LiFePO4 Particles Embedded in Fast Bifunctional Conductor rGO&C@Li3V2(PO4)3 Nanosheets as Cathodes for High‐Performance Li‐Ion Hybrid Capacitors

The sluggish kinetics of Faradaic reactions in bulk electrodes is a significant obstacle to achieve high energy and power density in energy storage devices. Herein, a composite of LiFePO₄ particles trapped in fast bifunctional conductor rGO&C@Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ nanosheets is prepared through an in situ competitive redox reaction. The composite exhibits extraordinary rate capability (71 mAh g^?1 at 15 A g^?1) and remarkable cycling stability (0.03% decay per cycle over 1000 cycles at 10 A g^?1). Improved extrinsic pseudocapacitive contribution is the origin of fast kinetics, which endows this composite with high energy and power density, since the unique 2D nanosheets and embedded ultrafine LiFePO₄ nanoparticles can shorten the ion and electron diffusion length. Even applied to Li‐ion hybrid capacitors, the obtained devices still achieve high power density of 3.36 kW kg^?1 along with high energy density up to 77.8 Wh kg^?1. Density functional theory computations also validate that the remarkable rate performance is facilitated by the desirable ionic and electronic conductivity of the composite.     

Atomic Structure and Kinetics of NASICON NaxV2(PO4)3 Cathode for Sodium‐Ion Batteries

Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃ is one of the most important cathode materials for sodium‐ion batteries, delivering about two Na extraction/insertion from/into the unit structure. To understand the mechanism of sodium storage, a detailed structure of rhombohedral Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃ and its sodium extracted phase of NaV₂(PO₄)₃ are investigated at the atomic scale using a variety of advanced techniques. It is found that two different Na sites (6b, M1 and 18e, M2) with different coordination environments co‐exist in Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃, whereas only one Na site (6b, M1) exists in NaV₂(PO₄)₃. When Na is extracted from Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃ to form NaV₂(PO₄)₃, Na⁺ occupying the M2 site (CN = 8) is extracted and the rest of the Na remains at M1 site (CN = 6). In addition, the Na atoms are not randomly distributed, possibly with an ordered arrangement in M2 sites locally for Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃. Na⁺ ions at the M1 sites in Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃ tend to remain immobilized, suggesting a direct M2‐to‐M2 conduction pathway. Only Na occupying the M2 sites can be extracted, suggesting about two Na atoms able to be extracted from the Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃ structure.     

A Family of High‐Performance Cathode Materials for Na‐ion Batteries,Na3(VO1−xPO4)2 F1+2x (0 ≤ x ≤ 1): Combined First‐Principles and Experimental Study

Room‐temperature Na‐ion batteries (NIBs) have recently attracted attention as potential alternatives to current Li‐ion batteries (LIBs). The natural abundance of sodium and the similarity between the electrochemical properties of NIBs and LIBs make NIBs well suited for applications requiring low cost and long‐term reliability. Here, the first successful synthesis of a series of Na₃(VO_1?x PO₄)₂F_1+2x (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) compounds as a new family of high‐performance cathode materials for NIBs is reported. The Na₃(VO_1?x PO₄)₂F_1+2x series can function as high‐performance cathodes for NIBs with high energy density and good cycle life, although the redox mechanism varies depending on the composition. The combined first‐principles calculations and experimental analysis reveal the detailed structural and electrochemical mechanisms of the various compositions in solid solutions of Na₃(VOPO₄)₂F and Na₃V₂(PO₄)₂F₃. The comparative data for the Na _y (VO_1?x PO₄)₂F_1+2x electrodes show a clear relationship among V³⁺/V⁴⁺/V⁵⁺ redox reactions, Na⁺?Na⁺ interactions, and Na⁺ intercalation mechanisms in NIBs. The new family of high‐energy cathode materials reported here is expected to spur the development of low‐cost, high‐performance NIBs.     

