Synthesis of lithium metal silicates for lithium ion batteries

Phosphorus-Based Materials for High-Performance Alkaline Metal Ion Batteries: Progress and Prospect

Alkaline metal-ion batteries (AIBs) such as lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), sodium-ion batteries (NIBs), and potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) are potential energy storage systems. Currently, although LIBs are widely used in consumer electronics and electric vehicles, the electrochemical performance, safety, and cost of current AIBs are still unable to meet the needs for many future applications, such as large-scale energy storage, due to the low theoretical capacity of cathode/anode materials, flammability of electrolytes and limited Li resources. It is thus imperative to develop new materials to improve the properties of AIBs. Several promising cathodes, anodes, and electrolytes have been developed and among the new battery materials, phosphorus-based (P-based) materials have shown great promise. For example, P and metal phosphide anodes have high theoretical capacity, resource abundance, and environmental friendliness boding well for future high-energy-density AIBs. Besides, phosphate cathode materials have the advantages of low cost, high safety, high voltage, and robust stability, and P-based materials like LiPF₆ and lithium phosphorus oxynitride are widely used electrolytes. In this paper, the latest development of P-based materials in AIBs, challenges, effective solutions, and new directions are discussed.

Sol-Gel Synthesis and in Situ X-ray Diffraction Study of Li3Nd3W2O12 as a Lithium Container

In this work, garnet-framework Li₃Nd₃W₂O₁₂ as a novel insertion-type anode material has been prepared via a facile sol-gel method and examined as a lithium container for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). Li₃Nd₃W₂O₁₂ shows a charge capacity of 225 mA h g^-1 at 50 mA g^-1, and with the current density increasing up to 500 mA g^-1, the charge capacity can still be maintained at 186 mA h g^-1. After cycling at 500 mA g^-1 for 500 cycles, Li₃Nd₃W₂O₁₂ retains about 85% of its first charge capacity changed from 190.2 to 161 mA h g^-1. Furthermore, in situ X-ray diffraction technique is adopted for the understanding of the insertion/extraction mechanism of Li₃Nd₃W₂O₁₂. The full-cell configuration LiFePO₄/Li₃Nd₃W₂O₁₂ is also assembled to evaluate the potential of Li₃Nd₃W₂O₁₂ for practical application. These results show that Li₃Nd₃W₂O₁₂ is such a promising anode material for LIBs with excellent electrochemical performance and stable structure.