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Rechargeable calcium batteries have attracted increasing attention as promising multivalent ion battery systems due to the high abundance of calcium. However, the development has been hampered by the lack of suitable cathodes to accommodate the large and divalent Ca2+ ions at a high redox potential with sufficiently fast ionic conduction. Herein, we report a new intercalation host which presents 500 cycles with a capacity retention of 90% and a remarkable power capability at ~3.2 V (vs. Ca/Ca2+) in a calcium battery. The cathode material derived from Na0.5VPO4.8F0.7 is demonstrated to reversibly accommodate a large amount of Ca2+ ions, forming a series of CaxNa0.5VPO4.8F0.7 (0, Rechargeable calcium batteries are promising multivalent battery systems but the lack of suitable electrodes hampers their development. Here the authors report a cathode derived from polyanion framework that demonstrates uncommonly stable and fast intercalation behaviours of calcium ions.

The key challenges in all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) are establishing and maintaining perfect physical contact between rigid components for facile interfacial charge transfer, particularly betwe...

Although layered-type cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have received great attention due to their large gravimetric energy density, those for potassium rechargeable batteries (PRBs) just deliver small and limited energy density due to the large structural change and phase transition during de/intercalation of K+ ions with a large ionic size. Thus, a new approach is required for achieving high energy densities. A cathode material that results in ultrahigh energy density for potassium rechargeable batteries (PRBs) based on the conversion reaction of K–SO4–Cu in the system was developed. To maximize the electrochemical performance, a copper-sulfate/carbon nanocomposite (hereafter denoted as N-CSO/C) was prepared using a simple high-energy ball-milling process. At a current density of 12 mA g−1, the conversion reaction of K–SO4–Cu in the PRB system resulted in a specific capacity of ∼240 mA h g−1 with an average operating voltage of ∼2.8 V (vs. K+/K). This capacity and the resulting energy density are larger than those of other cathode materials for PRBs reported to date. After 200 cycles at 360 mA g−1, N-CSO/C retained ∼70% of the initial capacity. The overall reversible reaction mechanism of K–SO4–Cu in N-CSO/C in the PRB system was investigated through combined studies using first-principles calculation and various experimental techniques.

Despite the high energy density of lithium-rich layered-oxide electrodes, their real-world implementation in batteries is hindered by the substantial voltage decay on cycling. This voltage decay is widely accepted to mainly originate from progressive structural rearrangements involving irreversible transition-metal migration. As prevention of this spontaneous cation migration has proven difficult, a paradigm shift toward management of its reversibility is needed. Herein, we demonstrate that the reversibility of the cation migration of lithium-rich nickel manganese oxides can be remarkably improved by altering the oxygen stacking sequences in the layered structure and thereby dramatically reducing the voltage decay. The preeminent intra-cycle reversibility of the cation migration is experimentally visualized, and first-principles calculations reveal that an O2-type structure restricts the movements of transition metals within the Li layer, which effectively streamlines the returning migration path of the transition metals. Furthermore, we propose that the enhanced reversibility mitigates the asymmetry of the anionic redox in conventional lithium-rich electrodes, promoting the high-potential anionic reduction, thereby reducing the subsequent voltage hysteresis. Our findings demonstrate that regulating the reversibility of the cation migration is a practical strategy to reduce voltage decay and hysteresis in lithium-rich layered materials.

Organic redox compounds are potential substitutes for transition-metal-oxide electrode materials in rechargeable batteries because of their low cost, minimal environmental footprint, and chemical diversity. However, their inherently low electrical conductivity and high solubility in organic solvents are serious impediments to achieving performance comparable to that of currently used inorganic-based electrode materials. Herein, we report organic charge-transfer complexes as a novel class of electrode materials with intrinsically high electrical conductivity and low solubility that can potentially overcome the chronic drawbacks associated with organic electrodes. The formation of the charge-transfer complexes, phenazine–7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane and dibenzo-1,4-dioxin–7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane, via a room-temperature process leads to enhancement in the electrical conductivity and reduction in the dissolution resulting in the high power and cycle performances that far outperform those of each single-moiety counterpart. This finding demonstrates the general applicability of the charge-transfer complex to simultaneously improve the electrical conductivity and mitigate the shortcomings of existing single-moiety-based organic electrode materials, and opens up an uncharted pathway toward the development of high-performance organic electrode materials via the exploration of various combinations of donor–acceptor monomers with different stoichiometry.

