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Battery Chemistry: Recent Advances and Future Opportunities, the Second Edition

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Electrochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2025 | Viewed by 2082

Special Issue Editors

State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
Interests: electrochemical energy storage; materials science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 189 Songling Road, Qingdao 266101, China
Interests: solid-state lithium/sodium batteries; polymer electrolytes; separators; in situ polymerization; interfacial chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In order to cope with the energy crisis and with environmental pollution, countries have accelerated the establishment of a new energy system, dominated by renewable energy sources such as wind, water, and solar power. The rechargeable battery will be a core piece of storage and supply energy equipment on account of its high efficiency in energy storage and conversion based on chemical reactions. At present, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) equipped with graphite electrodes have dominated the global energy storage market, but their practical energy density has reached theoretical limits and still cannot satisfy the future market demand. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop new rechargeable battery systems with higher energy densities. However, enabling the practical application of new battery systems calls for an improved understanding and utilization of the chemical reactions in batteries—for example, the effect of metal anode–electrolyte interface chemistry on the growth of dendrites in metal-based batteries, and the mechanism and kinetics of cathodic oxygen reduction/evolution reaction (ORR/OER) processes in the presence of catalysts in metal-oxygen batteries.

In this Special Issue, we wish to cover the most recent advances in battery chemistry for different rechargeable battery systems by hosting a mix of original research articles and reviews. The topics of interest for this Special Issue include (but are not restricted to) the following:

  • Electrochemical reactions in rechargeable batteries;
  • Surface/interface chemistry of metal-based rechargeable batteries;
  • Electrocatalytic reactions in metal–sulfur batteries;
  • Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)/oxygen evolution reaction (OER) processes in metal–oxygen batteries;
  • Quantum chemistry methods in the study of rechargeable batteries;
  • Materials chemistry (e.g., solid electrolytes) for advanced rechargeable batteries.

Dr. Liwen Tan
Dr. Jianjun Zhang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • electrochemistry
  • surface/interface chemistry
  • electrocatalytic reaction
  • oxygen reduction reaction
  • oxygen evolution reaction
  • quantum chemistry
  • materials chemistry
  • rechargeable batteries

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 4457 KiB  
Article
Calcium Alginate Fibers/Boron Nitride Composite Lithium-Ion Battery Separators with Excellent Thermal Stability and Cycling Performance
by Xing Tian, Hailing Shi, Linfeng Wang, Lupeng Shao and Liwen Tan
Molecules 2024, 29(22), 5311; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29225311 - 11 Nov 2024
Viewed by 500
Abstract
As one of the most critical components in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), commercial polyolefin separators suffer from drawbacks such as poor thermal stability and the inability to inhibit the growth of dendrites, which seriously threaten the safety of LIBs. In this study, we prepared [...] Read more.
As one of the most critical components in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), commercial polyolefin separators suffer from drawbacks such as poor thermal stability and the inability to inhibit the growth of dendrites, which seriously threaten the safety of LIBs. In this study, we prepared calcium alginate fiber/boron nitride-compliant separators (CA@BN) through paper-making technology and the surface coating method using calcium alginate fiber and boron nitride. The CA@BN had favorable electrolyte wettability, flame retardancy, and thermal dimensional stability of the biomass fiber separator. Meanwhile, the boron nitride coating provided excellent thermal conductivity and mechanical strength for the composite separator, which inhibited the growth of lithium dendrites and enabled lithium-ion symmetric batteries to achieve more than 1000 stable and long cycles at a current density of 0.5 mA cm−2. The interwoven fiber mesh formed by the boron nitride coating and the calcium alginate provided multiple pathways for ion migration, which enhanced the storage capacity of the electrolyte, improved the interfacial compatibility between the separator and the electrode, widened the window of electrochemical stability, and enhanced ionic migration. This eco-friendly bio-based separator paves a new insight for the design of heat-resistance separators as well as the safe running of LIBs. Full article
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10 pages, 2686 KiB  
Article
Improved Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Performance of Dealloying Fe75−xCoxSi12.5B12.5 Electrocatalyst
by Si-Cheng Zhong, Zhe Cui, Jia Li, Guang-Run Tian, Zhong-Hong Zhou, Hong-Fei Jiao, Jie-Fu Xiong, Li-Chen Wang, Jun Xiang, Fu-Fa Wu and Rong-Da Zhao
Molecules 2024, 29(17), 4130; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29174130 - 30 Aug 2024
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Abstract
The electrocatalytic performance of a Fe65Co10Si12.5B12.5 Fe-based compounds toward alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is enhanced by dealloying. The dealloying process produced a large number of nanosheets on the surface of NS-Fe65Co10Si [...] Read more.
The electrocatalytic performance of a Fe65Co10Si12.5B12.5 Fe-based compounds toward alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is enhanced by dealloying. The dealloying process produced a large number of nanosheets on the surface of NS-Fe65Co10Si12.5B12.5, which greatly increased the specific surface area of the electrode. When the dealloying time is 3 h, the overpotential of NS-Fe65Co10Si12.5B12.5 is only 175.1 mV at 1.0 M KOH and 10 mA cm−2, while under the same conditions, the overpotential of Fe65Co10Si12.5B12.5 is 215 mV, which is reduced. In addition, dealloying treated electrodes also show better HER performance than un-dealloying treated electrodes. With the increase in Co doping amount, the overpotential of the hydrogen evolution reaction decreases, and the hydrogen evolution activity is the best when the addition amount of Co is 10%. This work not only provides a basic understanding of the relationship between surface activity and the dealloying of HER catalysts, but also paves a new way for doping transition metal elements in Fe-based electrocatalysts working in alkaline media. Full article
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13 pages, 4233 KiB  
Article
Rational Design of Flexible, Self-Supporting, and Binder-Free Prussian White/KetjenBlack/MXene Composite Electrode for Sodium-Ion Batteries with Boosted Electrochemical Performance
by Xiaowen Dai, Jingyun Chun, Xiaolong Wang, Tianao Xv, Zhengran Wang, Chuanliang Wei and Jinkui Feng
Molecules 2024, 29(13), 3048; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29133048 - 27 Jun 2024
Viewed by 769
Abstract
Due to their cost-effectiveness, abundant resources, and suitable working potential, sodium-ion batteries are anticipated to establish themselves as a leading technology in the realm of grid energy storage. However, sodium-ion batteries still encounter challenges, including issues related to low energy density and constrained [...] Read more.
Due to their cost-effectiveness, abundant resources, and suitable working potential, sodium-ion batteries are anticipated to establish themselves as a leading technology in the realm of grid energy storage. However, sodium-ion batteries still encounter challenges, including issues related to low energy density and constrained cycling performance. In this study, a self-supported electrode composed of Prussian white/KetjenBlack/MXene (TK−PW) is proposed. In the TK−PW electrode, the MXene layer is coated with Prussian white nanoparticles and KetjenBlack with high conductivity, which is conducive to rapid Na+ dynamics and effectively alleviates the expansion of the electrode. Notably, the electrode preparation method is uncomplicated and economically efficient, enabling large-scale production. Electrochemical testing demonstrates that the TK−PW electrode retains 74.9% of capacity after 200 cycles, with a discharge capacity of 69.7 mAh·g−1 at 1000 mA·g−1. Furthermore, a full cell is constructed, employing a hard carbon anode and TK−PW cathode to validate the practical application potential of the TK−PW electrode. Full article
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