Concentrated Electrolytes Enabling Stable Aqueous Ammonium-Ion Batteries

Rechargeable aqueous batteries are promising devices for large-scale energy-storage applications because of their low-cost, inherent safety, and environmental friendliness. Among them, aqueous ammonium-ion (NH₄ ⁺ ) batteries (AAIB) are currently emerging owing to the fast diffusion kinetics of NH₄ ⁺ . Nevertheless, it is still a challenge to obtain stable AAIB with relatively high output potential, considering the instability of many electrode materials in an aqueous environment. Herein, a cell based on a concentrated (5.8 m) aqueous (NH₄ )₂ SO₄ electrolyte, ammonium copper hexacyanoferrate (N-CuHCF) as the positive electrode (cathode), and 3,4,9,10-perylene-bis(dicarboximide) (PTCDI) as the negative electrode (anode) is reported. The solvation structure, electrochemical properties, as well as the electrode-electrolyte interface and interphase are systematically investigated by the combination of theoretical and experimental methods. The results indicate a remarkable cycling performance of the low-cost rocking-chair AAIB, which offers a capacity retention of ≈72% after 1000 cycles and an average output potential of ≈1.0 V.

Zinc-Ion Hybrid Supercapacitors Employing Acetate-Based Water-in-Salt Electrolytes

Halide-free, water-in-salt electrolytes (WiSEs) composed of potassium acetate (KAc) and zinc acetate (ZnAc₂ ) are investigated as electrolytes in zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors (ZHSs). Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that water molecules are mostly non-interacting with each other in the highly concentrated WiSEs, while "bulk-like water" regions are present in the dilute electrolyte. Among the various concentrated electrolytes investigated, the 30 m KAc and 1 m ZnAc₂ electrolyte (30K1Zn) grants the best performance in terms of reversibility and stability of Zn plating/stripping while the less concentrated electrolyte cannot suppress corrosion of Zn and hydrogen evolution. The ZHSs utilizing 30K1Zn, in combination with a commercial activated carbon (AC) positive electrode and Zn as the negative electrode, deliver a capacity of 65 mAh g^-1 (based on the AC weight) at a current density of 5 A g^-1 . They also offer an excellent capacity retention over 10 000 cycles and an impressive coulombic efficiency (≈100%).

On the nanoscopic structural heterogeneity of liquid n-alkyl carboxylic acids

Herein we report the first in-depth structural characterisation of simple linear carboxylic acids with alkyl tail length ranging from one to six carbon atoms. By means of the SWAXS technique, a pronounced nanoscopic heterogeneity evolving along the aliphatic portion of the molecule is highlighted. Via classical molecular dynamics, the origin of such heterogeneity is unambiguously assigned to the existence of aliphatic domains resulting from the self-segregation of the polar and apolar portions of the molecules. Furthermore, the structural correlation of aliphatic-separated polar domains is responsible for observing the so-called "pre-peak" in the SAXS region.

Enhanced Li+ Transport in Ionic Liquid-Based Electrolytes Aided by Fluorinated Ethers for Highly Efficient Lithium Metal Batteries with Improved Rate Capability

FSI^- -based ionic liquids (ILs) are promising electrolyte candidates for long-life and safe lithium metal batteries (LMBs). However, their practical application is hindered by sluggish Li⁺ transport at room temperature. Herein, it is shown that additions of bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) ether (BTFE) to LiFSI-Pyr₁₄ FSI ILs can effectively mitigate this shortcoming, while maintaining ILs' high compatibility with lithium metal. Raman spectroscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering indicate that the promoted Li⁺ transport in the optimized electrolyte, [LiFSI]₃ [Pyr₁₄ FSI]₄ [BTFE]₄ (Li₃ Py₄ BT₄ ), originates from the reduced solution viscosity and increased formation of Li⁺ -FSI^- complexes, which are associated with the low viscosity and non-coordinating character of BTFE. As a result, Li/LiFePO₄ (LFP) cells using Li₃ Py₄ BT₄ electrolyte reach 150 mAh g^-1 at 1 C rate (1 mA cm^-2 ) and a capacity retention of 94.6% after 400 cycles, revealing better characteristics with respect to the cells employing the LiFSI-Pyr₁₄ FSI (operate only a few cycles) and commercial carbonate (80% retention after only 218 cycles) electrolytes. A wide operating temperature (from -10 to 40 °C) of the Li/Li₃ Py₄ BT₄ /LFP cells and a good compatibility of Li₃ Py₄ BT₄ with LiNi_0.5 Mn_0.3 Co_0.2 O₂ (NMC532) are demonstrated also. The insight into the enhanced Li⁺ transport and solid electrolyte interphase characteristics suggests valuable information to develop IL-based electrolytes for LMBs.

