Advancements in Addressing Microcrack Formation in Ni–Rich Layered Oxide Cathodes for Lithium–Ion Batteries

Nickel–rich layered oxides of LiNi$_{1–x–y}$CoxMn(Al)yO2 (where 1–x–y > 0.6) are considered promising cathode active materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their high reversible capacity and energy density. However, the widespread application of NCM(A) is limited by microstructural degradation caused by the anisotropic shrinkage and expansion of primary particles during the H2!H3 phase transition. In this mini–review, we comprehensively discuss the formation of microcracks, subsequent material degradation, and related alleviation strategies in nickel–rich layered NCM(A). Firstly, theories on microcracks’ formation and evolution mechanisms are presented and critically analyzed. Secondly, recent advancements in mitigation strategies to prevent degradation in Ni–rich NCM/NCA are highlighted. These strategies include doping, surface coating, structural optimization, and morphology engineering. Finally, we provide an outlook and perspective to identify promising strategies that may enable the practical application of Ni–rich NCM/NCA in commercial settings

Enhanced electrochemical properties of LiFePO4 by Mo-substitution and graphitic carbon-coating via a facile and fast microwave-assisted solid-state reaction

A composite cathode material for lithium ion battery applications, Mo-doped LiFePO4/C, is obtained through a facile and fast microwave-assisted synthesis method. Rietveld analysis of LiFePO4-based structural models using synchrotron X-ray diffraction data shows that Mo-ions substitute onto the Fe sites and displace Fe-ions to the Li sites. Supervalent Mo6+ doping can act to introduce Li ion vacancies due to the charge compensation effect and therefore facilitate lithium ion diffusion during charging/discharging. Transmission electron microscope images demonstrate that the pure and doped LiFePO4 nanoparticles were uniformly covered by an approximately 5 nm thin layer of graphitic carbon. Amorphous carbon on the graphitic carbon-coated pure and doped LiFePO4 particles forms a three-dimensional (3D) conductive carbon network, effectively improving the conductivity of these materials. The combined effects of Mo-doping and the 3D carbon network dramatically enhance the electrochemical performance of these LiFePO4 cathodes. In particular, Mo-doped LiFePO4/C delivers a reversible capacity of 162 mA h g(-1) at a current of 0.5 C and shows enhanced capacity retention compared to that of undoped LiFePO4/C. Moreover, the electrode exhibits excellent rate capability, with an associated high discharge capacity and good electrochemical reversibility

Striatal N-Acetylaspartate Synthetase Shati/Nat8l Regulates Depression-Like Behaviors via mGluR3-Mediated Serotonergic Suppression in Mice

Background: Several clinical studies have suggested that N-acetylaspartate and N-acetylaspartylglutamate levels in the human brain are associated with various psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder. We have previously identified Shati/Nat8l, an N-acetyltransferase, in the brain using an animal model of psychosis. Shati/Nat8l synthesizes N-acetylaspartate from L-aspartate and acetyl-coenzyme A. Further, N-acetylaspartate is converted into N-acetylaspartylglutamate, a neurotransmitter for metabotropic glutamate receptor 3.Methods: Because Shati/Nat8l mRNA levels were increased in the dorsal striatum of mice following the exposure to forced swimming stress, Shati/Nat8l was overexpressed in mice by the microinjection of adeno-associated virus vectors containing Shati/Nat8l gene into the dorsal striatum (dS-Shati/Nat8l mice). The dS-Shati/Nat8l mice were further assessed using behavioral and neurochemical tests.Results: The dS-Shati/Nat8l mice exhibited behavioral despair in the forced swimming and tail suspension tests and social withdrawal in the 3-chamber social interaction test. These depression-like behaviors were attenuated by the administration of a metabotropic glutamate receptor 2/3 antagonist and a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Furthermore, the metabolism of N-acetylaspartate to N-acetylaspartylglutamate was decreased in the dorsal striatum of the dS-Shati/Nat8l mice. This finding corresponded with the increased expression of glutamate carboxypeptidase II, an enzyme that metabolizes Nacetylaspartylglutamate present in the extracellular space. Extracellular serotonin levels were lower in the dorsal striatum of the dS-Shati/Nat8l and normal mice that were repeatedly administered a selective glutamate carboxypeptidase II inhibitor.Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the striatal expression of N-acetylaspartate synthetase Shati/Nat8l plays a role in major depressive disorder via the metabotropic glutamate receptor 3-mediated functional control of the serotonergic neuronal system

