Li-ion battery performance is dependent on ionic and electronic transport, in turn dependent on electrode microstructure. Changes in microstructure during cell formation and cycling are poorly understood. In this work, the changes in effective ionic conductivity and diffusivity are quantified in terms of MacMullin number, a dimensionless ionic resistance that is related to tortuosity. Using an AC impedance

Salt cavern with a volume of hundreds of thousands of cubic meters for storing electrolyte has been considered as a promising large-scale storage technology. However, the solubility and electrochemical stability of active organic species are significantly limited in saturated brine solution. Here, an unsymmetrical two-electron viologens with high solubility in aqueous system is synthesized via a simple

Aprotic lithium-oxygen batteries (LOBs) have been considered as one of the high-energy-density alternatives to replace currently available lithium ion batteries. Highly reactive superoxide as the discharge intermediate of LOBs triggers side reactions to deteriorate LOB performances. Also, high overpotential is required to oxidize the discharge product Li2O2 during charge due to the non-conductive nature

Secondary lithium-bromine (Li–Br2) batteries offer cell potentials near 4 V and storage capacities over 1200 Whkg−1-LiBr. Here, we demonstrate Li–Br2 cells with two types of carbonized metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Carbonized MIL-53(Al) electrodes show capacities of 224 mAhg−1 LiBr (at 3.4 V) and 72% capacity retention after 100 cycles, while carbonized ZIF-8 electrodes show specific capacities

Efficiency, reliability and lifetime of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are significantly limited by inadequate water management. High-performance water active control algorithms cannot be implemented due to the absence of adequate online sensors that can measure the internal liquid water saturation. A promising technique that can be applied in this context is the state observer. However

The effects of NO2 cathode exposure on the localized performance of high- and low-Pt proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) operated under high power generating conditions were studied and compared. Introduction of 2 ppm NO2 in the cathode feed gas caused a spatial performance distribution and voltage drop of 80 and 130 mV for high- and low-Pt samples, respectively. A full recovery of the cell

With the increasing demand for higher energy density Lithium-ion batteries, the battery safety issue has gained growing attention. Solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) are considered a promising solution to the volatilization and inflammable problems of the traditional liquid electrolytes. In this work, we propose a novel solvent-free modification process using stearic acid as a modifying agent for LLZTO/PEO

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are solid-state environmentally friendly power generation devices with high energy conversion efficiency. Their commercialization has been affected by long-term stability problems. In recent years, to solve the long-term stability problems of traditional Ni-based cermet anodes, increasing attention has been given to oxide ceramic anodes due to their excellent impurity

Aqueous rechargeable Zn ion batteries (ARZIBs) are investigated as a capable alternative battery technology for a large-scale energy storage system. Exploring and understanding the Zn ions storage mechanism is a significant method to adjust the Zn ion storage behavior of electrode materials. Herein, we demonstrate a phase transition of the (NH4)2V4O9 cathode material at the voltage of above 1.3 V.

The ability to correctly predict the behavior of lithium ion batteries is critical for safety, performance, cost and lifetime. Particularly important for this purpose is the prediction of the internal temperature of cells, because of the positive feedback between heat generation and current distribution. In this work, a comprehensive electro-thermal model is developed for a cylindrical lithium-ion

Two dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have great application potential in developing the energy storage systems with high volumetric energy and power densities. However, due to the sluggish ion diffusion, achieving both high volumetric capacities and rate performance in thick and dense 2D nanomaterial electrodes is still challenging. Here, we report a femtosecond laser drilling method to introduce appropriate

Solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOEC) present a very promising technology to utilize excessive renewables among other available technologies. In comparison to other electrolyzers, SOECs enable simultaneous generation of valuable fuels, e.g. hydrogen and syngas, and pure oxygen. Pure oxygen can be used to increase efficiency of industrial combustion processes or for medical purposes. Nevertheless, increasing

Designing high efficiency electrolytes with wide voltage window and operating temperature range is crucial for achieving high capacity and electrochemical stability of activated carbon-based supercapacitors. Here, novel deep eutectic solvent (DES) electrolytes utilizing tetraethylammonium bromide (TEAB) or tetraethylammonium chloride (TEAC) as hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) and ethylene glycol (EG) as

Oxide-type all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries are considered as a promising candidate for next-generation batteries because they do not generate toxic gas like their sulfide-type counterparts. However, batteries based on oxide systems exhibit low performance because of several challenges, such as the low ionic conductivity of the solid electrolyte and poor contact between the electrode materials

Transition metal chalcogenides have been investigated as underlying anodes for sodium ion batteries (SIBs). Nevertheless, the unsatisfactory property, which is determined by huge volume variation and low conductivity, restricts their practical applications. The design of micro-nano hierarchitectures is a resultful approach to strengthen structural stability and reaction kinetics during the discharge-charge

The demand for green hydrogen is growing as the increasing production of pure hydrogen can no longer be based on fossil hydrocarbons. As water electrolysis would move from niche to a significant consumer of emission-free electricity, the efficiency of electrolytic gas production, lifetime of water electrolysis systems, and balance in the electricity grid become essential. The operational and investment

Silicon nanoparticle based anode is effective to extend cycle life by reducing pulverization of silicon particles during lithiation and de-lithiation. However, it is hard to handle nano-scale materials during a series of manufacturing processes in the industry. Particularly, during the drying process, inhomogeneous material distribution within electrode is prone to form a dense surface region by agglomeration

Conversion of CO2 into valuable chemicals through solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) is a promising technology towards efficient utilization of CO2 and reducing its emission. However, the well-established Ni-cermet fuel electrode is not applicable for high-concentration or pure CO2 electrolysis due to the Ni oxidation and coking issues. Here, we report that a novel nominal Pr0.2Ca0.8Fe0.8Ni0.2O3-δ

Energy storage systems were designed to satisfy application specifications using electrical performance simulations. Starting with published two-time-constant equivalent circuit models for eight commercial electrochemical capacitors, cell models were first scaled to meet application voltage requirements. Then SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis) was iteratively performed to further

In this work, hollow carbon nanospheres (HCN) loaded with MnO2 (denoted as MnO2@HCN) are investigated as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. HCN is developed by treatment of 3-aminophenol and formaldehyde resin. MnO2 is loaded on the outer surface of HCN via the reduction of KMnO4 to form porous core-shell structures. SEM, TEM and XRD characterizations indicate that the MnO2@HCN has a spherical

Revealing the pathways of electron transport within electrochemically active biofilms (EABs) is of great importance. Here, mixed-culture EABs are grown on three interdigitated microelectrode arrays (IDAs) with different gap widths of 10 μm, 20 μm and 50 μm and their conductances are determined. The maximum conductive current increases with the decrease of the gap width and charge transfer resistance

Electrolyte is the key to improve the safety, cycle performance and temperature adaptation of lithium batteries. In this paper, we introduce a novel electrolyte that based on ionic liquids (ILs) 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (PYR14-TFSI) and fluorinated solvent 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl methyl ether (HFPM). HFPM can significantly reduce the viscosity of PYR14-TFSI