Co-intercalation reactions make graphite as promising anodes for sodium ion batteries, however, the high redox potentials significantly lower the energy density. Herein, we investigate the factors that influence the co-intercalation potential of graphite and find that the tuning of the voltage as large as 0.38 V is achievable by adjusting the relative stability of ternary graphite intercalation compounds and the solvent activity in electrolytes. The feasibility of graphite anode in sodium ion batteries is confirmed in conjunction with Na1.5VPO4.8F0.7 cathodes by using the optimal electrolyte. The sodium ion battery delivers an improved voltage of 3.1 V, a high power density of 3863 W kg−1both electrodes, negligible temperature dependency of energy/power densities and an extremely low capacity fading rate of 0.007% per cycle over 1000 cycles, which are among the best thus far reported for sodium ion full cells, making it a competitive choice in large-scale energy storage systems., Graphite is a promising anode material for sodium-ion batteries but suffers from the high co-intercalation potential. Here, the authors examine the factors influencing this potential and tailor the stability of graphite intercalation compound, realizing high energy and power densities.

Increasing demands for performance beyond the limit of current lithium ion batteries for higher energy densities have rejuvenated research using lithium metal as an anode. However, commercial implementation has still been hampered due to safety issues. Herein, we introduce a lithium rechargeable battery system with an auxiliary electrode that can detect the potential signs of an internal short-circuit and simultaneously prevent cell failure by inhibiting further dendritic growth of lithium metal. Based on this working principle, we provide guidelines for an auxiliary electrode design and demonstrate that it can act as both a safety sensor and a lithium scavenger. Finally, we show that our in-house designed cell, using a flexible and self-standing auxiliary electrode, can effectively alert the danger of a short circuit in real-time without additional dendrite growth. We expect that this finding will open up unexplored opportunities utilizing various auxiliary electrode chemistries for safe rechargeable lithium metal batteries.

Demand for an effective strategy for exfoliating layered materials into flakes without perturbing their intrinsic structure is growing. Herein, we introduce an effective fabrication method of large-sized non-oxidized graphene flakes (NOGFs) as a representative example of a general strategy using spontaneous insertion of exfoliating medium into a layered material. We fabricated a ternary graphite intercalation compound (t-GIC) with stoichiometry of KC24(THF)2, and analyzed its morphology and electronic structure through experimental and computational approach. Interactions between the t-GIC and aprotic organic solvents with different polarities were investigated, where a unique swelling behavior was observed with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Based on the analysis of the phenomena, we demonstrate facile exfoliation of the t-GIC in polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP)-DMSO solution for fabrication of highly crystalline and large-sized NOGFs. The lateral size of the NOGFs ranges over 30 μm, while the 98% having thickness below 10 layers. The NOGF film exhibits supreme electrical conductivity of 3.36 × 105 S/m, which is, to our best knowledge, the highest value for a thin conductive film made of graphene flakes.

Metallic lithium (Li) is a promising anode candidate for high-energy-density rechargeable batteries because of its low redox potential and high theoretical capacity. However, its practical application is not imminent because of issues related to the dendritic growth of Li metal with repeated battery operation, which presents a serious safety concern. Herein, various aspects of the electrochemical deposition and stripping of Li metal are investigated with consideration of the reaction rate/current density, electrode morphology, and solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer properties to understand the conditions inducing abnormal Li growth. It is demonstrated that the irregular (i.e., filamentary or dendritic) growth of Li metal mostly originates from local perturbation of the surface current density, which stems from surface irregularities arising from the morphology, defective nature of the SEI, and relative asymmetry in the deposition/stripping rates. Importantly, we find that the use of a stripping rate...

