity, Long‐Life All‐Solid‐State Lithium–Selenium Batteries Enabled by Lithium Iodide Active Additive

AbstractSelenium (Se) shows promise as a cathode candidate for all‐solid‐state lithium (Li) batteries due to its impressive theoretical volumetric energy density, much higher electronic conductivity, and improved safety in comparison to those for sulfur (S). An active cathode additive, lithium iodide (LiI) is demonstrated, to address the major challenge for all‐solid‐state Li–Se batteries, namely the sluggish redox kinetics resulting from the huge solid‐state conversion barrier. The LiI additive enhances Li+ transport and provides catalytic sites for Se cathode, thus endowing the batteries with accelerated reaction kinetics and extra capacity. DFT calculation and experimental analysis clearly reveal that LiI additive efficiently accelerates the conversion between polyselenide intermediates and Li2Se. With the above advantages, the battery with LiI using Li6PS5Br electrolyte gives an outstanding capacity of 862 mAh gSe−1 beyond the theoretical specific capacity of Se and a superlong life over 1800 cycles at 1C under room temperature. This work offers a simple strategy to facilitate the kinetics of all‐solid‐state Se cathodes and paves the way for the practicality of high‐capacity and long‐life all‐solid‐state Li–Se batteries.

Taming the anchor and conversion of polyselenides with a self-reinforcing host in lithium–selenium batteries

Energy-dense lithium–selenium (Li–Se) batteries have attracted increasing attention, while their practical application is still hindered, highly relating to the volume expansion and shuttle of Li polyselenides (LiPSes). Herein, a concurrent anchoring/converting strategy is proposed to restrain the dissolution and realize the rapid conversion of LiPSes. A prototypical regulator comprises of polar catalysts embedded in the interconnected porous muti-walled carbon network (i.e., CoSnO3 nanocubes/CNTs), which promises fast electron/ion transportation and inhibits volumetric effect. Moreover, CoSnO3 as redox accelerator enables the stretched Se−Se bonds to decrease the LiPSes bidirectional conversion barrier, achieving accelerated reaction kinetics. Consequently, the self-reinforcing optimized cathode exhibits superior initial capacity of 730 mAh/g, greatly enlarged capacity after 200 cycles (increase by ∼ 32 % than that of the cell with CNTs), and superior rate capacity (153 mAh/g at 2C). This work uncovers the roles of electronic/ionic conductivity and adsorption/catalysis in Li–Se batteries, providing a guidance for taming the utilization and kinetics of cathode from material perspectives.

Encapsulating Selenium into Biomass-Derived Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon As the Cathode for Sodium–Selenium and Potassium–Selenium Batteries

Encapsulating Selenium into Biomass-Derived Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon As the Cathode for Sodium–Selenium and Potassium–Selenium Batteries

High Selenium Loading in Vertically Aligned Porous Carbon Framework with Visualized Fast Kinetics for Enhanced Lithium/Sodium Storage

AbstractLithium/sodium–selenium (Li/Na–Se) batteries with high volumetric specific capacity are considered promising as next‐generation battery technologies. However, their practical application is hindered by challenges such as low Se loading in cathodes and the polyselenides shuttle effect. To address these challenges, a new Se host is introduced in the form of a free‐standing N, O co‐doped vertically aligned porous carbon framework decorated with a carbon nanotube forest (VCF‐CNTs), allowing for high mass loading of up to 16 mg cm−2. The low‐tortuosity Se@VCF‐CNTs architecture facilitates rapid lithiation/sodiation kinetics, while the CNT forests in vertical microchannels enhance efficient Se loading and serve as a multi‐layer fence to prevent undesired polyselenide shuttling. Consequently, the Se@VCF‐CNTs cathode displays a significant areal capacity of 10.3 mAh cm−2 at 0.1 C with a Se loading of 16 mg cm−2 for Li–Se batteries, exceeding that of commercial lithium ion batteries (4.0 mAh cm−2). In Na–Se batteries, the Se@VCF‐CNTs electrode with a Se loading of 5 mg cm−2 exhibits a discharge capacity of 436 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles, proving its consistent cycling performance. This study enriches the field of knowledge concerning high‐loading Se‐based battery systems, offering a promising avenue for enhancing energy density in the field.

