Complex interfacial phenomena and phase transformations that govern the operation of Li-ion batteries require detailed nanoscale 3D structural and compositional characterization that can be directly related to their capacity and electrical transport properties. For this purpose, we have designed model miniature all solid-state radial heterostructure Li-ion batteries composed of LiCoO2 cathode, ...

Carbon-coated olivine NaFePO(4) (C-NaFePO(4)) spherical particles with a uniform diameter of ∼80 nm are obtained by chemical delithiation and subsequent electrochemical sodiation of carbon-coated olivine LiFePO(4) (C-LiFePO(4)), which is synthesized by a solvothermal method. The C-NaFePO(4) electrodes are identical (particle size, particle size distribution, surface coating, and active material...

Introduction Batteries with lithium-ion chemistry are the preferred candidate to power hybrid and electric vehicles (HEVs), due to their high power density (up to 150 Wh/kg), short charging time, minimal memory effects and selfdischarge (around 5% per month), and long cycling life [1]. Nonetheless, thermal management of large-scale lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries during high current charge and d...

Lithium-ion batteries are shipped worldwide with many limitations implemented to ensure safety and to prevent loss of cargo. Many of the transportation guidelines focus on new batteries; however, the shipment requirements for used or degraded batteries are less clear. Current international regulations regarding the air transport of lithium-ion batteries are critically reviewed. The pre-shipping...

The electrochemical performance of mesoporous carbon (C)/tin (Sn) anodes in Na-ion and Li-ion batteries is systematically investigated. The mesoporous C/Sn anodes in a Na-ion battery shows similar cycling stability but lower capacity and poorer rate capability than that in a Li-ion battery. The desodiation potentials of Sn anodes are approximately 0.21 V lower than delithiation potentials. The ...

The electronic and adsorption properties of graphene can be changed significantly through substitutional doping with nitrogen and nitrogen decoration of vacancies. Here ab initio density functional theory with a dispersion correction was used to investigate the stability, magnetic and adsorption properties of nine defects in graphene, including both nitrogen substitutional doping and nitrogen d...

Aqueous lithium ion batteries have been widely considered as promising "green" batteries due to several advantages, such as low toxicity, low cost, high safety, as well as high ion conductivity. But unlike the great effort devoted to understanding the lithium insertion/extraction process in non-aqueous lithium ion batteries, the knowledge about this in aqueous electrolytes is still lacking rese...

Boosted by the rapid advances of science and technology in the field of energy materials, Li-ion batteries have achieved significant progress in energy storage performance since their commercial debut in 1991. The development of nanostructured electrode material is regarded as one of the key potentials for the further advancement in Li-ion batteries. This feature article summarizes our recent e...

Prevention and mitigation of thermal runaway presents one of the greatest challenges for the safe operation of lithium-ion batteries. Here, we demonstrate for the first time the application of high-speed synchrotron X-ray computed tomography and radiography, in conjunction with thermal imaging, to track the evolution of internal structural damage and thermal behaviour during initiation and prop...

In this paper, a data set of Lithium-ion (Li-ion) laptop batteries has been studied with the aim of investigating the potential reusability of laptop batteries. This type of rechargeable batteries is popular due to their energy efficiency and high reliability. Therefore, understanding the life cycle of these batteries and improving the recycling process is becoming increasingly important. The r...