A Presentation of Ionic Liquids as Lubricants: Some Critical Comments

Ionic liquids (ILs) are liquid materials at room temperature with an ionic intrinsic nature. The electrostatic interactions therefore play a pivotal role in dictating their inner structure, which is then expected to be far from the traditional pattern of classical simple liquids. Therefore, the strength of such interactions and their long-range effects are responsible for the ionic liquid high viscosity, a fact that itself suggests their possible use as lubricants. More interestingly, the possibility to establish a wide scenario of possible interactions with solid surfaces constitutes a specific added value in this use. In this framework, the ionic liquid complex molecular structure and the huge variety of possible interactions cause a complex aggregation pattern which can depend on the presence of the solid surface itself. Although there is plenty of literature focusing on the lubricant properties of ionic liquids and their applications, the aim of this contribution is, instead, to furnish to the reader a panoramic view of this exciting problematic, commenting on interesting and speculative aspects which are sometimes neglected in standard works and trying to furnish an enriched vision of the topic. The present work constitutes an easy-to-read critical point of view which tries to interact with the imagination of readers, hopefully leading to the discovery of novel aspects and interconnections and ultimately stimulating new ideas and research.

Microstructural and Dynamical Heterogeneities in Ionic Liquids

Ionic liquids (ILs) are a special category of molten salts solely composed of ions with varied molecular symmetry and charge delocalization. The versatility in combining varied cation-anion moieties and in functionalizing ions with different atoms and molecular groups contributes to their peculiar interactions ranging from weak isotropic associations to strong, specific, and anisotropic forces. A delicate interplay among intra- and intermolecular interactions facilitates the formation of heterogeneous microstructures and liquid morphologies, which further contributes to their striking dynamical properties. Microstructural and dynamical heterogeneities of ILs lead to their multifaceted properties described by an inherent designer feature, which makes ILs important candidates for novel solvents, electrolytes, and functional materials in academia and industrial applications. Due to a massive number of combinations of ion pairs with ion species having distinct molecular structures and IL mixtures containing varied molecular solvents, a comprehensive understanding of their hierarchical structural and dynamical quantities is of great significance for a rational selection of ILs with appropriate properties and thereafter advancing their macroscopic functionalities in applications. In this review, we comprehensively trace recent advances in understanding delicate interplay of strong and weak interactions that underpin their complex phase behaviors with a particular emphasis on understanding heterogeneous microstructures and dynamics of ILs in bulk liquids, in mixtures with cosolvents, and in interfacial regions.

Heterogeneity in the microstructure and dynamics of tetraalkylammonium hydroxide ionic liquids: insight from classical molecular dynamics simulations and Voronoi tessellation analysis

Microscopic structural and dynamic heterogeneities were investigated for three ionic liquids (ILs), tetraethylammonium hydroxide, tetrapropylammonium hydroxide, and tetrabutylammonium hydroxide employing classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.

Statistic-Driven Proton Transfer Affecting Nanoscopic Organization in an Ethylammonium Nitrate Ionic Liquid and 1,4-Diaminobutane Binary Mixture: A Steamy Pizza Model

Herein, we report on the theoretical and experimental investigation of the chemical equilibrium in a Ethylammonium Nitrate (EAN)/1,4-Diaminobutane (DAB) binary mixture displaying a significant excess of the latter component (namely, a 1:9 mole ratio). Both the neutral compounds, i.e., ethylamine (EtNH2) and DAB, present very similar chemical properties, especially concerning their basic strength, resulting in a continuous jump of the proton from the ethylammonium to the diamine (and vice-versa). Due to the significant excess of DAB, the proton is (statistically) expected to be bound to one of its nitrogen atoms, leading to the formation of a new (ternary) mixture containing DAB (ca. 80%), ethylamine (ca. 10%) and 4-amino-1-butylammonium nitrate (ABAN, ca. 10%). This is probed by means of SAXS measurements, showing LqE (low q excess) that increases over time. This feature tends to stabilize after approximately one day. When the measurement is repeated after one year, the LqE feature shows an increased intensity. Based on the results of our simulations, we suggest that this phenomenon is likely due to partial ethylamine evaporation, pushing the equilibrium toward the formation of ABAN.

