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  • A New Lithium Thioborate-Lithium Iodide Solid-State Electrolyte with High Ionic Conductivity for Lithium Metal Batteries ACS ENERGY LETTERS Holmes, S. E., Zhang, W., Kim, S., Cui, Y. 2024

    View details for DOI 10.1021/acsenergylett.4c00057

    View details for Web of Science ID 001195912900001

  • Recovery of isolated lithium through discharged state calendar ageing. Nature Zhang, W., Sayavong, P., Xiao, X., Oyakhire, S. T., Shuchi, S. B., Vilá, R. A., Boyle, D. T., Kim, S. C., Kim, M. S., Holmes, S. E., Ye, Y., Li, D., Bent, S. F., Cui, Y. 2024; 626 (7998): 306-312

    Abstract

    Rechargeable Li-metal batteries have the potential to more than double the specific energy of the state-of-the-art rechargeable Li-ion batteries, making Li-metal batteries a prime candidate for next-generation high-energy battery technology1-3. However, current Li-metal batteries suffer from fast cycle degradation compared with their Li-ion battery counterparts2,3, preventing their practical adoption. A main contributor to capacity degradation is the disconnection of Li from the electrochemical circuit, forming isolated Li4-8. Calendar ageing studies have shown that resting in the charged state promotes further reaction of active Li with the surrounding electrolyte9-12. Here we discover that calendar ageing in the discharged state improves capacity retention through isolated Li recovery, which is in contrast with the well-known phenomenon of capacity degradation observed during the charged state calendar ageing. Inactive capacity recovery is verified through observation of Coulombic efficiency greater than 100% on both Li||Cu half-cells and anode-free cells using a hybrid continuous-resting cycling protocol and with titration gas chromatography. An operando optical setup further confirms excess isolated Li reactivation as the predominant contributor to the increased capacity recovery. These insights into a previously unknown pathway for capacity recovery through discharged state resting emphasize the marked impact of cycling strategies on Li-metal battery performance.

    View details for DOI 10.1038/s41586-023-06992-8

    View details for PubMedID 38326593

    View details for PubMedCentralID 8580315

  • Experimental Discovery of a Fast and Stable Lithium Thioborate Solid Electrolyte, Li6+2x [B10S18]S- x (x approximate to 1) ACS ENERGY LETTERS Ma, Y., Wan, J., Xu, X., Sendek, A. D., Holmes, S. E., Ransom, B., Jiang, Z., Zhang, P., Xiao, X., Zhang, W., Xu, R., Liu, F., Ye, Y., Kaeli, E., Reed, E. J., Chueh, W. C., Cui, Y. 2023; 8 (6): 2762-2771

    View details for DOI 10.1021/acsenergylett.3c00560

    View details for Web of Science ID 001005978800001

  • Dissolution of the Solid Electrolyte Interphase and Its Effects on Lithium Metal Anode Cyclability. Journal of the American Chemical Society Sayavong, P., Zhang, W., Oyakhire, S. T., Boyle, D. T., Chen, Y., Kim, S. C., Vilá, R. A., Holmes, S. E., Kim, M. S., Bent, S. F., Bao, Z., Cui, Y. 2023

    Abstract

    At >95% Coulombic efficiencies, most of the capacity loss for Li metal anodes (LMAs) is through the formation and growth of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). However, the mechanism through which this happens remains unclear. One property of the SEI that directly affects its formation and growth is the SEI's solubility in the electrolyte. Here, we systematically quantify and compare the solubility of SEIs derived from ether-based electrolytes optimized for LMAs using in-operando electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM). A correlation among solubility, passivity, and cyclability established in this work reveals that SEI dissolution is a major contributor to the differences in passivity and electrochemical performance among battery electrolytes. Together with our EQCM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy results, we show that solubility depends on not only the SEI's composition but also the properties of the electrolyte. This provides a crucial piece of information that could help minimize capacity loss due to SEI formation and growth during battery cycling and aging.

    View details for DOI 10.1021/jacs.3c03195

    View details for PubMedID 37220230

  • Correlating the Formation Protocols of Solid Electrolyte Interphases with Practical Performance Metrics in Lithium Metal Batteries ACS ENERGY LETTERS Oyakhire, S. T., Zhang, W., Yu, Z., Holmes, S. E., Sayavong, P., Kim, S., Boyle, D. T., Kim, M., Zhang, Z., Cui, Y., Bent, S. F. 2023: 869-877

    View details for DOI 10.1021/acsenergylett.2c02137

    View details for Web of Science ID 000913929700001

  • Investigating the Cyclability and Stability at the Interfaces of Composite Solid Electrolytes in Li Metal Batteries. ACS applied materials & interfaces Holmes, S. E., Liu, F., Zhang, W., Sayavong, P., Oyakhire, S. T., Cui, Y. 2022

    Abstract

    Despite the fact that much work has been dedicated to finding the ideal additive for composite solid electrolytes (CSEs) for lithium-based solid-state batteries, little is known about the properties of a CSE that enable stable cycling with a lithium metal anode. In this work, we use three CSEs based on lithium nitride (Li3N), a fast lithium-ion conductor, and lithium hydroxide (LiOH) to investigate the properties and interfacial interactions that impact the cyclability of CSEs. We present a method for stabilizing Li3N with a shell of LiOH, and we incorporate Li3N, core-shell particles, and LiOH into CSEs using polyethylene oxide (PEO) and lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide. Through improved interfacial chemistry, CSEs with core-shell particles have superior electrochemical cycling performance compared to those with unprotected Li3N in symmetric Li-Li cells. This CSE features a high ionic conductivity of 0.66 mS cm-1 at 60 °C, a high critical current density of 1.2 mA cm-2, and a wide voltage window of 0-5.1 V. Full cells with the core-shell CSE and lithium iron phosphate cathodes exhibit stable cycling and high reversible specific capacities in cells as high as 2.5 mAh cm-2. We report that the improved ionic conductivity and amorphous PEO content have a limited effect on the solid-state electrolyte performance, while improving the electrolyte-Li metal anode interface is key to cycling longevity.

    View details for DOI 10.1021/acsami.2c14677

    View details for PubMedID 36416366