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...

To evaluate the potential of Na-ion batteries, we contrast in this work the difference between Na-ion and Li-ion based intercalation chemistries in terms of three key battery properties – voltage, phase stability and diffusion barriers. The compounds investigated comprise the layered AMO2 and AMS2 structures, the olivine and maricite AMPO4 structures, and the NASICON A3V2(PO4)3 structures. The ...

This thesis focuses broadly on characterizing and understanding the Li intercalation mechanism in phospho-olivines, namely LiFePO 4 and Li(Fe,Mn)P0 4, using first-principles calculations. Currently Li-ion battery technology is critically relied upon for the operation of electrified vehicles, but further improvements mainly in cathode performance are required to ensure widespread adoption, which...

The effects of Li deposition on hydrogenated bilayer graphene on SiC(0001) samples, i.e. on quasi-freestanding bilayer graphene samples is studied using low energy electron microscopy, micro-low-energy electron diffraction and photoelectron spectroscopy. After deposition, some Li atoms form islands on the surface creating defects that are observed to disappear after annealing. Some other Li ato...

Iron containing CeVO4 films were prepared using the sol–gel method. The crystalline structure of powders and films with Fe/Ce/V ratios of 0.1:1:1, 0.3:1:1 and 0.5:1:1 were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. XRD revealed the predominance of a CeVO4-W (wakefieldite) crystalline phase with a small amount of monoclinic CeVO4, CeO2 and Fe2O3. Ex situ IR absorbanc...

Since the commercialization of rechargeable Li ion batteries in early 1990 s, performance these devices has continually improved. In such batteries, graphite is typically used as negative electrode and present work examined reaction mechanisms at electrodes based on operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction analyses during charge/discharge. The resulting in-plane patterns Li-intercalated permitted...

Adsorption on a surface or intercalation in a bulk solid involves strong particle interactions which go beyond dilute solution theory. For example, in fuel cell, the hydrogen molecules need to attach onto the Pt catalyst and then split into two atoms or protons to be further reacted. Similarly, in Li ion battery, Li must be intercalated into the host crystal and then react with the active mater...

A novel approach for bulk synthesis of lithium-intercalated graphene sheets through the reduction of exfoliated graphene oxide in liquid ammonia and lithium metal is reported. It is demonstrated here that as-synthesized lithiated graphite oxide sheets (Li-RGO) can be directly used as an electrode material in lithium batteries. The electrochemical studies on Li-RGO electrodes show a significant ...

Graphite, the dominant anode in rechargeable lithium batteries, operates at ∼ 0.1 V versus Li(+)/Li and can result in lithium plating on the graphite surface, raising safety concerns. Titanates, for example, Li4Ti5O12, intercalate lithium at ∼ 1.6 V versus Li(+)/Li, avoiding problematic lithium plating at the expense of reduced cell voltage. There is interest in 1 V anodes, as this voltage is s...