Defects in crystals alter the intrinsic nature of pristine materials including their electronic/crystalline structure and charge-transport characteristics. The ionic transport properties of solid-state ionic conductors, in particular, are profoundly affected by their defect structure. Nevertheless, a fundamental understanding of the defect structure of one of the most extensively studied lithium superionic conductors, Li10GeP2S12, remains elusive because of the complexity of the structure; the effects of defects on lithium diffusion and the potential to control defects by varying synthetic conditions also remain unknown. Herein, we report, for the first time, a comprehensive first-principles study on native defects in Li10GeP2S12 and their effect on lithium diffusion. We provide the complete defect profile of Li10GeP2S12 and identify major defects that are easily formed regardless of the chemical environment while the presence of path-blocking defects is sensitively dependent on the synthetic conditions. ...

We introduce Na3V(PO4)2 as a new cathode material for Na-ion batteries for the first time. The structure of Na3V(PO4)2 was determined using X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement, and its high water stability was clearly demonstrated. The redox potential of Na3V(PO4)2 (∼3.5 V vs Na/Na+) was shown to be sufficiently high to prevent the side reaction with water (Na extraction and water insertion), ensuring its water stability in ambient air. Na3V(PO4)2 also exhibited outstanding power capability, with ∼79% of the theoretical capacity being delivered at 15C. First-principles calculation combined with electrochemical experiments linked this high power capability to the low activation barrier (∼433 meV) for the well-interconnected two-dimensional Na diffusion pathway. Moreover, outstanding cyclability of Na3V(PO4)2 (∼70% retention of the initial capacity after 200 cycles) was achieved at a reasonably fast current rate of 1C.

Layered crystal structures are some of the most intensively studied intercalation hosts for guest ion insertion. For Mg insertion, layered transition metal sulfides or selenides have been used for reversible Mg intercalation; however, far less intercalation hosts have been found for layered oxides most likely because of the strong interaction between Mg 2+ and the oxide host. Here, we demonstrate that layered Li x Ni 0.5 Co 0.2 Mn 0.3 O 2 (NCM523), which is an important commercial electrode for Li-ion batteries but has been regarded as electrochemically inactive in rechargeable Mg batteries, can function as a reversible host for Mg 2+ if water opens up the layers and screens the electrostatic interaction between Mg 2+ and the host. Upon the formation of water-intercalated NCM523, the discharge capacity dramatically increases utilizing the multi-redox reaction of Ni 2+ /Ni 3+ /Ni 4+ , which exhibits an average voltage of ∼3.1 V ( vs. Mg/Mg 2+ ) in rechargeable Mg batteries with an energy density of 589 Wh kg −1 in the first discharge.

Increasing demands for advanced lithium batteries with higher energy density have resurrected the use of lithium metal as an anode, whose practical implementation has still been restricted, because of its intrinsic problems originating from the high reactivity of elemental lithium metal. Herein, we explore a facile strategy of doping gas phase into electrolyte to stabilize lithium metal and suppress the selective lithium growth through the formation of stable and homogeneous solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer. We find that the sulfur dioxide gas additive doped in electrolyte significantly improves both chemical and electrochemical stability of lithium metal electrodes. It is demonstrated that the cycle stability of the lithium cells can be remarkably prolonged, because of the compact and homogeneous SEI layers consisting of Li–S–O reduction products formed on the lithium metal surface. Simulations on the lithium metal growth process suggested the homogeneity of the protective layer induced by the ga...

Here, we introduce Na3V(PO3)3N as a novel 4V-class and zero-strain cathode material for Na-ion batteries. Structural analysis based on a combination of neutron and X-ray diffraction (XRD) reveals that the Na3V(PO3)3N crystal contains three-dimensional channels that are suitable for facile Na diffusion. The Na (de)intercalation is observed to occur at ∼4 V vs Na/Na+ in the Na cell via the V3+/V4+ redox reaction with ∼67% retention of the initial capacity after over 3000 cycles. The remarkable cycle stability is attributed to the near-zero volume change (∼0.24%) and unique centrosymmetric distortion that occurs during a cycle despite the large ionic size of Na ions for (de)intercalation, as demonstrated by ex situ XRD analysis and first-principles calculations. We also demonstrate that the Na3V(PO3)3N electrode can display outstanding power capability with ∼84% of the theoretical capacity retained at 10C, even though the particle sizes are on the micrometer scale (>5 μm), which is attributed to its intrinsi...

