Issue 12, 2024

Microalloying induced stable welded interfaces for highly reversible zero-excess sodium metal batteries

Abstract

The noteworthy benefits of zero-excess sodium metal batteries (ZSMBs) regarding their energy density, sustainability, carbon footprint and cost make them a promising supplement or even substitute for lithium-ion batteries. Nevertheless, zero-excess sodium plating/stripping on an anode substrate encountered with sodium dendrite growth, inactive sodium generation and irreversible solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation make the improvement of the cycling stability of ZSMBs challenging. Herein, we discovered that structural instability and insufficient sodophilicity of the substrate interface are critical factors causing the irreversible sodium plating/stripping. Then, a microalloying welding strategy modified by nano-zinc coating was proposed to construct sodophilic interfaces and form a thin and robust organic/inorganic hybrid SEI in situ. This unique interface enables highly reversible sodium plating/stripping by improving the kinetic behavior of ion/electron exchange at the interface. Ultimately, ZSMBs assembled using this modified substrate with a highly loaded Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP) cathode (∼10.4 mg cm−2) can deliver 90.5% initial coulombic efficiency and cycling stability for more than 800 times at an average decay rate of 0.041% per cycle. More importantly, the microalloying welding approach delineated in this study offers valuable insights into the attainment of a robust sodophilic interface. This study proposes that overcoming the poor reversibility issue of sodium plating/stripping in ZSMBs requires attention not only to the substrate sodophilicity, but also to the stability of the interfacial structure and the characteristics of the SEI.

Graphical abstract: Microalloying induced stable welded interfaces for highly reversible zero-excess sodium metal batteries

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
10 Jan 2024
Accepted
07 May 2024
First published
15 May 2024

Energy Environ. Sci., 2024,17, 4228-4237

Microalloying induced stable welded interfaces for highly reversible zero-excess sodium metal batteries

C. Xie, H. Wu, K. Liang, Z. Ding, J. Dai, R. Zhang, Q. Zhang, D. Sun, Y. Ren, Y. Li, Y. Tang and H. Wang, Energy Environ. Sci., 2024, 17, 4228 DOI: 10.1039/D4EE00136B

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements