Gangbin Yan

All Publications

• Identifying critical features of iron phosphate particle for lithium preference. Nature communications Yan, G., Wei, J., Apodaca, E., Choi, S., Eng, P. J., Stubbs, J. E., Han, Y., Zou, S., Bera, M. K., Wu, R., Karapetrova, E., Zhou, H., Chen, W., Liu, C. 2024; 15 (1): 4859

  Abstract

  One-dimensional (1D) olivine iron phosphate (FePO4) is widely proposed for electrochemical lithium (Li) extraction from dilute water sources, however, significant variations in Li selectivity were observed for particles with different physical attributes. Understanding how particle features influence Li and sodium (Na) co-intercalation is crucial for system design and enhancing Li selectivity. Here, we investigate a series of FePO4 particles with various features and revealed the importance of harnessing kinetic and chemo-mechanical barrier difference between lithiation and sodiation to promote selectivity. The thermodynamic preference of FePO4 provides baseline of selectivity while the particle features are critical to induce different kinetic pathways and barriers, resulting in different Li to Na selectivity from 6.2 × 102 to 2.3 × 104. Importantly, we categorize the FePO4 particles into two groups based on their distinctly paired phase evolutions upon lithiation and sodiation, and generate quantitative correlation maps among Li preference, morphological features, and electrochemical properties. By selecting FePO4 particles with specific features, we demonstrate fast (636 mA/g) Li extraction from a high Li source (1: 100 Li to Na) with (96.6 ± 0.2)% purity, and high selectivity (2.3 × 104) from a low Li source (1: 1000 Li to Na) with (95.8 ± 0.3)% purity in a single step.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-49191-3

  View details for PubMedID 38849339

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC11161493

• The role of solid solutions in iron phosphate-based electrodes for selective electrochemical lithium extraction. Nature communications Yan, G., Kim, G., Yuan, R., Hoenig, E., Shi, F., Chen, W., Han, Y., Chen, Q., Zuo, J. M., Chen, W., Liu, C. 2022; 13 (1): 4579

  Abstract

  Electrochemical intercalation can enable lithium extraction from dilute water sources. However, during extraction, co-intercalation of lithium and sodium ions occurs, and the response of host materials to this process is not fully understood. This aspect limits the rational materials designs for improving lithium extraction. Here, to address this knowledge gap, we report one-dimensional (1D) olivine iron phosphate (FePO4) as a model host to investigate the co-intercalation behavior and demonstrate the control of lithium selectivity through intercalation kinetic manipulations. Via computational and experimental investigations, we show that lithium and sodium tend to phase separate in the host. Exploiting this mechanism, we increase the sodium-ion intercalation energy barrier by using partially filled 1D lithium channels via non-equilibrium solid-solution lithium seeding or remnant lithium in the solid-solution phases. The lithium selectivity enhancement after seeding shows a strong correlation with the fractions of solid-solution phases with high lithium content (i.e., LixFePO4 with 0.5 ≤ x < 1). Finally, we also demonstrate that the solid-solution formation pathway depends on the host material's particle morphology, size and defect content.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41467-022-32369-y

  View details for PubMedID 35931691

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC9355959

• Defining the challenges of Li extraction with olivine host: The roles of competitor and spectator ions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Yan, G., Wang, M., Hill, G. T., Zou, S., Liu, C. 2022; 119 (31): e2200751119

  Abstract

  The lithium supply issue mainly lies in the inability of current mining methods to access lithium sources of dilute concentrations and complex chemistry. Electrochemical intercalation has emerged as a highly selective method for lithium extraction; however, limited source compositions have been studied, which is insufficient to predict its applicability to the wide range of unconventional water sources (UWS). This work addresses the feasibility and identifies the challenges of Li extraction by electrochemical intercalation from UWS, by answering three questions: 1) Is there enough Li in UWS? 2) How would the solution compositions affect the competition of Li+ to major ions (Na+/Mg2+/K+/Ca2+)? 3) Does the complex solution composition affect the electrode stability? Using one-dimensional olivine FePO4 as the model electrode, we show the complicated roles of major ions. Na+ acts as the competitor ion for host storage sites. The competition from Na+ grants Mg2+ and Ca2+ being only the spectator ions. However, Mg2+ and Ca2+ can significantly affect the charge transfer of Li+ and Na+, therefore affecting the Li selectivity. We point to improving the selectivity of Li+ to Na+ as the key challenge for broadening the minable UWS using the olivine host.

  View details for DOI 10.1073/pnas.2200751119

  View details for PubMedID 35878020

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC9351491

• Lithium Extraction from Seawater through Pulsed Electrochemical Intercalation JOULE Liu, C., Li, Y., Lin, D., Hsu, P., Liu, B., Yan, G., Wu, T., Cui, Y., Chu, S. 2020; 4 (7): 1459–69

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.joule.2020.05.017

  View details for Web of Science ID 000551427400014

• Mn<SUP>III</SUP>-enriched α-MnO₂ nanowires as efficient bifunctional oxygen catalysts for rechargeable Zn-air batteries ENERGY STORAGE MATERIALS Gu, Y., Yan, G., Lian, Y., Qi, P., Mu, Q., Zhang, C., Deng, Z., Peng, Y. 2019; 23: 252-260

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.ensm.2019.05.006

  View details for Web of Science ID 000495867200024

• Phase and Morphology Transformation of MnO₂ Induced by Ionic Liquids toward Efficient Water Oxidation ACS CATALYSIS Yan, G., Lian, Y., Gu, Y., Yang, C., Sun, H., Mu, Q., Li, Q., Zhu, W., Zheng, X., Chen, M., Zhu, J., Deng, Z., Peng, Y. 2018; 8 (11): 10137-10147

  View details for DOI 10.1021/acscatal.8b02203

  View details for Web of Science ID 000449723900025