Overcoming the Unfavorable Kinetics of Na3V2(PO4)2F3//SnPx Full‐Cell Sodium‐Ion Batteries for High Specific Energy and Energy Efficiency

In this work, a full‐cell sodium‐ion battery (SIB) with a high specific energy approaching 300 Wh kg^?1 is realized using a sodium vanadium fluorophosphate (Na₃V₂(PO₄)₂F₃, NVPF) cathode and a tin phosphide (SnP_x) anode, despite both electrode materials having greatly unbalanced specific capacities. The use of a cathode employing an areal loading more than eight times larger than that of the anode can be achieved by designing a nanostructured nanosized NVPF (n‐NVPF) cathode with well‐defined particle size, porosity, and conductivity. Furthermore, the high rate capability and high potential window of the full‐cell can be obtained by tuning the Sn/P ratio (4/3, 1/1, and 1/2) and the nanostructure of an SnP_x/carbon composite anode. As a result, the full‐cell SIBs employing the nanostructured n‐NVPF cathode and the SnP_x/carbon composite anode (Sn/P = 1/1) exhibit outstanding specific energy (≈280 Wh kg^?1_{(cathode+anode)}) and energy efficiency (≈78%); furthermore, the results are comparable to those of state‐of‐the‐art lithium‐ion batteries.     

Sodium Effects on the Diffusion,Phase, and Defect Characteristics of Kesterite Solar Cells and Flexible Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 with Greater than 11% Efficiency

Improving the efficiency of kesterite (Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄; CZTSSe) solar cells requires understanding the effects of Na doping. This paper investigates these effects by applying a NaF layer at various positions within precursors. The NaF position is important because Na produces Na-related defects in the absorber and suppresses the formation of intrinsic defects. By investigating precursors with various NaF positions, the sulfo-selenization mechanism and the characteristics of defect formation are confirmed. Applying a NaF layer onto a Zn layer in a CZTSSe precursor limits Zn diffusion and suppresses Cu-Zn alloy formation, thus changing the sulfo-selenization mechanism. In addition, the surface NaF layer provides reactive Se and S to the absorber layer by generating Na₂Se_x and Na₂S_x liquid phases during sulfo-selenization, thus limiting the incorporation of Na into the absorber and reducing the Na effects. Efficiency values of 11.16% and 11.19% are obtained for a flexible CZTSSe solar cell by applying NaF between the Zn layer and back contact and between the Cu and Sn layers, respectively. This study presents methods for doping with alkali metals and improving the efficiency of photovoltaics.     

(NH4)2S treatment of the Si (100) surface and its effects on Al/Si Schottky barrier heights

ates originating from dangling bonds are passivated with S atoms.     

Si (100) 表面 (NH4)2S 处理及其对Al/Si肖特基势垒的影响

The effect of Si （100） surface S passivation was investigated. A thick film with a high roughness value was formed on the Si surface treated by （NH4）2S solution, which was attributed to physical adsorption of S atoms. SEM and XPS analyses reveal that Si surface atoms were chemically bonded with S atoms after Si surface treatment in NH4OH and （NH4）2S mixing solution. This induces a more ideal value for the Schottky barrier height compared with a diode treated only by HF solution, indicating that surface states originating from dangling bonds are passivated with S atoms.     

Controllable Synthesis of a Monophase Nickel Phosphide/Carbon (Ni5P4/C) Composite Electrode via Wet‐Chemistry and a Solid‐State Reaction for the Anode in Lithium Secondary Batteries

A monophase nickel phosphide/carbon (Ni₅P₄/C) composite with a thin carbon shell is controllably synthesized via the two‐step strategy of a wet‐chemistry reaction and a solid‐state reaction. In this fabrication, the further diffusion of phosphorus atoms in the carbon shell during the solid‐state reaction can be responsible for a chemical transformation from a binary phase of Ni₅P₄‐Ni₂P to monophase Ni₅P₄. Galvanostatic charge‐discharge measurements indicate that the Ni₅P₄/C composite exhibits a superior, high rate capacibility and good cycling stability. About 76.6% of the second capacity (644.1 mA h g^?1) can be retained after 50 cycles at a 0.1 C rate. At a high rate of 3 C, the specific capacity of Ni₅P₄/C is still as high as 357.1 mA h g^?1. Importantly, the amorphous carbon shell can enhance the conductivity of the composite and suppress the aggregation of the active particles, leading to their structure stability and reversibility during cycling. As is confirmed from X‐ray‐diffraction analysis, no evident microstructural changes occur upon cycling. These results reveal that highly crystalline Ni₅P₄/C is one of the most promising anode materials for lithium‐ion batteries.