Physical Chemistry Commons^™

Electrolyte Development And Interfacial Reactions At Multivalent Metal Anode For Next Generation Energy Storage Systems, Leslie Gates

Graduate Masters Theses

The increasing demand for safe, sustainable, and high-performance energy storage systems has driven significant interest in multivalent-ion batteries, including aluminum, magnesium, and zinc-based systems. These technologies have attracted attention due to their high theoretical energy densities, natural abundance, low cost, and environmentally benign nature. However, their development remains hindered by a limited fundamental understanding of electrolyte development and interfacial processes at the electrode–electrolyte interface, where complex electrochemical interactions govern battery performance and stability.

This thesis investigates electrode–electrolyte interactions in both a novel aluminum electrolyte and divalent magnesium and zinc systems. Beginning with the development and characterization of a novel aluminum …

Design Of Lithium-Based Battery Electrolyte Compositions For Extreme Operating Conditions Using Alternative Solvents, Co-Solvents And Additives, Michael J. Keating

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Lithium-ion battery utilization is widespread due to relatively high capacity and long cycle life. Advanced technologies have specific demands of their energy storage devices that traditional Li-ion batteries are unable to meet. Lithium-ion batteries utilize a graphite anode which has a limited theoretical capacity. Traditional lithium-ion batteries also utilize flammable solvents in their electrolyte mixtures. Due to the flammable electrolyte, lithium-ion batteries are not considered practical for large scale applications. Additionally, the lithium-ion battery has a narrow optimal operating temperature window. The temperature limitation of lithium-ion batteries leads to issues for many applications such as operating in extreme temperature environments, …

Effects Of Structure Of Mepegn Polymers On Hydroxide Conductivity In Anhydrous Anionic Exchange Membranes, Athan M. Gregory

Honors Theses

Anhydrous hydroxide ion (OH-) conducting polymer electrolytes composed of a 1-methyl-pyrrolidinium (1mp) head group linked to various MePEGn (n = 3, 7, 12) backbones were prepared. We have examined the structure of these anion exchange membranes to observe how the structure of the electrolyte affects the observed ionic conductivity. The structural parameters investigated were polymer length, viscosity, fractional free volume (FFV), and volume fraction of PEG (Vf,PEG), and each polymer varied in these properties. Through a comparison of the conductivity and structural parameters in the MePEGn-based anion electrolytes, we have shown that each of these structural properties weakly affects the …

Effect Of Amine Additives On Thermal Runaway Inhibition Of Sic||Ncm811 Batteries, Bo-Wen Hou, Long He, Xu-Ning Feng, Wei-Feng Zhang, Li Wang, Xiang-Ming He

Journal of Electrochemistry

The high energy density of NCM batteries with high nickel content is a key advantage in replacing fossil fuels and promoting clean energy development, at the same time, is also a fundamental cause of serious safety hazards in batteries. Primary and secondary amines can lead to ring-opening polymerization of common ethylene carbonate electrolytes, resulting in an isolation layer between the cathode and the anode, and improving the thermal safety of the battery. In this work, the safety of batteries is considered both at the material level and at the cell level, based on the chemical reactions between amines and the …

Recent Advances Of Functional Electrolyte Additives For Lithium-Sulfur Batteries, Xiu-Qing Zhang, Shuai Tang, Yong-Zhu Fu

Journal of Electrochemistry

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have become one of the most promising next-generation battery systems due to their high energy density and low cost. However, the application of Li-S batteries still faces critical challenges, such as the low conductivities of S and Li₂S, shuttle effect of polysulfides and dendrite growth of Li, etc. The optimization of the electrolyte can ameliorate the electrolyte|electrode interphase, conveniently regulating the parasitic reaction and improving the performance of the resultant batteries. The functional additives in electrolytes provide chances to tune the interphase and even the redox mechanism to improve the performance of the batteries. In …