CdSe Ring- and Tribulus-Shaped Nanocrystals: Controlled Synthesis, Growth Mechanism, and Photoluminescence Properties

With air-stable and generic reagents, CdSe nanocrystals with tunable morphologies were prepared by controlling the temperature in the solution reaction route. Thereinto, the lower reaction temperature facilitates the anisotropic growth of crystals to obtain high-yield CdSe ring- and tribulus-shaped nanocrystals with many branches on their surfaces. The photoluminescence properties are sensitive to the nature of particle and its surface. The products synthesized at room temperature, whose surfaces have many branches, show higher blue shift and narrower emission linewidths (FWHM) of photoluminescence than that of samples prepared at higher temperature, whose surfaces have no branches. Microstructural studies revealed that the products formed through self-assembly of primary crystallites. Nanorings formed through the nonlinear attachment of primary crystallites, and the branches on the surfaces grew by linear attachment at room temperature. And the structure of tribulus-shaped nanoparticle was realized via two steps of aggregation, i.e., random and linear oriented aggregation. Along with the elevation of temperature, the branches on nanocrystal surfaces shortened gradually because of the weakened linear attachment

Enhanced electrochemical properties of LiFePO4 by Mo-substitution and graphitic carbon-coating via a facile and fast microwave-assisted solid-state reaction

A composite cathode material for lithium ion battery applications, Mo-doped LiFePO4/C, is obtained through a facile and fast microwave-assisted synthesis method. Rietveld analysis of LiFePO4-based structural models using synchrotron X-ray diffraction data shows that Mo-ions substitute onto the Fe sites and displace Fe-ions to the Li sites. Supervalent Mo6+ doping can act to introduce Li ion vacancies due to the charge compensation effect and therefore facilitate lithium ion diffusion during charging/discharging. Transmission electron microscope images demonstrate that the pure and doped LiFePO4 nanoparticles were uniformly covered by an approximately 5 nm thin layer of graphitic carbon. Amorphous carbon on the graphitic carbon-coated pure and doped LiFePO4 particles forms a three-dimensional (3D) conductive carbon network, effectively improving the conductivity of these materials. The combined effects of Mo-doping and the 3D carbon network dramatically enhance the electrochemical performance of these LiFePO4 cathodes. In particular, Mo-doped LiFePO4/C delivers a reversible capacity of 162 mA h g(-1) at a current of 0.5 C and shows enhanced capacity retention compared to that of undoped LiFePO4/C. Moreover, the electrode exhibits excellent rate capability, with an associated high discharge capacity and good electrochemical reversibility

Preparation, microstructure and electrochemical performance of nanoparticles LiMn2O3.9Br0.1

LiMn2O3.9Br0.1 nanoparticles were prepared by a room-temperature solid-state coordination method. The structure and morphology of the as-prepared materials were analyzed by X-ray diffractometry and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the LiMn2O3.9Br0.1 is well-crystallized and consists of monodispersed nanoparticles 80–100 nm in size. Results of electrochemical testing show that the samples prepared at different temperatures have similar electrochemical performance. The initial discharge capacities of LiMn2O3.9Br0.1 prepared at 800 °C and 700 °C are 121 mAh g− 1 and 118.9 mAh g− 1, respectively, higher than for LiMn2O4 prepared using the same method

Preparation and electrochemical performance of LiFePO4-xFx/C nanorods by room-temperature solid-state reaction and microwave heating