Built-in electric field by CoSe2-CoS2 mott schottk heterostructure: Promoting rapid conversion and ordered deposition of polyselenides in lithium selenium batteries

Selenium cathodes have attracted particular interest due to their high volumetric capacity and electronic conductivity compared to sulfur cathodes. However, slow conversion reaction kinetics and shuttle effect of polyselenides lead to poor cycling performance of lithium selenium batteries. To overcome these limitations, this paper designs a cobalt selenide-sulfide mott schottkyl heterostructure catalyst on carbon fibers (CoSe2-CoS2@CNF). Through the built-in electric field and high catalytic activity of heterostructure, the CoSe2-CoS2@CNF effectively decreases the nucleation barrier for polyselenides, enhances the liquid–solid conversion process and ultimately realizes ordered radial deposition of polyselenides on carbon fibres. Density functional theory calculations also prove that CoSe2-CoS2 mott schottkyl heterostructure has the highest catalytic activity and accelerates the rapid conversion of polyselenides. As a result, Se/CoSe2-CoS2@CNF free-standing electrodes exhibit a high initial specific capacity of 401.6 mAh g−1 at 5C and maintained a capacity of 410.2 mAh g−1 after 1000 cycles at 0.5C, with a capacity decay rate of only 0.04% per cycle. This work opens up a new field for achieving high stability lithium selenium batteries by forming mott schottkyl heterostructure structures to promote rapid conversion and ordered deposition of polyselenides.

An efficient molten‐salt electro‐deoxidation strategy enabling fast‐kinetics and long‐life aluminum–selenium batteries

AbstractAluminum–selenium (Al–Se) batteries have been considered as one of the most promising energy storage systems owing to their high capacity, energy density, and cost effectiveness, but Se falls challenges in addressing the shuttle effect of soluble intermediate product and sluggish reaction kinetics in the solid–solid conversion process during cycling. Herein, we propose an unprecedented design concept for fabricating uniform Se/C hollow microspheres with controllable morphologies through low‐temperature electro‐deoxidation in neutral NaCl–AlCl3 molten salt system. Such Se/C hollow microspheres are demonstrated to hold a favorable hollow structure for hosting Se, which can not only suppress the dissolution of soluble intermediate products into the electrolyte, thereby maintaining the structural integrity and maximizing Se utilization of the active material, but also promote the electrical/ionic conductivity, thus facilitating the rapid reaction kinetics during cycling. Accordingly, the as‐prepared Se/C hollow microspheres exhibit a high reversible capacity of 720.1 mAh g−1 at 500 mA g−1. Even at the high current density of 1000 mA g−1, Se/C delivers a high discharge capacity of 564.0 mAh g−1, long‐term stability over 1100 cycles and high Coulombic efficiency of 98.6%. This present work provides valuable insights into short‐process recovery of advanced Se‐containing materials and value‐added utilization for energy storage.

Natural okra gum as functional binder enables highly stable Lithium–Selenium batteries

