Magnesium Storage Performance and Mechanism of 2D‐Ultrathin Nanosheet‐Assembled Spinel MgIn2S4 Cathode for High‐Temperature Mg Batteries

Magnesium batteries have the potential to be a next generation battery with large capability and high safety, owing to the high abundance, great volumetric energy density, and reversible dendrite‐free capability of Mg anodes. However, the lack of a stable high‐voltage electrolyte, and the sluggish Mg‐ion diffusion in lattices and through interfaces limit the practical uses of Mg batteries. Herein, a spinel MgIn₂S₄ microflower‐like material assembled by 2D‐ultrathin (≈5.0 nm) nanosheets is reported and first used as a cathode material for high‐temperature Mg batteries with an ionic liquid electrolyte. The nonflammable ionic liquid electrolyte ensure the safety under high temperatures. As prepared MgIn₂S₄ exhibits wide‐temperature‐range adaptability (50–150 °C), ultrahigh capacity (≈500 mAh g^?1 under 1.2 V vs Mg/Mg²⁺), fast Mg²⁺ diffusibility (≈2.0 × 10^?8 cm² s^?1), and excellent cyclability (without capacity decay after 450 cycles). These excellent electrochemical properties are due to the fast kinetics of magnesium by the 2D nanosheets spinel structure and safe high‐temperature operation environment. From ex situ X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy measurements, a conversion reaction of the Mg²⁺ storage mechanism is found. The excellent performance and superior security make it promising in high‐temperature batteries for practical applications.     

Strategies toward High‐Performance Cathode Materials for Lithium–Oxygen Batteries

Rechargeable aprotic lithium (Li)–O₂ batteries with high theoretical energy densities are regarded as promising next‐generation energy storage devices and have attracted considerable interest recently. However, these batteries still suffer from many critical issues, such as low capacity, poor cycle life, and low round‐trip efficiency, rendering the practical application of these batteries rather sluggish. Cathode catalysts with high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and evolution reaction activities are of particular importance for addressing these issues and consequently promoting the application of Li–O₂ batteries. Thus, the rational design and preparation of the catalysts with high ORR activity, good electronic conductivity, and decent chemical/electrochemical stability are still challenging. In this Review, the strategies are outlined including the rational selection of catalytic species, the introduction of a 3D porous structure, the formation of functional composites, and the heteroatom doping which succeeded in the design of high‐performance cathode catalysts for stable Li–O₂ batteries. Perspectives on enhancing the overall electrochemical performance of Li–O₂ batteries based on the optimization of the properties and reliability of each part of the battery are also made. This Review sheds some new light on the design of highly active cathode catalysts and the development of high‐performance lithium–O₂ batteries.     

Ti‐Substituted NaNi0.5Mn0.5‐xTixO2 Cathodes with Reversible O3−P3 Phase Transition for High‐Performance Sodium‐Ion Batteries

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) have been considered as potential candidates for stationary energy storage because of the low cost and wide availability of Na sources. O3‐type layered oxides have been considered as one of the most promising cathodes for SIBs. However, they commonly show inevitable complicated phase transitions and sluggish kinetics, incurring rapid capacity decline and poor rate capability. Here, a series of sodium‐sufficient O3‐type NaNi_0.5Mn_{0.5‐ x} Ti _x O₂ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) cathodes for SIBs is reported and the mechanisms behind their excellent electrochemical performance are studied in comparison to those of their respective end‐members. The combined analysis of in situ X‐ray diffraction, ex situ X‐ray absorption spectroscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy for NaNi_0.5Mn_0.2Ti_0.3O₂ reveals that the O3‐type phase transforms reversibly into a P3‐type phase upon Na+ deintercalation/intercalation. The substitution of Ti for Mn enlarges interslab distance and could restrain the unfavorable and irreversible multiphase transformation in the high voltage regions that is usually observed in O3‐type NaNi_0.5Mn_0.5O₂, resulting in improved Na cell performance. This integration of macroscale and atomicscale engineering strategy might open up the modulation of the chemical and physical properties in layered oxides and grasp new insight into the optimal design of high‐performance cathode materials for SIBs.     