Which Factor Dominates Battery Performance: Metal Ion Solvation Structure-Derived Interfacial Behavior Or Solid Electrolyte Interphase Layer?, Hao-Ran Cheng, Zheng Ma, Ying-Jun Guo, Chun-Sheng Sun, Qian Li, Jun Ming

Journal of Electrochemistry

Solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer formed on the electrode by electrolyte decomposition has been considered to be one of the most important factors affecting the battery performance. We discover that the metal ion solvation structure can also influence the performance, particularly, it can elucidate many phenomena that the SEI cannot. In this review, we summarize the importance of the metal ion solvation structure and the derived metal ion de-solvation behaviors, by which we can build an interfacial model to show the relationship between the interfacial behavior and electrode performance, and then apply to different electrode and battery systems. We emphasize the …

Influence Of Resveratrol On Performance Of Long-Term Storage’S Lithium-Ion Battery Electrolyte, Lei Zhang, Xu-Ping Zhang, Si-Wei Zhang, Quan-Chao Zhuang

Journal of Electrochemistry

Electrolyte of lithium-ion battery usually goes through processes of filling, transportation and storage from the completion of manufacture to the use. Understanding the influence of long-term storage process on performance of lithium-ion battery electrolyte is of theoretical significance for production of lithium-ion battery. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed that the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film formed on the surface of the graphite electrode was thicker in the base electrolyte after 6 months of storage. The charge/discharge test results showed that the reversible cycle capacity and cycle stability (capacity retention rate) of graphite electrode decreased significantly after 6 months of …

Research Progress Of High-Safety Phosphorus-Based Electrolyte, Zi-Qi Zeng, Xin-Ping Ai, Han-Xi Yang, Yu-Liang Cao

Journal of Electrochemistry

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have emerged as the most widely used energy storage devices owing to their high energy density and excellent cycling stability. However, safety issues have become a critical obstacle for the large-scale applications of LIBs in the energy storage systems and electric vehicles (EVs). Currently, LIBs use a low flash- and boiling-point organic carbonate as the electrolyte, which is extremely likely to cause firing or explosion. Although some flame-retardant additives can inhibit the combustion of electrolyte to a certain extent, it brings little effect in practical application. Therefore, the development of nonflammable electrolytes is an essential solution to …

Research Progress Of Key Components In Lithium-Sulfur Batteries, Jia-Jia Chen, Quan-Feng Dong

Journal of Electrochemistry

Due to the much higher theoretical specific capacity and energy density than the ones of traditional lithium ion battery, Li-S batteries have long been at the pinnacle in the realms of high-energy Li-metal batteries. However, the complicated electrochemical reactions on the sulfur cathode and Li anode, induced by the thermodynamic and kinetic behaviors of lithium polysulfides, are the intrinsic bottleneck to realize the full potential of Li-S batteries for practical application. In this review, we firstly discuss the roles, and thermodynamic and kinetic behaviors of polysulfides in the charging and discharging processes of Li-S batteries. Then, the functional design and …

Electrolyte Tailoring For Electrocatalytic Reduction Of Stable Molecules, Jin-Han Li, Fang-Yi Cheng

Journal of Electrochemistry

Reduction of stable molecules such as CO₂ and N₂ is important process in electrochemical energy conversion and storage technologies for electrofuels production. However, for the inert nature of CO₂/N₂ molecule and competitive proton reduction in conventional aqueous electrolytes, selective electrochemical carbon/nitrogen fixation suffers from high overpotential, low reaction rate and low selectivity. While addressing these issues has witnessed substantial advances in electrocatalysts, much less attention has been placed on the electrolytes, which play an important role in regulating the local environment and thus the performance of catalysts under operating conditions. Rational design of electrolytes has …

Pd/C Catalysts For Co2 Electroreduction To Co:Pd Loading Effect, Dun-Feng Gao, Cheng-Cheng Yan, Guo-Xiong Wang, Xin-He Bao

