Rechargeable Research Articles

Heterointerface engineering of yolk-shell-structured Mn2O3/RuO2 for boosting oxygen electrocatalysis in rechargeable liquid and flexible zinc-air batteries

Rational construction of high-efficient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts is of crucial significance for rechargeable Zn-air batteries (ZABs). Here, the yolk-shell-structured Mn2O3/RuO2 heterojunction is purposely constructed via the Kirkendall effect as a robust bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst for simultaneously driving oxygen evolution and reduction reactions (OER and ORR). The strong interactions between Mn2O3 and RuO2 induces the surface reconstruction that brings the electronic transfer from Mn to Ru, and the changes of coordination environments of metal atoms. Meanwhile, the yolk-shell structure enables maximum contact of the active sites with the electrolyte and prevents the dissolution and peroxidation of active species. As a result, the yolk-shell-structured Mn2O3/RuO2 shows an outstanding bifunctional activity with a very low potential gap of ΔE = 0.60 V. Moreover, the ZABs assembled with Mn2O3/RuO2 render a large open circuit voltage of 1.53 V, a high specific capacity of 742.1 mA h g−1 and an exceptional cycling stability over 850 h that significantly outperforms those of Pt/C+RuO2-based ZABs. Moreover, the self-made flexible solid-state ZAB with Mn2O3/RuO2 cathode also shows good charge–discharge reversibility and flexibility at different bending angles. This work provides a feasible method for the design of efficient oxygen electrocatalysts to promote the practical application of ZABs.

Design and analysis of sustainable photovoltaic solar charging system with battery storage for electric vehicles

Design and analysis of sustainable photovoltaic solar charging system with battery storage for electric vehicles

Catalyst–Support Interaction in Polyaniline-Supported Ni3Fe Oxide to Boost Oxygen Evolution Activities for Rechargeable Zn-Air Batteries

HighlightsNi3Fe oxide, with an average size of 3.5 ± 1.5 nm, was successfully deposited onto polyaniline (PANI) support through a solvothermal strategy followed by calcination.The catalyst–support interaction between Ni3Fe oxide and PANI can enhance the Ni-O covalency via the interfacial Ni-N bond.Ni3Fe oxide/PANI-assembled Zn-air batteries achieve superior cycling life for over 400 h at 10 mA cm−2 and a low charge potential of around 1.95 V.

Synthesis and electrochemical studies of NaCoPO4 as an efficient cathode material using natural deep eutectic solvents for aqueous rechargeable sodium-ion batteries

Synthesis and electrochemical studies of NaCoPO4 as an efficient cathode material using natural deep eutectic solvents for aqueous rechargeable sodium-ion batteries

Activating supercooled electrolytes

Abstract While materials science research in the rechargeable battery field is usually application-oriented, the general supercooled liquid theory from glass science can drive high-performance low-temperature aqueous batteries, facilitating cross-disciplinary collaborations and simultaneous research break- throughs.

Leaf-like Multiphase Metal Phosphides as Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalysts toward Rechargeable Zinc-Air Batteries

Leaf-like Multiphase Metal Phosphides as Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalysts toward Rechargeable Zinc-Air Batteries

Advancing zinc-ion batteries: Amorphous V2O5 as a protective layer on Zn anode surface

Recently, Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) have emerged as prominent solutions for next-generation rechargeable batteries due to abundant Zn resources and the reduced explosion risk associated with aqueous electrolytes. Nonetheless, the low charge–discharge performance of ZIBs due to the corrosive interactions between mildly acidic aqueous electrolytes and Zn anodes, as well as dendrite growth, limit their further application. To mitigate these degradation effects, this study incorporates an amorphous phase V2O5-coated Zn (AVO-Zn) anode into ZIBs. The amorphous phase V2O5 enhances the wettability of the Zn anode and mitigates hydrogen evolution and corrosion, enabling high stability of the anode over 500 h with a low overpotential of 42 mV during symmetric cell analysis. Furthermore, by providing flat Zn plating by increasing the number of nucleation sites to inhibit dendrite formation, the AVO-Zn anode achieves a high energy density of 236 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 270 W kg−1 and good long-term cyclability with a high specific capacity of 136 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles.