Structural analysis of zwitterionic liquids vs. homologous ionic liquids

Zwitterionic liquids (Zw-ILs) have been developed that are homologous to monovalent ionic liquids (ILs) and show great promise for controlled dissolution of cellulosic biomass. Using both high energy X-ray scattering and atomistic molecular simulations, this article compares the bulk liquid structural properties for novel Zw-ILs with their homologous ILs. It is shown that the significant localization of the charges on Zw-ILs leads to charge ordering similar to that observed for conventional ionic liquids with monovalent anions and cations. A low-intensity first sharp diffraction peak in the liquid structure factor S(q) is observed for both the Zw-IL and the IL. This is unexpected since both the Zw-IL and IL have a 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl (diether) functional group on the cationic imidazolium ring and ether functional groups are known to suppress this peak. Detailed analyses show that this intermediate range order in the liquid structure arises for slightly different reasons in the Zw-IL vs. the IL. For the Zw-IL, the ether tails in the liquid are shown to aggregate into nanoscale domains.

Structure and dynamics of propylammonium nitrate-acetonitrile mixtures: An intricate multi-scale system probed with experimental and theoretical techniques

In this article, we report the study of structural and dynamical properties for a series of acetonitrile/propylammonium nitrate mixtures as a function of their composition. These systems display an unusual increase in intensity in their X-ray diffraction patterns in the low-q regime, and their ¹H-NMR diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY) spectra display unusual diffusivities. However, the magnitude of both phenomena for mixtures of propylammonium nitrate is smaller than those observed for ethylammonium nitrate mixtures with the same cosolvent, suggesting that the cation alkyl tail plays an important role in these observations. The experimental X-ray scattering data are compared with the results of molecular dynamics simulations, including both ab initio studies used to interpret short-range interactions and classical simulations to describe longer range interactions. The higher level calculations highlight the presence of a strong hydrogen bond network within the ionic liquid, only slightly perturbed even at high acetonitrile concentration. These strong interactions lead to the symmetry breaking of the NO₃^- vibrations, with a splitting of about 88 cm^-1 in the ν₃ antisymmetric stretch. The classical force field simulations use a greater number of ion pairs, but are not capable of fully describing the longest range interactions, although they do successfully account for the observed concentration trend, and the analysis of the models confirms the nano-inhomogeneity of these kinds of samples.

Intriguing transport dynamics of ethylammonium nitrate-acetonitrile binary mixtures arising from nano-inhomogeneity

Binary mixtures of ethylammonium nitrate and acetonitrile show interesting properties that originate from the structural and dynamical nano-heterogeneity present in ionic liquids. These effects are most pronounced when the ionic liquid is the minority compound. In this study the transport properties of such mixtures are studied, including viscosity, self-diffusion and conductivity. The results strongly support the presence of structural inhomogeneity and show an interesting composition-dependent behaviour in the mixtures.

Inhomogeneity in Ethylammonium Nitrate-Acetonitrile Binary Mixtures: The Highest "Low q Excess" Reported to Date

The binary mixtures of the ionic liquid ethylammonium nitrate with acetonitrile have been studied by means of wide- and small-angle X-ray scattering and via two different computational methods, namely, classical molecular dynamics and DFT. The recently debated odd feature in the extreme low q region of some ionic liquid-based binary mixtures is linked to density fluctuations within the system. We show how the "low q excess" is due to some nanoscopic objects which are formed at certain compositions. These structures have different density with respect to the surrounding, thus generating the feature observed. Our results also show how the local arrangement is directly linked to the long-range structure. Moreover, we found once again a similarity in the physicochemical behavior of ethylammonium nitrate and water.

Conformational adjustment for high-pressure glass formation of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate

The role of the alkyl-chain length (the conformational adjustment effect) in high pressure glass formation of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolum tetrafluoroborate.

Bio ionic liquids and water mixtures: a structural study

In this study we have explored, by means of ab initio molecular dynamics, a subset of three different water/cho⁺–phe⁻ mixtures.

Water and hexane in an ionic liquid: computational evidence of association under high pressure

Dissolving water and hexane in an ionic liquid, our simulations clearly show association between them at high pressures.

Protic ammonium carboxylate ionic liquids: insight into structure, dynamics and thermophysical properties by alkyl group functionalization

This study is aimed at characterising the structure, dynamics and thermophysical properties of five alkylammonium carboxylate ionic liquids (ILs) from classical molecular dynamics simulations.

A new insight into the nanostructure of alkylammonium alkanoates based ionic liquids in water

In this paper, small angle X-ray scattering has been used to study a series of ionic liquids, alkylammonium alkanoates ([N_{0 0 0 n}][C_mCO₂]), with varying alkyl chain lengths in the cation and the anion.