Novel heterostructure nanosheet boosts efficiency of lean-electrolyte lithium batteries

Novel heterostructure nanosheet boosts efficiency of lean-electrolyte li-S batteries
chematic of bifunctional niobium (V)-based heterostructure nanosheet toward high efficiency lean-electrolyte lithium-sulfur full batteries. Credit: SHI Haodong

Lithium sulfur (Li-S) battery technology is promising for next-generation energy storage. However, lithium polysulfide shuttling, sluggish redox kinetics, and uncontrollable lithium dendrite growth limit the cycling stability.

A research group led by Prof. Wu Zhongshuai from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences developed niobium (V)-based heterostructure nanosheet for polysulfides-suppressed sulfur cathodes and dendrite-free anodes in long-cycling and lean-electrolyte Li-S batteries.

This study was published in Advanced Functional Materials.

"We developed a twinborn holey Nb4N5-Nb2O5 heterostructure, serving as dual-functional host for both redox-kinetics-accelerated sulfur cathode and dendrite-inhibited lithium anode simultaneously," said Prof. Wu.

Polysulfide-shutting was alleviated due to the accelerative polysulfides anchoring-diffusion-converting efficiency of Nb4N5-Nb2O5. Meanwhile, the researchers applied lithiophilic nature of holey Nb4N5-Nb2O5 as an ion-redistributor for homogeneous Li-ion deposition.

The Li-S full battery presented a high areal capacity of 5.0 mAh cm-2 at sulfur loading of 6.9 mg cm-2, corresponding to negative to positive capacity ratio of 2.4:1 and electrolyte to ratio of 5.1 μL mg-1.

This work paves a new avenue for boosting high-performance Li-S batteries toward practical applications.

More information: Haodong Shi et al, Interfacial Engineering of Bifunctional Niobium (V)‐Based Heterostructure Nanosheet Toward High Efficiency Lean‐Electrolyte Lithium–Sulfur Full Batteries, Advanced Functional Materials (2021). DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202102314

Journal information: Advanced Functional Materials

Citation: Novel heterostructure nanosheet boosts efficiency of lean-electrolyte lithium batteries (2021, May 26) retrieved 25 June 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2021-05-heterostructure-nanosheet-boosts-efficiency-lean-electrolyte.html
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