Interlayer‐Spacing‐Regulated VOPO4 Nanosheets with Fast Kinetics for High‐Capacity and Durable Rechargeable Magnesium Batteries

Owing to the low‐cost, safety, dendrite‐free formation, and two‐electron redox properties of magnesium (Mg), rechargeable Mg batteries are considered as promising next‐generation secondary batteries with high specific capacity and energy density. However, the clumsy Mg²⁺ with high polarity inclines to sluggish Mg insertion/deinsertion, leading to inadequate reversible capacity and rate performance. Herein, 2D VOPO₄ nanosheets with expanded interlayer spacing (1.42 nm) are prepared and applied in rechargeable magnesium batteries for the first time. The interlayer expansion provides enough diffusion space for fast kinetics of MgCl⁺ ion flux with low polarization. Benefiting from the structural configuration, the Mg battery exhibits a remarkable reversible capacity of 310 mAh g^?1 at 50 mA g^?1, excellent rate capability, and good cycling stability (192 mAh g^?1 at 100 mA g^?1 even after 500 cycles). In addition, density functional theory (DFT) computations are conducted to understand the electrode behavior with decreased MgCl⁺ migration energy barrier compared with Mg²⁺. This approach, based on the regulation of interlayer distance to control cation insertion, represents a promising guideline for electrode material design on the development of advanced secondary multivalent‐ion batteries.     

Ultrathin Nanosheet Assembled Sn0.91Co0.19S2 Nanocages with Exposed (100) Facets for High‐Performance Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Ultrathin 2D inorganic nanomaterials are good candidates for lithium‐ion batteries, as well as the micro/nanocage structures with unique and tunable morphologies. Meanwhile, as a cost‐effective method, chemical doping plays a vital role in manipulating physical and chemical properties of metal oxides and sulfides. Thus, the design of ultrathin, hollow, and chemical doped metal sulfides shows great promise for the application of Li‐ion batteries by shortening the diffusion pathway of Li ions as well as minimizing the electrode volume change. Herein, ultrathin nanosheet assembled Sn_0.91Co_0.19S₂ nanocages with exposed (100) facets are first synthesized. The as‐prepared electrode delivers an excellent discharge capacity of 809 mA h g^?1 at a current density of 100 mA g^?1 with a 91% retention after 60 discharge–charge cycles. The electrochemical performance reveals that the Li‐ion batteries prepared by Sn_0.91Co_0.19S₂ nanocages have high capacity and great cycling stability.     

Graphene Scroll‐Coated α‐MnO2 Nanowires as High‐Performance Cathode Materials for Aqueous Zn‐Ion Battery

The development of manganese dioxide as the cathode for aqueous Zn‐ion battery (ZIB) is limited by the rapid capacity fading and material dissolution. Here, a highly reversible aqueous ZIB using graphene scroll‐coated α‐MnO₂ as the cathode is proposed. The graphene scroll is uniformly coated on the MnO₂ nanowire with an average width of 5 nm, which increases the electrical conductivity of the MnO₂ nanowire and relieves the dissolution of the cathode material during cycling. An energy density of 406.6 Wh kg^?1 (382.2 mA h g^?1) at 0.3 A g^?1 can be reached, which is the highest specific energy value among all the cathode materials for aqueous Zn‐ion battery so far, and good long‐term cycling stability with 94% capacity retention after 3000 cycles at 3 A g^?1 are achieved. Meanwhile, a two‐step intercalation mechanism that Zn ions first insert into the layers and then the tunnels of MnO₂ framework is proved by in situ X‐ray diffraction, galvanostatic intermittent titration technique, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterizations. The graphene scroll‐coated metallic oxide strategy can also bring intensive interests for other energy storage systems.     