Journal of Electrochemistry

Nanostructured heterogeneous catalysts have been widely used in the electrochemical carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction reaction (CO₂RR), which can simultaneously achieve the electrocatalytic conversion of CO₂ to fuels and the storage of renewable energy sources. Carbon supported palladium nanoparticles (Pd/C) catalysts have been previously reported to show excellent CO₂RR performance. However, the crucial role of the metal loading in supported electrocatalysts has been rarely reported. In this work, we study the Pd loading effect on the structure of Pd/C catalysts as well as their activity and selectivity of CO₂RR to CO. The …

Research Progresses In Improvement For Low Temperature Performance Of Lithium-Ion Batteries, Yue-Ru Gu, Wei-Min Zhao, Chang-Hu Su, Chuan-Jun Luo, Zhong-Ru Zhang, Xu-Jin Xue, Yong Yang

Journal of Electrochemistry

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have become a new research hotspot due to their high energy density and long service life. However, the temperature characteristics, especially the poor performance at low temperatures, have seriously limited their wider applications. In this report, the research progresses in the low temperature performance of LIBs are reviewed. The main existing limitations of LIBs at low temperatures were systematically analyzed, and followed by discussion on the recent improvements in low temperature performances by developing novel cathode, electrolyte, and anode materials. The developments for improving the low temperature performance of LIBs are prospected. The three most important factors …

Investigation Of Novel Electrolytes For Use In Lithium-Ion Batteries And Direct Methanol Fuel Cells, Kartik Pilar

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Energy storage and conversion plays a critical role in the efficient use of available energy and is crucial for the utilization of renewable energy sources. To achieve maximum efficiency of renewable energy sources, improvements to energy storage materials must be developed. In this work, novel electrolytes for secondary batteries and fuel cells have been studied using nuclear magnetic resonance and high pressure x-ray scattering techniques to form a better understanding of dynamic and structural properties of these materials. Ionic liquids have been studied due to their potential as a safer alternative to organic solvent-based electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries and composite …

Performance Of Piperidine Ionic Liquid Based Mixed Electrolyte In Li/Licoo2 Cell, Hu Cheng, Xiao-Yan Nie, Ye-Dan Shen

Journal of Electrochemistry

The N-methyl-N-ethyl (propyl, butyl) piperidinium bis (trifluo romethanesulfonyl) imide (PP12(3,4)TFSI) ionic liquids were prepared, and their influences on the performances of Li/LiCoO₂ cells were investigated. The electrochemical performance and thermostability of ionic liquids based mixed electrolytes were characterized by electrochemical methods and thermogravimetric analysis. The results showed that the piperidine ionic liquids could improve the thermostability of organic electrolyte, and the size of their side chain had played an important role on the electrochemical performance of Li/LiCoO₂ cell. The Li/LiCoO₂ cell used the electrolyte mixed with PP13TFSI exhibited the best electrochemical performance among the three ionic liquids. …

Research And Application Of Key Materials For Sodium-Ion Batteries, Yong-Chang Liu, Cheng-Cheng Chen, Ning Zhang, Liu-Bin Wang, Xing-De Xiang, Jun Chen

Journal of Electrochemistry

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have been considered as a potential large-scale energy storage technology owing to the abundance, wide distribution, and low price of sodium resources. However, the larger and heavier sodium ion as compared to lithium ion makes it difficult to identify appropriate electrode materials with the capability for fast and stable sodium-ion insertion/extraction. Furthermore, the optimization of electrolyte, the matching of cathode and anode materials, and the construction of sodium-ion full batteries with high-performance, high-safety, and low-cost are urgently needed in order to make SIBs commercially available. This review summarizes the up-to-date research progresses in key materials (including cathode, …

Advances And Prospects Of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries, Shou-Yi Yuan, Ying Pang, Li-Na Wang, Yong-Gang Wang, Yong-Yao Xia

