Cross-linked beta alumina nanowires with compact gel polymer electrolyte coating for ultra-stable sodium metal battery

Journal Article · 18 September 2019 · Nature Communications

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-11960-w · OSTI ID:1624189

Lei, Danni ^[1]; He, Yan-Bing ^[2]; Huang, Huijuan ^[3]; Yuan, Yifei  ^[4]; Zhong, Guiming ^[5]; Zhao, Qiang ^[2]; Hao, Xiaoge ^[2]; Zhang, Danfeng ^[2]; Lai, Chen ^[6]; Zhang, Siwei ^[7]; Ma, Jiabin ^[2]; Wei, Yinping ^[2]; Yu, Qipeng ^[2]; Lv, Wei ^[2]; Yu, Yan ^[8]; Li, Baohua ^[2]; Yang, Quan-Hong ^[9]; Yang, Yong  ^[10]; Lu, Jun  ^[4]; Kang, Feiyu ^[11]

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1. Shenzhen Geim Graphene Center, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China; State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; DOE/OSTI
2. Shenzhen Geim Graphene Center, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
3. Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
4. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division
5. Xiamen Institute of Rare Earth Materials, Haixi institutes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China
6. School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
7. Shenzhen Environmental Science and New Energy Technology Engineering Laboratory, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute (TBSI), Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
8. Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China; Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy (DNL), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Dalian, Liaoning, China
9. Nanoyang Group, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
10. State Key Laboratory for Physical Chemistry of Solid Surface, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
11. Shenzhen Geim Graphene Center, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen Environmental Science and New Energy Technology Engineering Laboratory, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute (TBSI), Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China

Sodium metal batteries have potentially high energy densities, but severe sodium-dendrite growth and side reactions prevent their practical applications, especially at high temperatures. Herein, we design an inorganic ionic conductor/gel polymer electrolyte composite, where uniformly cross-linked beta alumina nanowires are compactly coated by a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene)-based gel polymer electrolyte through their strong molecular interactions. These beta alumina nanowires combined with the gel polymer layer create dense and homogeneous solid-liquid hybrid sodium-ion transportation channels through and along the nanowires, which promote uniform sodium deposition and formation of a stable and flat solid electrolyte interface on the sodium metal anode. Side reactions between the sodium metal and liquid electrolyte, as well as sodium dendrite formation, are successfully suppressed, especially at 60 °C. The sodium vanadium phosphate/sodium full cells with composite electrolyte exhibit 95.3% and 78.8% capacity retention after 1000 cycles at 1C at 25 °C and 60 °C, respectively.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Transportation Office. Vehicle Technologies Office; National Key Research Program; National Natural Science Foundation of China; Local Innovative Research Teams Project of Guangdong Pearl River Talents Program; Guangdong special support program; Guangdong Province Technical Plan Project; Shenzhen Technical Plan Project; DNL cooperation Fund, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 1624189
• Journal Information: Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 10; ISSN 2041-1723
• Publisher: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English