Ion exchange is a ubiquitous phenomenon central to wide industrial applications, ranging from traditional (bio)chemical separation to the emerging chimie douce synthesis of materials with metastable structure for batteries and other energy applications. The exchange process is complex, involving substitution and transport of different ions under non-equilibrium conditions, and thus difficult to probe, leaving a gap in mechanistic understanding of kinetic exchange pathways toward final products. Herein, we report in situ tracking kinetic pathways of Li+/Na+ substitution during solvothermal ion-exchange synthesis of LixNa1.5–xVOPO4F0.5 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1.5), a promising multi-Li polyanionic cathode for batteries. The real-time observation, corroborated by first-principles calculations, reveals a selective replacement of Na+ by Li+, leading to peculiar Na+/Li+/vacancy orderings in the intermediates. Contradicting the traditional belief of facile topotactic substitution via solid solution reaction, an abrupt two-phas...

A highly active and stable non-Pt electrocatalyst for hydrogen production has been pursued for a long time as an inexpensive alternative to Pt-based catalysts. Herein, we report a simple and effective approach to prepare high-performance iron phosphide (FeP) nanoparticle electrocatalysts using iron oxide nanoparticles as a precursor. A single-step heating procedure of polydopamine-coated iron oxide nanoparticles leads to both carbonization of polydopamine coating to the carbon shell and phosphidation of iron oxide to FeP, simultaneously. Carbon-shell-coated FeP nanoparticles show a low overpotential of 71 mV at 10 mA cm–2, which is comparable to that of a commercial Pt catalyst, and remarkable long-term durability under acidic conditions for up to 10 000 cycles with negligible activity loss. The effect of carbon shell protection was investigated both theoretically and experimentally. A density functional theory reveals that deterioration of catalytic activity of FeP is caused by surface oxidation. Extende...

The development of long-lasting and low-cost rechargeable batteries lies at the heart of the success of large-scale energy storage systems for various applications. Here, we introduce Fe- and Mn-based Na rechargeable battery cathodes that can stably cycle more than 3000 times. The new cathode is based on the solid-solution phases of Na4MnxFe3–x(PO4)2(P2O7) (x = 1 or 2) that we successfully synthesized for the first time. Electrochemical analysis and ex situ structural investigation reveal that the electrodes operate via a one-phase reaction upon charging and discharging with a remarkably low volume change of 2.1% for Na4MnFe2(PO4)(P2O7), which is one of the lowest values among Na battery cathodes reported thus far. With merits including an open framework structure and a small volume change, a stable cycle performance up to 3000 cycles can be achieved at 1C and room temperature, and almost 70% of the capacity at C/20 can be obtained at 20C. We believe that these materials are strong competitors for large-s...

© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim Conversion reaction electrodes offer a high specific capacity in rechargeable batteries by utilizing wider valence states of transition metals than conventional intercalation-based electrodes and have thus been intensively studied in recent years as potential electrode materials for high-energy-density rechargeable batteries. However, several issues related to conversion reactions remain poorly understood, including the polarization or hysteresis during charge/discharge processes. Herein, Co3O4in Na cells is taken as an example to understand the aforementioned properties. The large hysteresis in charge/discharge profiles is revealed to be due to different electrochemical reaction paths associated with respective charge and discharge processes, which is attributed to the mobility gap among inter-diffusing species in a metal oxide compound during de/sodiation. Furthermore, a Co3O4–graphene nanoplatelet hybrid material is demonstrated to be a promising anode for Na rechargeable batteries, delivering a capacity of 756 mAh g−1with a good reversibility and an energy density of 96 Wh kg−1(based on the total electrode weight) when combined with a recently reported Na4Fe3(PO4)2(P2O7) cathode.

Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) has attracted tremendous attention as an electrode material for next-generation lithium-rechargeable battery systems due to the use of low-cost iron and its electrochemical stability. While the lithium diffusion in LFP, the essential property in battery operation, is relatively fast due to the one-dimensional tunnel present in the olivine crystal, the tunnel is inherently vulnerable to the presence of FeLi anti-site defects (Fe ions in Li ion sites), if any, that block the lithium diffusion and lead to inferior performance. Herein, we demonstrate that the kinetic issue arising from the FeLi defects in LFP can be completely eliminated in lithium-excess olivine LFP. The presence of an excess amount of lithium in the Fe ion sites (LiFe) energetically destabilizes the FeLi-related defects, resulting in reducing the amount of Fe defects in the tunnel. Moreover, we observe that the spinodal decomposition barrier is notably reduced in lithium-excess olivine LFP. The presence of LiFe and the absence of FeLi in lithium-excess olivine LFP additionally induce faster kinetics, resulting in an enhanced rate capability and a significantly reduced memory effect. The lithium-excess concept in the electrode crystal brings up unexpected properties for the pristine crystal and offers a novel and interesting approach to enhance the diffusivity and open up additional diffusion paths in solid-state ionic conductors.

© 2016 Royal Society of Chemistry. Here, we demonstrate that graphite can serve as a versatile electrode for various rechargeable battery types by reversibly accommodating solvated alkali ions (such as K, Na, and Li) through co-intercalation in its galleries. The co-intercalation of alkali ions is observed to occur via staging reactions. Notably, their insertion behaviors, including their specific capacity, are remarkably similar regardless of the alkali ion species despite the different solubility limits of K, Na, and Li ions in graphite. Nevertheless, the insertion potentials of the solvated alkali ions differ from each other and are observed to be correlated with the interlayer distance in the intercalated graphite gallery.

Lithium-ion batteries based on intercalation compounds have dominated the advanced portable energy storage market. The positive electrode materials in these batteries belong to a material group of lithium-conducting crystals that contain redox-active transition metal and lithium. Materials without lithium-conducting paths or lithium-free compounds could be rarely used as positive electrodes due to the incapability of reversible lithium intercalation or the necessity of using metallic lithium as negative electrodes. These constraints have significantly limited the choice of materials and retarded the development of new positive electrodes in lithium-ion batteries. Here, we demonstrate that lithium-free transition metal monoxides that do not contain lithium-conducting paths in their crystal structure can be converted into high-capacity positive electrodes in the electrochemical cell by initially decorating the monoxide surface with nanosized lithium fluoride. This unusual electrochemical behaviour is attributed to a surface conversion reaction mechanism in contrast with the classic lithium intercalation reaction. Our findings will offer a potential new path in the design of positive electrode materials in lithium-ion batteries. Positive electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries feature lithium element and lithium-ion conduction paths. Here the authors report transition metal monoxides that contain neither the intrinsic lithium nor conduction channels for high-capacity positive electrode materials.

The development of a high-performance oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst is pivotal for the practical realization of a water-splitting system. Although an extensive search for OER catalysts has been performed in the past decades, cost-effective catalysts remain elusive. Herein, an amorphous cobalt phyllosilicate (ACP) with layered crystalline motif prepared by a room-temperature precipitation is introduced as a new OER catalyst; this material exhibits a remarkably low overpotential (η ≈ 367 mV for a current density of 10 mA cm-2 ). A structural investigation using X-ray absorption spectroscopy reveals that the amorphous structure contains layered motifs similar to the structure of CoOOH, which is demonstrated to be responsible for the OER catalysis based on density functional theory calculations. However, the calculations also reveal that the local environment of the active site in the layered crystalline motif in the ACP is significantly modulated by the silicate, leading to a substantial reduction of η of the OER compared with that of CoOOH. This work proposes amorphous phyllosilicates as a new group of efficient OER catalysts and suggests that tuning of the catalytic activity by introducing redox-inert groups may be a new unexplored avenue for the design of novel high-performance catalysts.

