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Li-CO2 batteries (LCBs) have emerged as promising solutions for energy storage, with the added benefit of contributing to carbon neutrality by capturing and utilizing CO2 during operation. In this study, a high-performance LCB was developed using a Ge-doped LiAlGeTi (PO4)3 (LAGTP) solid electrolyte, which was synthesized via a solution-based method by doping Ge into NASICON-type LATP. The ionic conductivity of the LAGTP pellets was measured as 1.04 × 10−3 S/cm at 25 °C. The LCB utilizing LAGTP and an MWCNT/Ru cathode maintained a stable cycling performance over 200 cycles at a current density of 100 mA/g, with a cut-off capacity of 500 mAh/g. Post-cycle analysis confirmed the reversible electrochemical reactions at the cathode. The integration of LAGTP as a solid electrolyte effectively enhanced the ionic conductivity and improved the cycle life and performance of the LCB. This study highlights the potential of Ge-doped NASICON-type solid electrolytes for advanced energy-storage technologies and offers a pathway for developing sustainable and high-performance LCBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Li–S batteries are promising large-scale energy storage systems but currently suffer from performance issues; a major reason is the dissolution of polysulfides in electrolytes. To this end, we report a high-energy-density Lithium–Sulfur (Li–S) battery that combines a catholyte and a sulfur-free carbon nanofiber (CNF) cathode. The cathode was synthesized by carbonizing binder-free polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers, affording a high surface area. In the catholyte, added polysulfides acted as both conductive Li salts and active materials. Investigating the electrochemical performance of this concept in both Swagelok- and pouch-type cells afforded energy densities exceeding 3 mAh cm−2 at a discharge rate of 0.1 C. This combination could also be utilized in high-capacity pouch cells with capacities of up to 250 mAh g−1. Both cell types exhibited good cycle performance. Adding LiNO3 to the electrolyte suppressed the redox shuttle reactions. Moreover, the cathode being binder-free increased the energy density and simplified cathode fabrication. Characterizing the cathode before and after cycling revealed that deposition was reversible, and that cell reactions at least partially formed sulfur as the end product, resulting in high sulfur amounts in the cell. We expect our concept to greatly aid in the development of practically applicable Li–S cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports an integrated device in which a lithium-ion battery (LIB) and Si solar cells are interconnected. The LIB is fabricated using the Li(Ni0.65Co0.15Mn0.20)O2 (NCM622) cathode and the Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) anode. The surface and shape morphologies of the NCM and LTO powders were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). In addition, the structural properties were thoroughly examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Further, their electrochemical characterization was carried out on a potentiostat. The specific discharge capacity of the NCM cathode (half-cell) was 188.09 mAh/g at 0.1 C current density. In further experiments, the NCM-LTO full-cell has also shown an excellent specific capacity of 160 mAh/g at a high current density of 1 C. Additionally, the capacity retention was outstanding, with 99.63% at 1 C after 50 cycles. Moreover, to meet the charging voltage requirements of the NCM-LTO full-cell, six Si solar cells were connected in series. The open-circuit voltage (VOC) and the short-circuit photocurrent density (JSC) for the Si solar cells were 3.37 V and 5.42 mA/cm2. The calculated fill factor (FF) and efficiency for the Si solar cells were 0.796 and 14.54%, respectively. Lastly, the integrated device has delivered a very high-power conversion-storage efficiency of 7.95%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]