Nitrogen Doped γ‐Graphyne: A Novel Anode for High‐Capacity Rechargeable Alkali‐Ion Batteries

High energy density is the major demand for next‐generation rechargeable batteries, while the intrinsic low alkali metal adsorption of traditional carbon–based electrode remains the main challenge. Here, the mechanochemical route is proposed to prepare nitrogen doped γ‐graphyne (NGY) and its high capacity is demonstrated in lithium (LIBs)/sodium (SIBs) ion batteries. The sample delivers large reversible Li (1037 mAh g^?1) and Na (570.4 mAh g^?1) storage capacities at 100 mA g^?1 and presents excellent rate capabilities (526 mAh g^?1 for LIBs and 180.2 mAh g^?1 for SIBs) at 5 A g^?1. The superior Li/Na storage mechanisms of NGY are revealed by its 2D morphology evolution, quantitative kinetics, and theoretical calculations. The effects on the diffusion barriers (E_b) and adsorption energies (E_ad) of Li/Na atoms in NGY are also studied and imine‐N is demonstrated to be the ideal doping format to enhance the Li/Na storage performance. Besides, the Li/Na adsorption routes in NGY are optimized according to the experimental and the first‐principles calculation results. This work provides a facile way to fabricate high capacity electrodes in LIBs/SIBs, which is also instructive for the design of other heteroatomic doped electrodes.     

O3‐Type Layered Ni‐Rich Oxide: A High‐Capacity and Superior‐Rate Cathode for Sodium‐Ion Batteries

Inspired by its high‐active and open layered framework for fast Li⁺ extraction/insertion reactions, layered Ni‐rich oxide is proposed as an outstanding Na‐intercalated cathode for high‐performance sodium‐ion batteries. An O3‐type Na_0.75Ni_0.82Co_0.12Mn_0.06O₂ is achieved through a facile electrochemical ion‐exchange strategy in which Li⁺ ions are first extracted from the LiNi_0.82Co_0.12Mn_0.06O₂ cathode and Na⁺ ions are then inserted into a layered oxide framework. Furthermore, the reaction mechanism of layered Ni‐rich oxide during Na⁺ extraction/insertion is investigated in detail by combining ex situ X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electron energy loss spectroscopy. As an excellent cathode for Na‐ion batteries, O3‐type Na_0.75Ni_0.82Co_0.12Mn_0.06O₂ delivers a high reversible capacity of 171 mAh g^?1 and a remarkably stable discharge voltage of 2.8 V during long‐term cycling. In addition, the fast Na⁺ transport in the cathode enables high rate capability with 89 mAh g^?1 at 9 C. The as‐prepared Ni‐rich oxide cathode is expected to significantly break through the limited performance of current sodium‐ion batteries.     

Glucose‐Induced Synthesis of 1T‐MoS2/C Hybrid for High‐Rate Lithium‐Ion Batteries

1T phase MoS₂ possesses higher conductivity than the 2H phase, which is a key parameter of electrochemical performance for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, a 1T‐MoS₂/C hybrid is successfully synthesized through facile hydrothermal method with a proper glucose additive. The synthesized hybrid material is composed of smaller and fewer‐layer 1T‐MoS₂ nanosheets covered by thin carbon layers with an enlarged interlayer spacing of 0.94 nm. When it is used as an anode material for LIBs, the enlarged interlayer spacing facilitates rapid intercalating and deintercalating of lithium ions and accommodates volume change during cycling. The high intrinsic conductivity of 1T‐MoS₂ also contributes to a faster transfer of lithium ions and electrons. Moreover, much smaller and fewer‐layer nanosheets can shorten the diffusion path of lithium ions and accelerate reaction kinetics, leading to an improved electrochemical performance. It delivers a high initial capacity of 920.6 mAh g^?1 at 1 A g^?1 and the capacity can maintain 870 mAh g^?1 even after 300 cycles, showing a superior cycling stability. The electrode presents a high rate performance as well with a reversible capacity of 600 mAh g^?1 at 10 A g^?1. These results show that the 1T‐MoS₂/C hybrid shows potential for use in high‐performance lithium‐ion batteries.     