LiFePO4−x F x /C nanorods were prepared by room-temperature solid-state reaction and microwave heating. The structure and morphology of the as-prepared materials were analyzed by X-ray diffractometry and transmission electron microscopy. The results shows that the LiFePO4−x F x /C were well crystallized and consisted of nanoparticles with an average diameter of ten to several tens of nanometers, many round grains constituted solid rod-like structure. The length of the rods can be up to several hundreds of nanometers, and their diameters are around 100 nm. The results of electrochemical testing show that the initial discharge capacity of LiFePO3.85F0.15/C is 124.7 mAh g−1, with a negligible fading after 50 cycles at a constant current density of 1 C at room temperature. The capacity retention rate is 99.5 %, which is higher than that of LiFePO4/C prepared by the same method. The doping of F helps improve electrical conductivity and Li+ diffusion of LiFePO4/C. This study may provide new insights and understanding on the effect of F-doping on the electrochemical performance of LiFePO4/C

Preparation and performance comparison of LiMn2O3.95Br0.05 and LiMn2O3.95Br0.05/SiO2 cathode materials for lithium-ion battery

cathode composites for lithium-ion battery are prepared by solid-state reaction methods. The crystalline structures of the as-synthesized samples are investigated by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope; at the same time, the electrochemical performances are tested by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic cycling. The results reveal that the sample of LiMn2O3.95Br0.05/SiO2 has more excellent electrochemical performance than the sample of LiMn2O3.95Br0.05. It delivers an initial discharge capacity of 145.3 mA h g−1 at ambient temperature, and 138.9 mA h g−1 at the higher temperature of 55 °C with good capacity retention with the voltage range of 3.0–4.35 V (vs. Li) at a current density of 0.5 C; while the sample of LiMn2O3.95Br0.05 only deliver initial discharge capacity 136.5 mA h g−1 at ambient temperature, and 119.2 mA h g−1 at 55 °C in the same conditions; in addition, the rate performance of LiMn2O3.95Br0.05/SiO2 is excellent too, so the SiO2 layer has improved the electrochemical behaviors of LiMn2O3.95Br0.05 availably

Preparation and characterization of spinel Li4Ti5O12 nanoparticles anode materials for lithium ion battery

Spinel Li4Ti5O12 nanoparticles were prepared via a high-temperature solid-state reaction by adding the prepared cellulose to an aqueous dispersion of lithium salts and titanium dioxide. The precursors of Li4Ti5O12 were characterized by thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. The obtained Li4Ti5O12 nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electrochemical measurements. The TEM revealed that the Li4Ti5O12 prepared with cellulose is composed of nanoparticles with an average particle diameter of 20–30 nm. Galvanostatic battery testing showed that nano-sized Li4Ti5O12 exhibit better electrochemical properties than submicro-sized Li4Ti5O12 do especially at high current rates, which can deliver a reversible discharge capacity of 131 mAh g−1 at the rate of 10 C, whereas that of the submicro-sized sample decreases to 25 mAh g−1 at the same rate (10 C). Its reversible capacity is maintained at ~172.2 mAh g−1 with the voltage range 1.0–3.0 V (vs. Li) at the current rate of 0.5 C for over 80 cycles

Synthesis and optical properties of ultra-fine Sr5Al2O8:Eu3+ nanorod phosphor from a low-heating-temperature solid-state precursor method

A novel Eu3+ doped strontium aluminate (Sr5Al2O8) nanorod phosphors with high brightness and long afterglow were prepared by sintering the precursor (produced by a low-heating-temperature solid-state method) at 1100 ◦C in a reducing atmosphere. Sr5Al2O8:Eu3+ phosphor nanorods with diameters of 20–50 nm and lengths of several microns were obtained, and their optical properties were systematically studied. The main peaks in the excitation and emission spectra can be viewed as the typical emission of Eu3+. The ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectrum revealed that Eu3+ was effectively excited by the ultraviolet light, which caused the transition 5D0→7FJ (J = 1, 2)