Sodium Cyclopentadienide as a New Type of Electrolyte for Sodium Batteries

Owing to the low cost and high abundance of sodium, sodium‐based batteries, especially those employing metallic sodium anodes, are considered for post‐lithium energy storage. In order to develop high‐performance and long‐lasting sodium‐metal batteries, however, the reversible Na‐metal stripping and plating challenge must be addressed. Most organic electrolytes suffer from non‐uniform and continuous formation of the solid electrolyte interphase as well as unfavorable dendritic growth. The use of sodium cyclopentadienide dissolved in tetrahydrofuran as the electrolyte reveals an improved reversibility of sodium dissolution and electrodeposition combined with an electrochemical stability window of around 2.2 V vs. Na/Na+ and an ionic conductivity of 1.36 mS cm−1 at 25 °C. Furthermore, the plated electrodes showed a remarkable morphology of the Na deposits, that is, no dendrite formation, whereby the above‐mentioned electrolyte could overcome the aforementioned cycling issues, thus suggesting suitability for further studies

Assessing the reactivity of hard carbon anodes : linking material properties with electrochemical response upon sodium‐ and lithium‐ion storage

Hard carbon (HC) is the negative electrode (anode) material of choice for sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). Despite its advantages in terms of cost and sustainability, a comprehensive understanding of its microstructure is not complete yet, thus hindering a rational design of high‐performance HC electrodes. In this study, rather than investigating how the precursor and synthesis method influence on the electrochemical properties of HC anodes, we examine the microstructure and surface chemistry of three optimized HC anodes obtained from different precursors by using different synthesis routes. The main goal is to evaluate the influence of the final materials properties (in their optimized state) on the electrochemical reactivity in lithium and sodium cells after a comprehensive structural characterization performed by means of X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), wide‐angle X‐ray scattering (WAXS), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and gas sorption measurements. The different electrochemical performance observed in terms of cycling stability and rate capability, and the stability of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formed on the various HCs have been comprehensively investigated. A correlation of the material properties with their electrochemical response upon sodium and lithium uptake and release is clarified. By comparing the Na‐ and Li‐ion storage behavior, a structure‐function relation is identified

Die Bedeutung der Ortsidentität für die Landschaftswahrnehmung am Beispiel von Windenergieanlagen

In einer empirischen Studie sollte der Zusammenhang zwischen der Ortsidentität bzw. heimatlichen Bindung und des wahrgenommenen Erholungswerts untersucht werden. Hierfür wurden Ansätze des Ortsbindungsmodells von Scannell und Gifford (Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30(1), 1–10, 2010a) sowie für der Erholungswert die Attention Restoration Theory von Kaplan und Kaplan (The experience of nature. A psychological perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) operationalisiert. Mit einem auf Fotos und Visualisierungen aus dem Forschungsvorhaben „Szenarien für den Ausbau der Erneuerbaren Energien aus Naturschutzsicht“, das durch das BfN aus Mitteln des BMUB gefördert wird, aufgebauten Onlinefragebogen wurden 452 Personen erreicht. Es zeigte sich ein starker Zusammenhang zwischen heimatlicher Bindung und Erholungswert über alle dargestellten Landschaften. Der durchgehend negative Effekt von Windenergieanlagen auf Erholungswert und der Bindung an die Heimat fiel je nach Landschaft jedoch sehr unterschiedlich aus. Insbesondere Hinweise auf einen Zusammenhang zwischen tatsächlichem Wohnort und der Wahrnehmung der Veränderungen werfen weitere Fragen auf

Sodium Cyclopentadienide as a New Type of Electrolyte for Sodium Batteries

Owing to the low cost and high abundance of sodium, sodium‐based batteries, especially those employing metallic sodium anodes, are considered for post‐lithium energy storage. In order to develop high‐performance and long‐lasting sodium‐metal batteries, however, the reversible Na‐metal stripping and plating challenge must be addressed. Most organic electrolytes suffer from non‐uniform and continuous formation of the solid electrolyte interphase as well as unfavorable dendritic growth. The use of sodium cyclopentadienide dissolved in tetrahydrofuran as the electrolyte reveals an improved reversibility of sodium dissolution and electrodeposition combined with an electrochemical stability window of around 2.2 V vs. Na/Na+ and an ionic conductivity of 1.36 mS cm−1 at 25 °C. Furthermore, the plated electrodes showed a remarkable morphology of the Na deposits, that is, no dendrite formation, whereby the above‐mentioned electrolyte could overcome the aforementioned cycling issues, thus suggesting suitability for further studies