Phase-controlled electrochemical activity of epitaxial Mg-spinel thin films

Journal Article · Mon Dec 07 04:00:00 EST 2015 · ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.5b09346· OSTI ID:1329129

Feng, Zhenxing ^[1]; Chen, Xiao ^[2]; Qiao, Liang ^[3]; Lipson, Albert L. ^[1]; Fister, Timothy T. ^[1]; Zeng, Li ^[2]; Kim, Chunjoong ^[4]; Yi, Tanghong ^[4]; Sa, Niya ^[1]; Proffit, Danielle L. ^[1]; Burrell, Anthony K. ^[1]; Cabana, Jordi ^[4]; Ingram, Brian J. ^[1]; Biegalski, Michael D. ^[3]; Bedzyk, Michael J. ^[2]; Fenter, Paul ^[1]

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1. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Lemont, IL (United States)
2. Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)
3. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
4. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Lemont, IL (United States); Univ. of Illinois, Chicago, IL (United States)

We report an approach to control the reversible electrochemical activity (i.e., extraction/insertion) of Mg²⁺ in a cathode host through the use of phase-pure epitaxially stabilized thin film structures. The epitaxially stabilized MgMn₂O₄. (MMO) thin films in the distinct tetragonal and cubic phases are shown to exhibit dramatically different properties (in a nonaqueous electrolyte, Mg(TFSI)₂ in propylene carbonate): tetragonal MMO shows negligible activity while the cubic MMO (normally found as polymorph at high temperature or high pressure) exhibits reversible Mg²⁺ activity with associated changes in film structure and Mn oxidation state. Lastly, these results demonstrate a novel strategy for identifying the factors that control multivalent cation mobility in next generation battery materials.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1329129
• Journal Information: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, Journal Name: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces Journal Issue: 51 Vol. 7; ISSN 1944-8244
• Publisher: American Chemical Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
Mg-spinel
epitaxial phase stabilization
multivalent insertion
phase-selective electrochemical activity
pulsed laser deposition