Lithium–selenium (Li–Se) batteries are garnered significant attention due to their high theoretical specific capacity, high volumetric energy density and moderate output voltage. Nevertheless, Li–Se batteries are still restricted by severe volume expansion and “shuttle effect” of polyselenides, resulting in deteriorated electrochemical performance. Binders are a crucial component of Li–Se batteries, playing a key role in addressing the mentioned issues. Herein, a non-toxic, bio-friendly, hydro-soluble binder of okra gum (OG) extracted from okra pods is proposed to ameliorate the electrochemical performance of Li–Se batteries. The as-prepared OG binders are rich in branched-chain polysaccharides (glucoside) and polar functional groups (–C–O–C–, –COOH), which not only have a good interpenetrating binding network to ensure the mechanical stability of Se cathode, but also have excellent interfacial chemical binding force for immobilizing polyselenides. Consequently, the OG binder endows Li–Se batteries with high initial discharge capacity (607 mA h g−1 at 0.2C), good cycling stability (218 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.2C), and remarkable rate performance (364 mA h g−1 at 1C), all of which are superior to Li–Se batteries with PVDF binder. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of natural mucilage as functional binder for Li–Se batteries and paves a research path in developing natural plant-based binders to stabilize electrode materials for reliable high-energy batteries.

A dual-functional matrix with high absorption and electrocatalysis to suppress the shuttle effect in lithium–selenium batteries

A dual-functional matrix as both an adsorbent and an electrocatalyst effectively restrained the shuttle effect and improved the electrochemical performance of Li–Se batteries.

Carbon spheres with catalytic silver centres as selenium hosts for stable lithium–selenium batteries

A silver-centred carbon host for a Li–Se battery cathode is developed by a simple microwave-assisted approach. The successful immobilization of polyselenides by silver catalyst within the pores of the carbon spheres offers improved cycling stability.

Surface coated longan shell-derived carbon host design for high-rate sodium–selenium batteries

Surface coated longan shell-derived carbon host design for high-rate sodium–selenium batteries

NiS2 nanoparticles decorated hierarchical porous carbon for high-performance lithium-selenium batteries

lithium–selenium (Li–Se) batteries are recognized as an attractive candidate for energy storage owing to its high volumetric capacity (3253 mA h cm−3). However, the sluggish electrochemical redox reaction and the accompanying enormous volume fluctuation greatly impede the application of Li–Se batteries. Herein, a catalyst of nickel disulfide (NiS2) nanoparticles decorated hierarchical porous carbon (HPC) has been fabricated and applied as the cathode for Li-Se batteries. The porous structure offers large amount of viod to buffer the volume change during charge/discharge. At the same time, the NiS2 nanoparticles exhibit strong adsorption capabilities towards lithium polyselenides and aslo promote the conversion of these intermediates. As a consequence, the NiS2-HPC cathode delivers a superior rate capacity (569 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C and 549 mAh g−1 at 1 C) and good cycling stability (289 mAh g−1 after 1000 cycles at 2 C with a Coulombic efficiency of ∼100%). This work demonstrates the viability of employing metal sulfide-anchored porous carbon materials for high-performance lithium-selenium batteries.

High-performance lithium–selenium batteries enabled by nitrogen-doped porous carbon from peanut meal

Abstract Biomass-derived porous carbon displays a great potential for lithium–selenium (Li–Se) batteries owing to its green resource and inherent structural advantages, which can effectively restrict the shuttle effect of Se cathode. Peanut meal, by-product of the extraction of peanut oil, is a promising precursor for N-doped porous carbon. However, peanut meal is difficult to be activated in solution due to its high hydrophobicity. Thus, non-reports have been available for peanut meal-derived porous carbon used as Li–Se battery cathode host. In this work, we have innovatively proposed a very simple method of activating peanut meal by directly physically grinding the activator with the peanut meal and then annealing it to convert it into nitrogen-doped three-dimensional porous carbon (N-PC) with rich nanoscale pore size structures, which is then used as the Se host for Li–Se batteries. The N-PC shows a high specific surface area of 938.872 m2 g−1. The Se/N-PC composite cathode delivers a specific capacity of 461.4 mA h g−1 for 250 cycles at 0.2 C, corresponding to a high-capacity retention of 97.2%. Moreover, the Se/N-PC composite maintains a high capacity over 340.1 mA h g−1 after 1,000 cycles at a high current density of 2 C. Our work effectively resolves the hydrophobic biomass activation problem and manufactures abundant and low-cost Se host for Li–Se batteries.

