We are very happy to share that our recent paper on Na-ion batteries has been featured as the departmental Paper of the Month (February, 2025).
Here's the highlight from the MSM department website:
With key resource supplies (e.g. Li and Co) for commercial Li-ion batteries being exhausted, the world is calling for the next-generation rechargeable batteries. Na-ion batteries (NIBs), with their natural resource abundance, potentially lower cost, and compatibility with the existing Li-ion processing techniques, are an optimal solution to address future energy challenges. We are working on the design and development of next-generation Na-ion batteries with all earth abundant materials to contribute to net zero emissions.
However, NIBs suffer from parasitic and continuous Na ion loss at the interface, namely solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) dissolution, leading to short battery cycle life. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms of such interface dissolution are unclear.
NIBs show promise for future energy storage. However, the dissolution of SEI severely deteriorates their performance. Herein, the quantified correlation between SEI solubility and SEI components is established, inspiring a feasible strategy to preform an insoluble SEI with 80.0% capacity retention over 900 cycles in a practical full cell within commercial electrolyte chemistries.
Preformation of Insoluble Solid-Electrolyte Interphase for Highly Reversible Na-Ion Batteries
Minfei Fei+, Le Qi+, Shujuan Han, Yue Li, Hanchen Xi, Zhichao Lin, Jingyang Wang, Caterina Ducati, Manish Chhowalla, Ramachandran Vasant Kumar, Yan Jin,* and Jia Zhu*
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2024, 63, e202409719