The development of high‐performance oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts is crucial to achieve the clean production of hydrogen via water splitting. Recently, Co‐based oxides have been intensively investigated as some of the most efficient and cost‐effective OER catalysts. In particular, compositional tuning of Co‐based oxides via doping or substitution is shown to significantly affect their catalytic activity. Nevertheless, the origin of this enhanced catalytic activity and the reaction mechanism occurring at catalytic active sites remain controversial. Theoretical investigations are performed on the electrocatalytic properties of pristine and transition metal (Fe, Ni, and Mn)‐substituted Co oxides using first‐principle calculations. A comprehensive evaluation of the doping effects is conducted by considering various oxygen local environments in the crystal structure, which helps elucidate the mechanism behind the doping‐induced enhancement of Co‐based catalysts. It is demonstrated that the local distortion induced by dopant cations remarkably facilitates the catalysis at a specific site by modulating the hydrogen bonding. In particular, the presence of Jahn–Teller‐active Fe(IV) is shown to result in a substantial reduction in the overpotential at the initially inactive catalysis site without compromising the activity of the pristine active sites, supporting previous experimental observations of exceptional OER performance for Fe‐containing Co oxides.

Author(s): Xu, ZL; Park, J; Yoon, G; Kim, H; Kang, K | Abstract: Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have dominated the energy storage market for more than two decades; however, the quest for lower-cost battery alternatives is rapidly expanding, especially for large-scale applications. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have recently experienced an impressive resurgence owing to the earth's abundance of sodium resources and the similar electrochemistry of SIBs and the well-established LIBs. Nonetheless, whereas cost-effective and reliable graphite anodes have served as a cornerstone in current LIB technology, one of the major limitations of SIBs has been the inability to exploit graphite as an electrode because of its negligible sodium storage capability. Recently, however, clear progress has been made in preparing high-performance graphitic carbon anodes for SIBs with new findings on the mechanisms of sodium storage. Herein, this paper aims to review the progress made in understanding the sodium storage mechanisms in graphitic carbon materials and comprehensively summarize the start-of-the-art achievements by surveying the correlations among the type of graphitic material, microstructure, sodium storage mechanisms, and electrochemical performance in SIBs. In addition, perspectives related to practical applications, including the electrolyte, coulombic efficiency, and applicability in sodium-ion full cells, are also presented.

Rechargeable batteries have been regarded as leading candidates for energy storage systems to satisfy soaring energy demands and ensure efficient energy use, and intensive efforts have thus been focused on enhancing their energy densities and power capabilities. First-principles calculations based on quantum mechanics have played an important role in obtaining a fundamental understanding of battery materials, thus providing insights for material design. In this feature article, the theoretical approaches used to determine key battery properties, such as the voltage, phase stability, and ion-diffusion kinetics, are reviewed. Moreover, the recent contribution of first-principles calculations to the interpretation of complicated experimental characterization measurements on battery materials, such as those obtained using X-ray absorption spectroscopy, electron energy-loss spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, are introduced. Finally, perspectives are provided on the research direction of first-principles calculations for the development of advanced batteries, including the further development of theories that can accurately describe the dissolved species, amorphous phases, and surface reactions that are integral to the operation of future battery systems beyond Li-ion batteries.

The intercalation of lithium ions into graphite electrode is the key underlying mechanism of modern lithium-ion batteries. However, co-intercalation of lithium-ions and solvent into graphite is considered undesirable because it can trigger the exfoliation of graphene layers and destroy the graphite crystal, resulting in poor cycle life. Here, it is demonstrated that the [lithium–solvent]+ intercalation does not necessarily cause exfoliation of the graphite electrode and can be remarkably reversible with appropriate solvent selection. First-principles calculations suggest that the chemical compatibility of the graphite host and [lithium–solvent]+ complex ion strongly affects the reversibility of the co-intercalation, and comparative experiments confirm this phenomenon. Moreover, it is revealed that [lithium–ether]+ co-intercalation of natural graphite electrode enables much higher power capability than normal lithium intercalation, without the risk of lithium metal plating, with retention of ≈87% of the theoretical capacity at current density of 1 A g−1. This unusual high rate capability of the co-intercalation is attributed to the (i) absence of the desolvation step, (ii) negligible formation of the solid–electrolyte interphase on graphite surface, and (iii) fast charge-transfer kinetics. This work constitutes the first step toward the utilization of fast and reversible [lithium–solvent]+ complex ion intercalation chemistry in graphite for rechargeable battery technology.

