All Publications


  • Graphene coating on silicon anodes enabled by thermal surface modification for high-energy lithium-ion batteries MRS BULLETIN Kim, S., Huang, W., Zhang, Z., Wang, J., Kim, Y., Jeong, Y., Oyakhire, S. T., Yang, Y., Cui, Y. 2022
  • Scalable, Ultrathin, and High-Temperature-Resistant Solid Polymer Electrolytes for Energy-Dense Lithium Metal Batteries ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS Ma, Y., Wan, J., Yang, Y., Ye, Y., Xiao, X., Boyle, D. T., Burke, W., Huang, Z., Chen, H., Cui, Y., Yu, Z., Oyakhire, S. T. 2022
  • All-Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries Enhanced by Redox Mediators. Journal of the American Chemical Society Gao, X., Zheng, X., Tsao, Y., Zhang, P., Xiao, X., Ye, Y., Li, J., Yang, Y., Xu, R., Bao, Z., Cui, Y. 2021

    Abstract

    Redox mediators (RMs) play a vital role in some liquid electrolyte-based electrochemical energy storage systems. However, the concept of redox mediator in solid-state batteries remains unexplored. Here, we selected a group of RM candidates and investigated their behaviors and roles in all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries (ASSLSBs). The soluble-type quinone-based RM (AQT) shows the most favorable redox potential and the best redox reversibility that functions well for lithium sulfide (Li2S) oxidation in solid polymer electrolytes. Accordingly, Li2S cathodes with AQT RMs present a significantly reduced energy barrier (average oxidation potential of 2.4 V) during initial charging at 0.1 C at 60 °C and the following discharge capacity of 1133 mAh gs-1. Using operando sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we directly tracked the sulfur speciation in ASSLSBs and proved that the solid-polysulfide-solid reaction of Li2S cathodes with RMs facilitated Li2S oxidation. In contrast, for bare Li2S cathodes, the solid-solid Li2S-sulfur direct conversion in the first charge cycle results in a high energy barrier for activation (charge to 4 V) and low sulfur utilization. The Li2S@AQT cell demonstrates superior cycling stability (average Coulombic efficiency 98.9% for 150 cycles) and rate capability owing to the effective AQT-enhanced Li-S reaction kinetics. This work reveals the evolution of sulfur species in ASSLSBs and realizes the fast Li-S reaction kinetics by designing an effective sulfur speciation pathway.

    View details for DOI 10.1021/jacs.1c07754

    View details for PubMedID 34677957

  • Free-standing ultrathin lithium metal-graphene oxide host foils with controllable thickness for lithium batteries NATURE ENERGY Chen, H., Yang, Y., Boyle, D. T., Jeong, Y., Xu, R., de Vasconcelos, L., Huang, Z., Wang, H., Wang, H., Huang, W., Li, H., Wang, J., Gu, H., Matsumoto, R., Motohashi, K., Nakayama, Y., Zhao, K., Cui, Y. 2021
  • Ultralight and fire-extinguishing current collectors for high-energy and high-safety lithium-ion batteries NATURE ENERGY Ye, Y., Chou, L., Liu, Y., Wang, H., Lee, H., Huang, W., Wan, J., Liu, K., Zhou, G., Yang, Y., Yang, A., Xiao, X., Gao, X., Boyle, D., Chen, H., Zhang, W., Kim, S., Cui, Y. 2020; 5 (10): 786–93