Journal of Electrochemistry

Lithium-sulfur batteries have recently attracted worldwide attention due to the high specific theoretical energy density of sulfur cathode (2600 Wh⋅kg^-1), low cost and wide availability of sulfur. However, the practical application of lithium-sulfur batteries has been hindered by several challenges, such as the shuttling of polysulfide intermediates, the large volume expansion of sulfur during charge/discharge and the dendrites formation on lithium anode. Foremost among these is the shuttling effect arising from the dissolution of lithium polysulfides intermediate into the electrolyte from the cathode reaction and their diffusion to the anode where they react with metal lithium to form …

Density Functional Theory Study On The Structures Of Solvent-Ion In The Electrolyte Of Lithium Ion Battery, Li-Dan Xing, Ru Yang, Xian-Wen Tang, Wen-Na Huang, Qi-Feng Liu, Qi-Peng Yu, Wei-Shan Li

Journal of Electrochemistry

In this work, the possible structures of solvent-ion complex, resulting from the electrostatic interaction in the propylene carbonate (PC) base electrolyte of lithium ion battery, have been investigated using the density functional theory. The calculated results show that the structure of solvent-ion complex depends on the solvent number. In the PC base electrolyte, maximum number of PC solvents that coexist in the Li⁺-solvent sheath is four. Additionally, the salt anion exists in a complex with the positively charged alkyl group of PC rather than in a free state. The calculated results give a good explanation to the reported …

Application Of Ionic Liquid Pp14Tfsi In Electrolyte Systems For Rechargeable Mg Batteries, Jin-Jie Zhu, Fei-Fei Wang, Yong-Sheng Guo, Jun Yang, Yan-Na Nuli, Jiu-Lin Wang

Journal of Electrochemistry

A phenolated-based Mg salt was prepared. The mixture of THF and N-methyl-N-butyl-piperidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (PP14TFSI) serves as the mixed solvent instead of pure THF for rechargeable Mg batteries systems. This new type of electrolyte system not only has optimal reversibility of Mg, but also owns a wide electrochemical window (2.7 V vs. Mg) and high ionic conductivity (7.77 mS·cm^-1). More importantly, the addition of Ionic Liquid suppresses the volatility of THF and improves the safety of rechargeable Mg batteries. The result shows that the mixture of THF and piperidyl-based Ionic Liquid could be regarded as a good solvent candidate …

Electrochemical Capacitive Performance Of Polyaniline Electrode With Different Electrolytes, Yong-Tao Tan, Fen Ran, Ling-Ren Wang, Ji Liu, Ling-Bin Kong, Yong-Chun Luo, Long Kang

Journal of Electrochemistry

The polyaniline(PANi) for supercapacitor was prepared by chemical-oxidative polymerization.The SEM,FTIR data and electrochemical performance showed that,polyaniline nanoparticles were formed which were about 50 nm;the specific capacitances of PANi were 404 F/g,208 F/g and 279 F/g in 1 mol/L H₂SO₄,NaNO₃ and KOH,respectively,when the current density was 5 mA/cm².The concentrations of H₂SO₄ increased to 2 mol/L or 6 mol/L,the capacitances decreased to 330 F/g or 248 F/g.

Preparation And Electrochemical Behavior Of Li4Ti5O12 Nanosheets As Anode Material For Lithium Ion Battery, Yi-Fei Wang, Yu-Feng Tang, Zheng Qiu, Li Yang

Journal of Electrochemistry

Spinel lithium titanate(Li₄Ti₅O₁₂) nanosheets with a size range of 200 ～400 nm were synthesized by hydrothermal process from the amorphous hydrous titanium oxide precursors.The as-prepared products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction(XRD),scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM).The electrochemical behaviors of Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ electrode in conventional organic electrolyte and ionic liquid electrolyte were investigated by using cyclic voltammetry,galvanostatic charge-discharge and AC impedance techniques.The experimental results indicate that the as-prepared nanostructured Li₄Ti₅O₁₂,evaluated as anode material,exhibited good reversibility and cycle performance.It is expected to be a …

