Research Highlights
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Estimating the Cost of Organic Battery Active Materials: A Case Study on Anthraquinone Disulfonic Acid
The cost of anthraquinone disulfonic acid (AQDS) production from anthracene feedstock is estimated based on a proposed series of process steps using three standard algorithms for process cost estimation. Read More
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ZnNixMnxCo2–2xO4 Spinel as a High-Capacity Cathode Material for Nonaqueous Zn-Ion Batteries
A new series of spinels, ZnNixMnxCo2-2xO4, are reported as a high-voltage and high-capacity cathode material for non-aqueous Zn-ion batteries. Mn, Ni co-substitution for Co in ZnCo2O4 is demonstrated to be an efficient method to facilitate Zn-deintercalation and enhance discharge capacity, which provides guidelines for designing more attractive multivalent cathodes materials. Read More
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Tailored Reaction Route by Micropore Confinement for Li-S Batteries under Lean Electrolyte Conditions
Li2S2 is experimentally verified by ex-situ S K‐edge X‐ray absorption spectroscopy to be stable in the micropores during discharging in Li-S cells. A new reversible electrochemical pathway is thus proposed, based on the inherent self‐healing capacity for Li2S2, under lean electrolyte conditions. Read More
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Reaction Pathways for Solvent Decomposition on Magnesium Anodes
Dimethoxyethane (DME) is predicted to rapidly decompose to ethylene gas and other products on the metallic Mg surface, whereas the presence of an oxide or chloride surface film on a Mg anode is predicted to limit solvent decomposition. Read More
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Elucidating Solvation Structures for Rational Design of Multivalent Electrolytes—A Review
A review of molecular-level interactions governing multivalent electrolyte behavior is presented. The current understanding of solvation structure, stability and transport properties of electrolytes for secondary Mg, Zn and Ca batteries is critically examined from experimental and theoretical studies. Read More
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Effect of the Backbone Tether on the Electrochemical Properties of Soluble Cyclopropenium Redox-Active Polymers
A series of cyclopropenium polymers were synthesized and evaluated as high potential active material for size-exclusion flow batteries. Read More
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Lithium-Oxygen Battery with Long Cycle Life in a Realistic Air Atmosphere
Advances in materials functionality for Li-O2 electrochemistry have resulted in a Li-O2 battery that is able to run under a realistic air atmosphere with a long cycle life. Read More
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Substituted Thiadiazoles as Energy-rich Anolytes for Nonaqueous Redox Flow Cells
2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (BzNSN) base molecules were derivatized with various electronic groups to achieve the optimal properties as the anolytes in nonaqueous redox flow batteries. It has been observed that the half-life times of those molecules are nicely correlated with redox potentials. Higher redox potentials lead to long life time or calendar life. The relationship of the molecular stability and the corresponding cycling performance was also investigated. Read More
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Elucidating Zn and Mg Electrodeposition Mechanisms in Nonaqueous Electrolytes for Next-Generation Metal Batteries
The development of nonaqeuous electrolytes enabling reversible and efficient deposition/stripping of multivalent metals has been hindered because of the complexity of electrolyte properties and behaviors. Different cations exhibit different deposition efficacy. Our research explores Zn and Mg deposition mechanisms and explains differences between the two cations. Read More
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Addressing Passivation in Lithium-Sulfur Battery Under Lean Electrolyte Condition
Identification and understanding of cycle life limiting factors of Li-S batteries under lean electrolyte conditions; Identification of a NH4TFSI additive to effectively mitigate the uncontrollable passivation issue arising from accumulation of insulating Li2S. Read More
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Architecture-Controlled Ring-Opening Polymerization for Dynamic Covalent Poly(disulfide)s
We reported a strategy to access different topologies of redox-active poly(disulfide)s by ring-opening polymerization. Control over polymerization enables synthesis of high molecular-weight polymers. The polymers undergo catalytic depolymerization to recycle monomer; a promising feature for sustainable flow batteries. Read More
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Adsorption and Thermal Decomposition of Electrolytes on Nanometer Magnesium Oxide: An in Situ 13C MAS NMR Study
The structural and chemical evolution of electrolyte constituents at the nanometric MgO surface were identified, providing a fundamental understanding of heterogeneous interphase evolution. Read More
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Mechanism-Based Design of a High-Potential Catholyte Enables a 3.2 V All-Organic Nonaqueous Redox Flow Battery
Development of an extremely high-potential catholyte leads to the first 3.2 V all-organic flow battery. Read More
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Shedding X‑ray Light on the Interfacial Electrochemistry of Silicon Anodes for Li-Ion Batteries
Our results shed light on the interfacial electrochemistry of silicon anodes for Lithium-ion batteries (LiBs), providing important mechanistic insight into nanometer scale phenomena and how these influence battery performance. Read More
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Accelerating Electrolyte Discovery for Energy Storage through Machine Learning
Utilized high performance computing to generate a database of highly accurate quantum chemical energies of 133 K organic molecules and used machine learning to enable prediction of energies from low fidelity, low cost quantum chemical calculations. Read More
