Safer and Higher-Energy-Density Lithium Batteries

Dear Colleagues,

Increasing the safety and energy density of lithium batteries is extremely crucial for the success of EVs, grid-scale energy storage, and the next generation of power electronics. This, however, can only be achieved through a holistic approach to improve the performance of the battery’s three main components (cathode, anode, and electrolyte) simultaneously. In this Special Issue, the focus will be on energy density and safety as two of the many important metrics required to evaluate lithium battery performance for success. The issue will cover existing Li-ion battery research and innovation and the drive to improve the capacity of the two electrodes and potential of the cathode while maintaining the potential of the anode low and enabling safer, highly performing electrolytes. Also of interest are the latest research and innovation efforts to enable high-energy-density lithium metals in liquid-state and solid-state electrolytes in a safe manner. Finally, the issue will cover applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning in accelerating the discovery and design of new battery materials, cells, and systems.

Topics of interest of this Special Issue include but are not limited to:

• Safer liquid electrolytes: new salt solvents and additives that enable enhanced safety or higher-energy-density electrodes, high-voltage electrolytes;

• Solid-state electrolytes: inorganics (oxide ceramics, sulfides, and halides), polymers (electrolytes, gels, ionomers), plastic crystals;
• High-voltage electrolytes and cathodes; high-capacity anodes;
• High-energy-density cathodes: Ni-rich cathodes, composite cathodes, polyanion cathodes, disordered cathodes, high-entropy cathodes;
• High-energy-density anodes: silicon, silicon–graphite composites, alloys and high-entropy alloys, lithium metal and protected lithium metal anodes;
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning for battery material design and discovery.

Prof. Dr. Yaser Abu-Lebdeh
Dr. Mohamed Houache
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• high-voltage electrolytes
• high-energy-density cathodes
• high-energy-density anodes
• lithium metal batteries
• alloys
• high-entropy electrodes
• solid-state batteries
• liquid-state batteries
• thermally stable electrolytes
• machine learning
• artificial intelligence
• silicon-based anodes
• Ni-rich cathodes