Electrochemical Characterization Of Positive Electrode Material Lini1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 In Different Electrolytes, Jing-Jing Liu, Wei-Hua Qiu, Ling-Yan Yu, Hai-Lei Zhao, Tao Li

Journal of Electrochemistry

Cathode materials LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂ were prepared by low-heating solid-state reaction.The micro-structure and morphology of as-synthesized materials have been investigated by using XRD and SEM. The compatibilities of LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂ with purchased LiPF₆/ EC+DMC+DEC electrolyte and prepared LiBOB/EC+DEC+EMC electrolyte have also been studied. The Li/LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂ batteries showed excellent electrochemical properties in the LiPF₆/EC+DMC+DEC electrolyte. Reversible discharge capacities of 167, 163, 163, 157, 147mAh/g at 0.5C, 1C, 1.5C, 2C, 3C rate between 2.7~4.35 V, with stable cycling performances have …

The Property Study Of Libob-Pc/Dec Electrolyte, Ying-Kun Ning, Bi-Tao Yu, Fu-Shen Li, Wei-Hua Qiu

Journal of Electrochemistry

The new electrolyte salt LiBOB for Li-ion battery was synthesized in laboratory,and series of electrolytes of LiBOB and PC/DEC was compounded.The conductivity of the electrolytes was compared by changing the temperature and concentration.The cycling performance of charging-discharging was also compared by the charging-discharging test,the results showed that the varying regularity of conductivities and cycling stability and capacity were not always identical,but there were a suitable electrolyte for Li/ARG cell.The A.C.impedance and CV were used to test the compatibility of the most suitable electrolyte and ARG anode.Conclusion can be drawn that the ARG anode can be protected very well by SEI …

Electro-Generated Feo42- Using Modified Chitosan Cation Exchange Membrane, Huai-Zhen Zhong, Ri-Yao Chen, Xi Zheng, Zhen Chen

Journal of Electrochemistry

The chitosan cation membrane was prepared by crosslinked 2% and doped with 1% H₂SO₄.The products were marked as MCS.The physical properties and the ion exchange capacity of MCS were studied.Compared to the non-modified membrane,it was found that chemical modifications contributed to improving ion exchange capacity from 0.25 to 2.09 meq/g.Results was also suggested that the MCS can be used as a separator when producing sodium ferrate flocculent using electrochemical process.

Solid Oxide Fuel Cells-Materials And Prospects, Molenda Janina, Marzec Jacek

Journal of Electrochemistry

The paper summarizes and discusses the basic properties of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) components (electrode materials and electrolyte) from the point of view of their essential functional parameters suck as chemicalstability, transport, catalytic and thermomechanical properties under operational conditions in a SOFC. An interrela-tion between the defect structure of these materials related to oxygen nonstoichiometry and their electronic propertiesand catalytic activity was shown. Single-chamber fuel cell concept was also presented.

Conductance Properties For Electrolyte Of Lithium Ion Battery At Low Temperature, Jing-Li Han, Yan-Mei Yu, Jian Chen, Chun-Tong Wang

Journal of Electrochemistry

The system of LiPF₆-ethylene carbonate (EC)-methy1 acetate (MA) was studied. The conductivities of this system were measured under various composition and various salt concentrations at temperature range of 20～-50 ℃. The optimum composition of this system was selected. The tests of cyclic voltammography and charge-discharge were carried out. This system was compared with commercial electrolyte solution.

Recent Developments In The Electrolyte For Lic6/Electrolyte/Cathode Battery, Cui-Ying Wang, Sheng-Liang Zhao, Guang-Ming Zhu, Jin-Kua You, Zu-Geng Lin

Journal of Electrochemistry

We present a reviewed the development and status of electrolyte for LiC 6/electrolyte/cathode battery. The effect of the salt, solvent, additive and impurity on the conductivity of the electrolyte, formation of the solid-electrolyte-interphase (SEI) and cycle life of the battery were described.