Issue 14, 2020

A thermodynamically stable quasi-liquid interface for dendrite-free sodium metal anodes

Abstract

Dendrite-associated cell degradation is a key challenge to the practical application of sodium metal anodes. Here, we present that incorporation of a tiny amount of mercury into sodium generates a unique quasi-liquid interface that affords long-term cycling stability. This amalgam layer allows fast electron transfer and sodium migration at the electrolyte–electrode interphase, which significantly promote the cycling performance over 5000 h with a practically desired capacity of 2 mA h cm−2 and a current density of 8 mA cm−2. In situ optical microscopy analyses confirm that dendrite nucleation and growth can be remarkably suppressed with the amalgam-protected anodes. Prototype full cells also demonstrate a much improved rate and long-term cycling stability. These promising results provide new perspectives on the regulation of sodium electrodeposition by introducing low-melting metals and hence the elimination of the dendritic morphology for the practical development of sodium metal batteries.

Graphical abstract: A thermodynamically stable quasi-liquid interface for dendrite-free sodium metal anodes

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
20 Feb 2020
Accepted
09 Mar 2020
First published
09 Mar 2020

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2020,8, 6822-6827

A thermodynamically stable quasi-liquid interface for dendrite-free sodium metal anodes

Q. Zhang, M. Hu, J. He, X. Liu, G. He and Y. Ding, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2020, 8, 6822 DOI: 10.1039/D0TA02016H

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