Tetraiodo nickel phthalocyanine electrocatalyst enables superior Na–Se battery performances by enhancing the utilization of Na2Se

Sodium–Selenium (Na–Se) batteries are regarded as one of the most promising alternative energy storage devices compared to their room-temperature sodium-sulfur battery counterparts. Since Selenium cathodes operate well in carbonate-based electrolytes, the solubility issue of polyselenides is no longer an issue. However, the main obstacles of Na–Se batteries remain the precipitation and reoxidation of sodium selenide (Na2Se) owing to the high energy barrier of these reactions and passivation of the electrode during cycling. Herein, we propose a tetraiodo nickel phthalocyanine (NiPc) electrocatalyst to improve the electrochemical performance of Na–Se batteries. It is demonstrated that the presence of even a small amount of NiPc improves the electrocatalytic conversion of Na2Se by lowering the decomposition energy barrier of Na2Se. The improved cell performances are verified by the decrease in reaction polarization, Tafel slope values, and the measured internal resistance of Na–Se cells in addition to the density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Consequently, the Na–Se cell with the NiPc electrocatalyst exhibited outstanding rate capability (405 mAh∙g−1 after 250 cycles at 3375 mA g−1 and superior long-term cyclic stability (563 mAh∙g−1 after 250 cycles at 675 mA g−1), which are among the most promising rate performance characteristics demonstrated in the literature.

A N/Co co-doped three-dimensional porous carbon as cathode host for advanced lithium–selenium batteries

A N/Co co-doped three-dimensional porous carbon as cathode host for advanced lithium–selenium batteries

Advancing Power Supply Devices for Electric Aircraft

The pollution caused by the construction of more aircraft that run on fuel will become more severe as more fuel-energy aircraft are built. As a result of the numerous environmental crises currently confronting the world, electric jumbo jets need to replace those that run on fuel. Note that the most interesting issue would be the airplane's power supplies. Research is conducted on the physical principles underpinning solar panels and power beaming. Batteries are an essential component of electric aircraft. The materials used to construct airplane batteries are among the most crucial aspects of battery design, and lithium-ion batteries are among the top options available. The capacity of the batteries will not decrease over time, and they will not catch fire or put passengers at risk. In order to maintain charging, a one-of-a-kind combination of sulfur and selenium is utilized. It has been discovered that solid sulfur selenium batteries have a good touch, do not ignite, are thinner (even thinner than lithium-ion batteries), and have a higher capacity for storing energy than lithium-ion batteries.

Tuning the electrochemical activity of Li–Se batteries by redox mediator additives

A lithium–selenium (Li–Se) battery is considered as a promising next-generation energy storage system due to its ultrahigh volumetric energy density. However, the capacity attenuation due to the dissolution and shuttle effect of polyselenides is urgent to be addressed. Herein, 1,4-benzenedithiol (1,4-BDT) and benzeneselenol (PhSeH) are proposed as redox mediator additives in the electrolyte. They both change the multi-step reaction of Se and accelerate the redox kinetics, thus suppressing the shuttle effect of polyselenides and improving the cycling stability and rate performance. The Li–Se cell with 1,4-BDT exhibits steady 450 cycles at 1 C with capacity decay only 0.058% per cycle. Differently, the Li–Se cell with PhSeH features fast kinetics, which shows 91.4% capacity retention after 450 cycles at a high rate of 5 C. Due to the difference of molecular structures between 1,4-BDT and PhSeH, the cyclic oligomers formed in the Li–Se cell with 1,4-BDT diminish the solubility of polyselenides enhancing the cycling stability, while the chain-like diphenyl selenides generated in the Li–Se cell with PhSeH promote kinetics performance through a single-phase reaction. This work provides an effective redox regulation strategy that will stimulate interest in exploration of organic mediators for rechargeable batteries.