Research on the Remaining Useful Life Prediction Method of Energy Storage Battery Based on Multimodel Integration

Research on the Remaining Useful Life Prediction Method of Energy Storage Battery Based on Multimodel Integration

High Entropy Helps Na4Fe3(PO4)2P2O7 Improve Its Sodium Storage Performance

AbstractRecently, a high‐entropy strategy has attracted extensive attention and is applied to the preparation of electrode materials for energy storage batteries, aiming to improve electrochemical performance. It is found that adjusting the conformational entropy of the material can significantly enhance ion and electron transport efficiency, as well as improve the structural stability of the host material. However, there still remains a lack of deep understanding into the high‐entropy strategy, specifically regarding how this approach can alter the intrinsic properties of the material. In this work, the Na4Fe3(PO4)2P2O7 is designed and prepared as a model material with higher entropy, and ultimately, an optimized sample of Na3.9Fe2.6V0.1Mn0.1Cu0.1Mg0.1(PO4)2(P2O7) is achieved. The results indicate that increasing the entropy value of the material notably enhances its crystal structure, diffusion kinetics, and interfacial stability. Consequently, this optimized sample demonstrates deep insertion/extraction of 2.8 Na+, yielding an impressively high capacity of 122.3 mAh g−1 at 0.1C, alongside an ultra‐high rate capability of 100C. Remarkably, it also sustains performance over 14 000 cycles at 50C. This study underscores a method for fabricating high‐performance electrode materials through the implementation of the entropy strategy.

Rechargeable Mg-Br2 Battery with Ultrafast Bromine Chemistry.

A sustainable society necessitates the support of diversified energy storage systems. Magnesium metal batteries, known for the environmental friendliness, safety of dendrite-less, cost-effective, and high volumetric capacity of magnesium metal, exhibit promising prospects. However, the high charge density of the magnesium ion leads to sluggish ion diffusion in cathodes, posing challenges for developing magnesium metal battery systems with high power and high energy density. Here, inspired by the Hard-Soft-Acid-Base theory, we propose a soft-anion-induced bond weakening strategy to address the diffusion difficulty. The bulky and broadly electron-distributed succinimide ion (SN-) in SN-Mg-Br significantly weakens the Mg-Br bond, promoting rapid magnesium ion transport and enabling ultrafast bromine chemistry, thus realizing a highly rechargeable Mg-Br2 battery prototype. Benefiting from the solubilization of SN-, the Mg-Br2 batteries achieve a high discharge plateau of 2.7 V, a remarkable specific capacity of 326 mAh gBr-1, and an impressive lifespan of 400 cycles. Attributed to the half-half diffusion/adsorption-desorption control process mechanism, the batteries can be well cycled under high-rate charging at 10 C and ultralow temperatures down to -55 °C. This bond weakening strategy may stimulate the development of battery systems with similar high charge density to magnesium ion, toward high power and high energy density, paving the way for sustainable energy storage systems.

Dual carbon confining SnO2 nanocrystals as high-performance anode for sodium-ion batteries

The increasing global demand for sustainable energy sources has driven research into sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) for large-scale energy storage. However, their electrochemical performance is hindered by poor reaction kinetics and significant volume expansion in electrode materials. In this work, we developed a dual-carbon-confined SnO2 nanocrystal anode (CNTs@SnO2@NC) designed for high-performance SIBs. This innovative structure uses carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and a nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) coating to stabilize SnO2, ensuring structural integrity during charge/discharge cycles. The CNTs network in CNTs@SnO2@NC can alleviate the agglomeration of SnO2 nanocrystals to a certain extent; With its superior electronic conductivity, CNTs can enhance the anode's conductivity and function as an electronic highway; The sodiophilic properties and good electrical conductivity of CNTs enable sodium ions to migrate rapidly on the surface of the nanotubes. Moreover, numerous external defects and active sites generated by nitrogen doping enhance the sodium ion absorption capabilities; The existence of nitrogen-doped carbon coating can effectively accommodate the volume changes of SnO2 and enhance the structural stability of CNTs@SnO2@NC composites during the repeated charge and discharge cycles. As a result, the CNTs@SnO2@NC composite demonstrates excellent electrochemical performance, achieving capacity of 235 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 over 100 cycles and 102 mAh g−1 at 1.0 A g−1 over 300 cycles. In a full-cell configuration with a Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode, it delivers 38 mAh g−1 at 100th cycle at 0.1 A g−1. This study underscores the substantial improvements achieved by dual-carbon confinement for high-performance SIB anodes, offering a promising direction for future anode material design.

