Lithium metal is regarded as the “Holy Grail” of anode materials due to its low electrochemical potential and high theoretical capacity. Unfortunately, its unstable solid electrolyte interphase leads to low Coulombic efficiency. In this talk, a hybrid nanoscale polymeric film with tunable composition and improved stiffness will be discussed for Li metal anode protection. The Li plating/stripping process can be regulated through the protective coating to suppress the dendrite growth. This work provides guidance on the rational design of electrode interfaces and opens new opportunities for the fabrication of next-generation energy storage systems.

A comprehensive understanding of the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) composition is crucial to developing high-energy batteries based on lithium metal anodes. But SEI comes in trace amounts and is prone to radiation damage, making characterization very challenging. We have recently developed a new way to characterize the SEI using synchrotron scattering and obtained a series of new results. I will first discuss the identification and quantification of LiH and nanocrystalline LiF in SEI. Following that, I will discuss our recent understanding of the origin and dynamics of LiH, LiF, and LiOH in the SEI and how these processes relate to the electrochemical performance of lithium metal batteries.

This presentation provides the new zinc anode which can dissolve the major zinc problem on cyclability in secondary uses and make it possible to recharge for 5,000 cycles or more without voltage and capacity degradation. The technology is valuable to promote high-performance aqueous zinc rechargeable battery, which is appropriate for electrification of vehicles and stationary energy storage with nonflammability and 100% zinc recycling for low carbon and sustainability.

I will present more than a decade of research to address the challenges of next-generation of batteries: 1) materials design for Li metal anodes and S cathodes; 2) interfacial design to enhance cycling efficiency; 3) nanocomposite solid electrolyte; and 4) a breakthrough tool of cryogenic electron microscopy applied to battery materials research.

The silicon nanowire anode technology addresses silicon swelling by enabling silicon to expand and contract internally, in a very robust mechanical structure. As a result, over 1200 Wh/L and 450 Wh/kg levels of energy density were achieved in Lithium-ion cells with a cycle life in the hundreds of cycles and fast charging in under 10 minutes, enabling new devices and applications.

High Nickel low Cobalt cathode materials for LIBSs improve energy density, reduce costs but lead to issues such as low cycle-life inter/intragranular cracking, surface degradation, gas evolution, and electronic/ionic isolation. We have mitigated these issues with globally patented grain- boundary engineering that can make Nickel rich materials viable and preferable for commercial use. Results for NMC, NCA and NMCA species with 6% Cobalt will be presented together with precursor formulations.

Herein, we report a tunable mass loading and dense silicon nanowire (SiNWs) growth on a highly conductive, flexible, fire-resistant, and mechanically robust 3D interwoven stainless steel fiber cloth (SSFC).  Galvanostatic cycling of the Si NWs@SSFC anode with a mass loading of 1.32 mg. cm -² achieves a stable areal capacity of ~2 mAh cm-² at 0.2C after 200 cycles. This approach is viable for practical applications in high-energy-density LIBs.

New machine learning (ML) approaches offer a route to accelerated materials discovery, process optimization, and cell design by training predictive models on existing experimental data and then using these models to future experiments. In this talk, we present our research in using ML to accelerate each of these areas, discuss best practices for the application of ML to materials design, and highlight the Aionics materials design software platform.

High-throughput methods (synthesis, X-ray diffraction, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and DC electronic conductivity) are utilized to improve both cathodes and anodes for Li-ion batteries, cathodes for Na-ion batteries, and solid electrolytes for all-solid Li batteries. These studies include thorough screening of complete pseudoternary oxide systems, as well as doping studies looking at the impact of as many as 56 different substitutions into the materials. Materials are optimized for key battery metrics such as energy density, extended cycling, rate capacity, as well as conductivities, and electrochemical/chemical stability.

The battery community knows the important roles of binder and CB practically without detailed science. X-ray chemical imaging of active and passive components within porous composite Li-ion battery offers an unique avenue to better understand complicated multilength scale performance and degradation heterogeneities. Post-modem examinations along with operando dynamic studies of single particle behavior in practical electrodes will benefit battery material synthesis, surface modification and electrode optimization. My presentation offers: 1) overview of novel X-ray chemical imaging in synchrotron center; 2) new science insights of composite electrode heterogeneities in performance and degradation; 3) interactions of active and non-active components in composite electrodes.

Lithium-sulfur batteries are promising candidates for energy storage applications because of their high theoretical energy density. However, the fast capacity fading caused by lithium polysulfide shuttling and sluggish electrochemical redox kinetics of sulfur cathode under lean electrolyte and thick cathode conditions dramatically hinder their commercialization. To address these issues, advanced cathode structure design, and electrolyte modulation have been conducted at Argonne National Laboratory to simultaneously eliminate the shuttle effect and lithium dendrite formation, leading to the significantly increased cell energy density and cycle life in the practical Li-S pouch cells.

Our work is developing analytical techniques to gain quantitative insights into Li anode solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) properties and reveal phase-specific interplays between chemistry, structure and function. These techniques allow for powerful chemical resolution of SEI-forming processes including difficult-to-probe interfacial chemical dynamics. Collectively, these insights reveal how different SEI phases form and evolve, and help to distinguish phases that support improved ion transport and plating morphology towards higher coulombic efficiencies.

All-Solid-State-Batteries (ASSBs) have attracted attention as the Next Generation Batteries. However, there are still many challenges facing the commercialization of ASSBs. One big challenge is the internal resistance, especially generated at Cathode - Electrolyte Interface. This internal resistance limits the charge/discharge cycling performances. This study focuses on the understanding of the source of the internal resistance, by performing a detailed characterization using surface analysis methods.

Rechargeable Li batteries are promising candidates for next-generation energy storage devices due to their higher gravimetric and volumetric energy densities than those of conventional batteries. However, challenges such as safety, practical energy density, cycle life, and cost in the present-day Li-ion batteries remain for its broader range of applications. Various strategies such as replacing graphite anode with Li, using novel polymers, solid and hybrid membranes, and novel cell architectures have been attempted. In this talk, I will discuss the current membrane development in Li-based garnets and carbonate-glyme hybrid electrolytes for high energy density Li metal (free) batteries will be discussed. 

Ni-rich layered oxides are promising cathode materials for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries but suffer from several degradation phenomena and limited cycle life. Raising environmental and moral concerns have boosted the reduction of Co content in cathode materials and the replacement of toxic organic solvents by aqueous processing routes. This presentation will focus on the challenges and approaches for a more sustainable development and processing of layered oxide cathodes.

Safety is the primary concern in any lithium-ion (LIB) battery-powered devices. To avoid the fire and safety hazard events of LIB-powered EVs and ESSs, replacement of traditional flammable liquid electrolyte with fire-resistant liquid electrolyte is urgently needed. I will show that the entire replacement of electrolyte’s organic components, while keeping the standard concentration (1.0 M) of LiPF6 salt, yields a fire-resistant and outperforming nickel-rich NCM chemistry LIBs under aggressive condition.

Lithium argyrodite-type solid electrolytes are expected to be applied to a variety of market fields because of their excellent properties not only in ionic-conductivity but also in formability and thermal stability.  In this talk, the features, battery properties, and future prospects of small-sized all-solid-state batteries using argyrodite-type solid electrolyte will be presented.