High‐Energy/Power and Low‐Temperature Cathode for Sodium‐Ion Batteries: In Situ XRD Study and Superior Full‐Cell Performance

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are still confronted with several major challenges, including low energy and power densities, short‐term cycle life, and poor low‐temperature performance, which severely hinder their practical applications. Here, a high‐voltage cathode composed of Na₃V₂(PO₄)₂O₂F nano‐tetraprisms (NVPF‐NTP) is proposed to enhance the energy density of SIBs. The prepared NVPF‐NTP exhibits two high working plateaux at about 4.01 and 3.60 V versus the Na⁺/Na with a specific capacity of 127.8 mA h g^?1. The energy density of NVPF‐NTP reaches up to 486 W h kg^?1, which is higher than the majority of other cathode materials previously reported for SIBs. Moreover, due to the low strain (≈2.56% volumetric variation) and superior Na transport kinetics in Na intercalation/extraction processes, as demonstrated by in situ X‐ray diffraction, galvanostatic intermittent titration technique, and cyclic voltammetry at varied scan rates, the NVPF‐NTP shows long‐term cycle life, superior low‐temperature performance, and outstanding high‐rate capabilities. The comparison of Ragone plots further discloses that NVPF‐NTP presents the best power performance among the state‐of‐the‐art cathode materials for SIBs. More importantly, when coupled with an Sb‐based anode, the fabricated sodium‐ion full‐cells also exhibit excellent rate and cycling performances, thus providing a preview of their practical application.     

A Sulfur–Limonene‐Based Electrode for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries: High‐Performance by Self‐Protection

The lithium–sulfur battery is considered as one of the most promising energy storage systems and has received enormous attentions due to its high energy density and low cost. However, polysulfide dissolution and the resulting shuttle effects hinder its practical application unless very costly solutions are considered. Herein, a sulfur‐rich polymer termed sulfur–limonene polysulfide is proposed as powerful electroactive material that uniquely combines decisive advantages and leads out of this dilemma. It is amenable to a large‐scale synthesis by the abundant, inexpensive, and environmentally benign raw materials sulfur and limonene (from orange and lemon peels). Moreover, owing to self‐protection and confinement of lithium sulfide and sulfur, detrimental dissolution and shuttle effects are successfully avoided. The sulfur–limonene‐based electrodes (without elaborate synthesis or surface modification) exhibit excellent electrochemical performances characterized by high discharge capacities (≈1000 mA h g^?1 at C/2) and remarkable cycle stability (average fading rate as low as 0.008% per cycle during 300 cycles).     

Recent Progress in the Design of Advanced Cathode Materials and Battery Models for High‐Performance Lithium‐X (X = O2, S,Se, Te,I2, Br2) Batteries

Recent advances and achievements in emerging Li‐X (X = O₂, S, Se, Te, I₂, Br₂) batteries with promising cathode materials open up new opportunities for the development of high‐performance lithium‐ion battery alternatives. In this review, we focus on an overview of recent important progress in the design of advanced cathode materials and battery models for developing high‐performance Li‐X (X = O₂, S, Se, Te, I₂, Br₂) batteries. We start with a brief introduction to explain why Li‐X batteries are important for future renewable energy devices. Then, we summarize the existing drawbacks, major progress and emerging challenges in the development of cathode materials for Li‐O₂ (S) batteries. In terms of the emerging Li‐X (Se, Te, I₂, Br₂) batteries, we systematically summarize their advantages/disadvantages and recent progress. Specifically, we review the electrochemical performance of Li‐Se (Te) batteries using carbonate‐/ether‐based electrolytes, made with different electrode fabrication techniques, and of Li‐I₂ (Br₂) batteries with various cell designs (e.g., dual electrolyte, all‐organic electrolyte, with/without cathode‐flow mode, and fuel cell/solar cell integration). Finally, the perspective on and challenges for the development of cathode materials for the promising Li‐X (X = O₂, S, Se, Te, I₂, Br₂) batteries is presented.