A Novel Self‐Reconfigurable Battery Pack Design with and without Active Cell Balancing

In electric vehicle industry, rechargeable multicell battery packs commonly with fixed configurations are adopted. Such fixed battery configurations have several drawbacks, including limited fault tolerance during unusual operating situations, poor cell state variation management, etc. Thus, this article proposes a self‐reconfigurable battery pack design considering two scenarios: with and without active cell balancing. Herein, the issue of cell state variation is mostly solved by the proposed configuration mode, and further monitoring, control, and protection can be easily appended to accomplish other functionalities, for example, meeting dynamic voltage requirement. Each proposed design is validated by simulation results for a six‐cell polymer lithium‐ion battery pack. The proposed design can maximally utilize the battery's capacity and help to protect cells from over‐charging and over‐discharging as well. This research could be further extended to other application scenarios involving wide‐range dynamic voltage requirements.

Built-in Electric Field in 1D/2D Heterostructure Boosts Zinc Air Battery Performance.

The realization of a rechargeable zinc-air battery (ZAB) is hindered by the low intrinsic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activities. In this work, an abundant built-in electric field is noticed in a 1D/2D CoO/CoS2 heterostructure, triggering electron transfer from CoO to CoS2 associated with a downshifted d band center of the Co atom mitigating the strong electrochemical adsorption of *OH species on active sites; thereby, boosted OER and ORR performance are achieved. Namely, the OER specific activity of CoO/CoS2 is enhanced by 3.8- and 2.2-fold compared to the counterpart of CoO and CoS2, respectively. Furthermore, the kinetic current density of CoO/CoS2, a fingerprint of intrinsic ORR activity, is promoted by 46 and 6.6 times relative to CoO and CoS2. The rechargeable ZAB performance attains 215.6 mW cm-2, 1.6-times better than Pt/C-IrO2. Moreover, the superior performance remained for 600 h. Besides, the battery performance of the all-solid-state ZAB reaches 83.8 mW cm-2, revealing its promising application in wearable device.

Optimal estimation of SoC, SoH using machine learning models and design of control algorithm for active cell balancing in lithium ion batteries

Abstract Electric vehicles transform the automotive industry by replacing
traditional vehicles powered by fossil fuels with less polluting and efficient vehicles.
They are powered by rechargeable Li-ion batteries. While there are drawbacks
associated with Li-ion battery technology, it’s important to note that these challenges
can be addressed or mitigated effectively. A battery management system ensures the
tracking of all functions performed by the battery. An advanced battery management
system should accurately estimate the battery’s state of health and state of charge.
This paper aims to develop machine learning models for the estimation of the state of
health and state of charge and to implement cell balancing in a battery management
system. A dataset of battery charging and discharging profiles was used to train
various machine learning models for estimation. These methods are computationally
less complex than conventional methods. In addition, a cell balancing algorithm is
implemented to control the charging and discharging of individual cells in a battery
pack and balance the state of charge of each cell. The machine learning solution is
created using several machine learning models, including Gradient Boosting, Random
Forest, Linear Regression, AdaBoost, and Multi-layer Perceptron. Among the models

Gradient Boosting and Random Forest provide good MSE and R2 score. The use of
machine learning algorithms for the assessment of state of health and charge estimation
combined with the design of an efficient control algorithm for active cell balancing
offers significant advancements in the battery management system to optimise the
performance, reliability, and useful life of Li-ion batteries. The paper also presents
a case study utilising a combination of deep learning-based SoC, SoH estimation
algorithms in a simulated data set. A well-designed control algorithm for active
cell balancing presents a holistic and effective approach to optimise Li-ion batteries' performance,
reliability, and lifespan.