Biomass Carbon Materials Contribute Better Alkali-Metal–Selenium Batteries: A Mini-Review

Owing to the sustainability, environmental friendliness, and structural diversity of biomass-derived materials, extensive efforts have been devoted to using them in high-energy rechargeable batteries. Alkali-metal–selenium batteries, one of the high-energy rechargeable batteries with a reasonable cost compared to up-to-date lithium-ion batteries, have also attracted significant attention. Therefore, a timely and comprehensive review of the biomass carbon structures/components to the mechanisms for enhancing alkali-metal–selenium batteries has been systematically introduced. In the end, advantages, challenges, and outlooks are pointed out for the future development of biomass-derived carbon materials in alkali-metal–selenium batteries. This review could help researchers think about using biomass carbon materials to improve battery performance and what other problems should be solved, thereby promoting the application of biomass materials in battery design.

Synergy of MXene with Se Infiltrated Porous N‐Doped Carbon Nanofibers as Janus Electrodes for High‐Performance Sodium/Lithium–Selenium Batteries

AbstractMetal–selenium (M–Se) batteries are considered promising candidates for next‐generation battery technologies owing to their high energy density and high‐rate capability. However, Se cathode suffers from poor cycling performance and low Coulombic efficiency, owing to the shuttle effect of polyselenides. Herein, it is reported the incorporation of Ti3C2Tx MXene onto Se infiltrated porous N‐doped carbon nanofibers (PNCNFs) to construct free‐standing Janus PNCNFs/Se@MXene cathodes for high‐performance Na–Se and Li–Se batteries. The increase of pyrrolic‐N content and the porous structure of the PNCNFs is conducive to enhancing the adsorption of Na2Se and alleviating the shuttle effect. Meanwhile, density functional theory (DFT) calculations have proven that 2D Ti3C2Tx MXene with polar interfaces enables the effective chemical immobilization and physical blocking of polyselenides to suppress the shuttle effect. The unique architecture with Ti3C2Tx MXene built on top of interlinked nanofiber ensures the continuous electron transfer for redox reaction. As a result, the novel Janus PNCNFs/Se@MXene electrodes deliver robust rate capabilities and superior long‐term cycling stability in both Na–Se and Li–Se batteries. The incorporation of 2D MXene to construct Janus electrodes provides a competitive advantage for selenium‐based cathode materials and highlights a new strategy for developing high‐performance batteries.

Three-dimensional hierarchically porous nitrogen-doped carbon from water hyacinth as selenium host for high-performance lithium–selenium batteries

Three-dimensional hierarchically porous nitrogen-doped carbon from water hyacinth as selenium host for high-performance lithium–selenium batteries

Theoretical calculation guided materials design and capture mechanism for Zn–Se batteries via heteroatom‐doped carbon

AbstractZinc–selenium (Zn–Se) batteries have generated great research interest because they could potentially meet the requirements of a high‐capacity, high energy density storage device. Unfortunately, efforts to control the shuttle effect of polyselenides have yielded limited success. Nanostructured carbon hosts with nonpolar surfaces have insufficient ability to restrict polyselenides within the cathode. Herein, first‐principles calculations are used to successfully study the merits of heteroatom‐doped graphene as an efficient sorbent with an excellent ability to inhibit the shuttle effect of polyselenides. The calculation results show that using B as a dopant could distinctly enhance interaction between hosts and polyselenides, which occur significant charge transfer with polyselenides and reduce the diffusion energy barrier of Zn ions. Then, we synthesized carbon/Se and boron‐doped carbon material/Se composite cathodes proving that B‐doped carbon could restrict the shuttle effect of polyselenides, which increases the electrochemical performance of Zn–Se batteries. Therefore, the theoretical study identifies a delightful restricted material that could potentially restrict the shuttle effect in Zn–Se batteries and provides a foundation and strategy for the fabrication of long‐life, high‐power‐density Zn–Se batteries.