The microstructure and mechanical properties of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) in non-aqueous lithium ion batteries are key issues for understanding and optimizing the electrochemical performance of lithium batteries. In this report, the three-dimensional (3D) multi-layered structures and the mechanical properties of the SEI formed on a silicon anode material for next generation lithium...

Chemical energy storage using batteries will become increasingly important for future environmentally friendly ('green') societies. The lithium-ion battery is the most advanced energy storage system, but its application has been limited to portable electronics devices owing to cost and safety issues. State-of-the-art LiFePO4 technology as a new cathode material with surprisingly high charge-dis...

Liquid carbonate-based electrolytes are widely used in lithium ion batteries today. Dry polymer electrolytes are potential candidates for use in secondary lithium batteries because of ease of fabrication, good electrochemical stability, low flammability and toxicity with the ability to form good interfacial contact with electrodes. Conductivity and mechanical properties of dry electrolytes, how...

Restacked MoS(2) with enlarged c lattice parameter and surface area was prepared by exfoliation and restacking process, exhibiting high reversible lithium storage capacity and superior rate capability as anode material for lithium ion batteries.

A SnO2-N-doped graphene (SnO2-NG) composite is synthesized by a rapid, facile, one-step microwave-assisted solvothermal method. The composite exhibits excellent lithium storage capability and high durability, and is a promising anode material for lithium ion batteries.

Fossil fuels are our major source of energy, but they are depleting quickly. They also create major environmental issues such as climate change by causing the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. As a result, clean and renewable sources of energy such as solar, nuclear and wind are being considered as alternatives to fossil fuels. Some renewable energy sources are intermittent...

Lithium-based batteries possessing energy densities much higher than those of the conventional batteries belong to the most promising class of future energy devices. However, there are some fundamental issues related to their electrodes which are big roadblocks in their applications to electric vehicles (EVs). Nanochemistry has advantageous roles to overcome these problems by defining new nanos...

As a representative natural polymer with abundant functionalities, humic acid was creatively explored as an anode material for lithium ion batteries and sodium ion batteries with high storage capacities, and satisfactory cycling stabilities. Most impressively, this work provides a promising and effective strategy for developing organic energy storage devices from natural sources.

For the past decade the lithium-ion battery has had great success in powering many of our rechargeable energy needs. It’s ability to hold more energy than other conventional batteries is what has kept it at the top of the battery pyramid for more than a decade. However, to create a more sustainable future, scientists and engineers have continued to search for a battery technology that could one...

In the near future, the portable power market will demand greater specific energy and power from lithium battery technology. These requirements cannot be met by conventional batteries or through extrapolation of the capabilities of conventional systems. New materials and systems must be developed to meet these stringent future requirements. Nanomaterials offer a new exciting alternative to the ...