A facile physics-based model for non-destructive diagnosis of battery degradation

The identification of battery degradation is of significant importance for estimating the state of health. Loss of lithium inventory (LLI), loss of active materials of the negative electrodes (LAMNE), and loss of active materials of the positive electrodes (LAMPE) are three main degradation modes. This paper proposes an advanced model based on open circuit voltage and differential voltage (DV) fitting to diagnose and quantify the degradation modes of batteries at different stages, showing high fidelity. This physics-based model avoids solving many partial differential equations and is not computationally demanding. Using commercial batteries with NCA/SiC electrodes as a case study, the LLI, LAMPE, and LAMNE induced by battery cycling and storage at various temperatures, State-of-Charge, and charging/discharging rates are systematically identified and analyzed.

Grid-integrated solutions for sustainable EV charging: a comparative study of renewable energy and battery storage systems

IntroductionThe integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into the power network challenges the 1) grid capacity, 2) stability, and 3) management. This is due to the 1) increased peak demand, 2) infrastructure strain, and 3) intermittent charging patterns. Previous studies lack comprehensive integration of renewable energy and battery storage with EV charging.MethodsTo address these challenges, this study explores the effectiveness of incorporating renewable energy resources (RERs) and battery energy storage systems (BESS) alongside the traditional grid. The proposed study utilizes the HOMER Grid® and conducted a comprehensive analysis.ResultsThe proposed study compares two grid integrated scenarios: 1) Case-1 (grid and photovoltaic (PV) systems), and 2) Case-2 (grid, PV systems, and BESS). Both these scenarios are compared against a Base case relying solely on grid power. The evaluation employed techno-economic analysis while focusing on 1) net present cost (NPC), 2) cost of energy, and 3) annualized savings. Additionally, the proposed study analyzed 4) seasonal variations in EV charging demand, 5) grid interactions, 6) PV production, and 7) the operation of BESS in both summer and winter. The comparative analysis reveals that the Base case incurs a net present cost (NPC) of $546,977 and a cost of energy (COE) of $0.354 per kWh. In contrast, Case-1, which integrates a 100 kW PV system, shows a significantly lower NPC of -$122,962 and a reduced COE of -$0.043 per kWh, with annualized savings of $61,492. Case-2, incorporating both the 100 kW PV system and a BESS with a capacity of 9.8 kWh, has a higher NPC of $309,667 but a COE of $0.112 per kWh and provides annual savings of $51,233 compared to the Base case.DiscussionSeasonal analysis highlights that Case-2 achieves the lowest carbon emissions in summer, ranging from 2.0 to 2.5 tons, while Case-1 shows the lowest emissions in winter, ranging from 3.2 to 3.4 tons. This model 1) reduces operational costs, 2) minimizes carbon emissions, while 3) making it compelling for future energy systems in increasing EV adoption.

Toward Practical Li–S Batteries: On the Road to a New Electrolyte

AbstractThe lithium–sulfur (Li–S) battery system has attracted considerable attention due to its ultrahigh theoretical energy density and promising applications. However, with the increasing demands on S loading and electrolyte content, practical Li–S batteries still face several serious challenges, such as slow reaction kinetics at the cathode interface, unstable anode interface reactions, and undesirable crosstalk effects between the cathode and anode. Traditional electrolyte systems often struggle to address these challenges under practical conditions, thereby rendering it imperative to establish a new electrolyte system for practical Li–S batteries. This review first discusses the necessity of establishing a new electrolyte and propose specific parameter requirements, such as the electrolyte‐to‐sulfur mass ratio (Em/S). Subsequently, some electrolyte modification strategies proposed by researchers are summarized to address the different challenges associated with practical Li–S batteries. Finally, the combination of different strategies is reviewed, aiming to reveal more effective design approaches that simultaneously address multiple challenges, while providing guidance for establishing a new balanced electrolyte for practical Li–S batteries. This article promotes the development of new electrolytes for practical Li–S batteries and can act as a reference for the development of electrolytes for other secondary batteries.