The use of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) suffers from irreparable damage because of topological defects and residual heteroatoms, which degrade the inherent properties of graphene. To restore its electrical transport properties, charge-transfer chemical doping with d-electron-rich heteroatoms has been proposed. Herein, we report the effects of atomic-level selenium doping in rGO. Using first-principles calculations, we found that selenium atoms could be selectively bonded in particular locations, such as the pseudo-edge sites of hole-cluster defects in the basal plane and edge defect sites of graphene; however, we found that the intrinsic topological defects of the basal plane were unfavorable for bonding. Numerous selenium atoms were introduced on the fully amorphorized rGO surface, inducing a dramatic change of its electrical transport properties by electron doping. The large metallic regions formed by the selenium atoms on rGOs led to the enhancement of electrical conductivity by 210 S cm–1 at 300 K. Moreover, the temperature-dependent conductivities (σ)/σ20K of selenium-doped rGOs (Se-rGOs) were almost constant in the temperature range of 20–300 K, indicating that the carrier mobility of Se-rGOs becomes temperature-independent after selenium doping, similar to that of pure graphene. Atomic-thin layers of selenium can turn microscale graphene oxide sheets into enhanced energy-storage devices, reports a new study. Graphene's extraordinary conductivity has attracted interest for applications such as battery anodes, but manufacturers seeking sizeable quantities often use reduced graphene oxide – chemically synthesized carbon films containing oxygen and other defects that hinder charge transport. Hyoung-Joon Jin from Inha University in South Korea and colleagues now demonstrate that heating graphene oxide with elemental selenium returns metal-like conductivity to the carbon sheet through a process called surface transfer doping. Scanning electron microscopy and first-principles calculations revealed that selenium atoms attach to surface edge defect sites and transfer electrons to graphene oxide. These dopants enabled graphene oxide to achieve a similar battery capacity and longevity as pure graphene when incorporated in a prototype lithium-ion device. Selenium atoms were selectively introduced in particular locations such as the pseudo-edge sites of hole-cluster defects in the basal plane and edge defect sites of the fully amorphorized surface of reduced graphene oxide (rGO), inducing a dramatic change of electrical transport properties of rGO by electron doping.

Graphite is the most widely used anode material for Li-ion batteries and is also considered a promising anode for K-ion batteries. However, Na+, a similar alkali ion to Li+ or K+, is incapable of being intercalated into graphite and thus, graphite is not considered a potential electrode for Na-ion batteries. This atypical behavior of Na has drawn considerable attention; however, a clear explanation of its origin has not yet been provided. Herein, through a systematic investigation of alkali metal graphite intercalation compounds (AM-GICs, AM = Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs) in various solvent environments, it is demonstrated that the unfavorable local Na-graphene interaction primarily leads to the instability of Na-GIC formation but can be effectively modulated by screening Na ions with solvent molecules. Moreover, it is shown that the reversible Na intercalation into graphite is possible only for specific conditions of electrolytes with respect to the Na-solvent solvation energy and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital level of the complexes. It is believed that these conditions are applicable to other electrochemical systems involving guest ions and an intercalation host and hint at a general strategy to tailor the electrochemical intercalation between pure guest ion intercalation and cointercalation.

Grid-scale energy storage systems (ESSs) that can connect to sustainable energy resources have received great attention in an effort to satisfy ever-growing energy demands. Although recent advances in Li-ion battery (LIB) technology have increased the energy density to a level applicable to grid-scale ESSs, the high cost of Li and transition metals have led to a search for lower-cost battery system alternatives. Based on the abundance and accessibility of Na and its similar electrochemistry to the well-established LIB technology, Na-ion batteries (NIBs) have attracted significant attention as an ideal candidate for grid-scale ESSs. Since research on NIB chemistry resurged in 2010, various positive and negative electrode materials have been synthesized and evaluated for NIBs. Nonetheless, studies on NIB chemistry are still in their infancy compared with LIB technology, and further improvements are required in terms of energy, power density, and electrochemical stability for commercialization. Most recent progress on electrode materials for NIBs, including the discovery of new electrode materials and their Na storage mechanisms, is briefly reviewed. In addition, efforts to enhance the electrochemical properties of NIB electrode materials as well as the challenges and perspectives involving these materials are discussed.