Pyridinic N[sbnd]B pair-doped carbon microspheres with refined hierarchical architectures for rechargeable zinc-air batteries

Refined architectures are of vital importance in determining the electrocatalytic activity of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, pyridinic NB pair doped carbon microspheres (NB-CMS) with hierarchical micropore-mesopore structure are prepared via a SiO2 hard template assisted CO2 activation strategy. The pyridinic NB pair accounts for ≈ 59.9 % of all N species in NB-CMS, accelerating the ORR process with onset potential (0.996 V) and half-wave potential (0.889 V). Meanwhile, the NB-CMS also exhibits high OER performance with overpotential of 384 mV at 10 mA cm−2. The assembled Zinc-air battery exhibits maximum power density of 134 mW cm−2 and long-term charging and discharging stability over 358 h. Density functional theory (DFT) simulations reveal that the pyridinic NB pair exhibits the highest electrocatalytic performance in dual-functional catalysis, owing to the highest charge density and readily accepts electrons from *OOH adsorbate of N active site neighboring B.

Cobalt-doped copper sulfide nanocomposite integrated with graphene oxide as a high-performance conversion anode for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) encounter substantial obstacles arising from the inherent dilemmas of dendrite growth, hydrogen gas evolution, and corrosion affiliated with zinc metal anodes, thereby highlighting the necessity for researching conversion anode materials as a promising pathway forward. Copper sulfide (CuS) has been demonstrated as a promising conversion anode material for ZIBs due to its notable electrochemical performance, while challenges persist regarding the Coulombic interactions between Zn2+ and host anions, coupled with the material’s fundamental conductivity that remains less than fully satisfactory. To address the above issues, we have designed and synthesized a nanostructured composite of cobalt doped CuS integrated in graphene oxide frames (GO/Co-CuS) as anode for ZIBs. The cobalt doping serves to alleviate Coulomb interaction (Coulomb attraction) between Zn2+ and host anions, thereby enhancing the kinetics of Zn2+ diffusion. Furthermore, the incorporation of GO framework improves the electrical conductivity of the material and mitigates volume expansion during the reaction process. The synergistic effect engendered by the combination of cobalt doping and the incorporation of a GO framework results in the remarkable electrochemical performance exhibited by GO/Co-CuS. The GO/Co-CuS composite nanostructure exhibited commendable rate capability and cycling stability. Specifically, it exhibits remarkable rate capability, delivering 296 mAh g−1 at 1 A/g and 168 mAh g−1 at 10 A/g. Furthermore, after 1000 cycles at a high current density of 10 A/g, it maintains a capacity of 166 mAh g−1, demonstrating exceptional cycling stability. Additionally, the full-cell configuration of GO/Co-CuS//MnO2@CNTs, when cycled 241 times at 2 A/g, retains a capacity of 79 mAh g−1, thereby confirming the practical efficacy of the GO/Co-CuS nanocomposite as an efficient conversion anode for ZIBs.

Superlattice cathodes endow cation and anion co-intercalation for high-energy-density aluminium batteries

Conventionally, rocking-chair batteries capacity primarily depends on cation shuttling. However, intrinsically high-charge-density metal-ions, such as Al3+, inevitably cause strong Coulombic ion-lattice interactions, resulting in low practical energy density and inferior long-term stability towards rechargeable aluminium batteries (RABs). Herein, we introduce tunable quantum confinement effects and tailor a family of anion/cation co-(de)intercalation superlattice cathodes, achieving high-voltage anion charge compensation, with extra-capacity, in RABs. The optimized superlattice cathode with adjustable van der Waals not only enables facile traditional cation (de)intercalation, but also activates O2– compensation with an extra anion reaction. Furthermore, the constructed cathode delivers high energy-density (466 Wh kg–1 at 107 W kg−1) and one of the best cycle stability (225 mAh g–1 over 3000 cycles at 2.0 A g–1) in RABs. Overall, the anion-involving redox mechanism overcomes the bottlenecks of conventional electrodes, thereby heralding a promising advance in energy-storage-systems.