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Achieving High‐Capacity Cathode Presodiation Agent Via Triggering Anionic Oxidation Activity in Sodium Oxide

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Compensating for the irreversible loss of limited active sodium (Na) is crucial for enhancing the energy density of practical sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) full‐cell, especially when employing hard carbon anode with initially lower coulombic efficiency. Introducing sacrificial cathode presodiation agents, particularly those that own potential anionic oxidation activity with a high theoretical capacity, can provide additional sodium sources for compensating Na loss. Herein, Ni atoms are precisely implanted at the Na sites within Na2O framework, obtaining a (Na0.89Ni0.05□0.06)2O (Ni–Na2O) presodiation agent. The synergistic interaction between Na vacancies and Ni catalyst effectively tunes the band structure, forming moderate Ni–O covalent bonds, activating the oxidation activity of oxygen anion, reducing the decomposition overpotential to 2.8 V (vs Na/Na⁺), and achieving a high presodiation capacity of 710 mAh/g≈Na2O (Na2O decomposition rate >80%). Incorporating currently‐modified presodiation agent with Na3V2(PO4)3 and Na2/3Ni2/3Mn1/3O2 cathodes, the energy density of corresponding Na‐ion full‐cells presents an essential improvement of 23.9% and 19.3%, respectively. Further, not limited to Ni–Na2O, the structure–function relationship between the anionic oxidation mechanism and electrode–electrolyte interface fabrication is revealed as a paradigm for the development of sacrificial cathode presodiation agent.
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
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Achieving High-Capacity Cathode Presodiation Agent Via
Triggering Anionic Oxidation Activity in Sodium Oxide
Yilong Chen, Yuanlong Zhu, Zhefei Sun, Xiaoxiao Kuai,* Jianken Chen, Baodan Zhang,
Jianhua Yin, Haiyan Luo, Yonglin Tang, Guifan Zeng, Kang Zhang, Li Li, Juping Xu,
Wen Yin, Yongfu Qiu, Yeguo Zou, Ziyang Ning,* Chuying Ouyang, Qiaobao Zhang,*
Yu Qiao,* and Shi-Gang Sun
Compensating for the irreversible loss of limited active sodium (Na) is crucial
for enhancing the energy density of practical sodium-ion batteries (SIBs)
full-cell, especially when employing hard carbon anode with initially lower
coulombic efficiency. Introducing sacrificial cathode presodiation agents,
particularly those that own potential anionic oxidation activity with a high
theoretical capacity, can provide additional sodium sources for compensating
Na loss. Herein, Ni atoms are precisely implanted at the Na sites within
Na2O framework, obtaining a (Na0.89Ni0.05 0.06)2O(NiNa
2O) presodiation
agent. The synergistic interaction between Na vacancies and Ni catalyst
effectively tunes the band structure, forming moderate Ni–O covalent bonds,
activating the oxidation activity of oxygen anion, reducing the decomposition
overpotential to 2.8 V (vs Na/Na+), and achieving a high presodiation
capacity of 710 mAh/gNa2O (Na2O decomposition rate >80%). Incorporating
currently-modified presodiation agent with Na3V2(PO4)3and
Na2/3Ni2/3 Mn1/3O2cathodes, the energy density of corresponding Na-ion
full-cells presents an essential improvement of 23.9% and 19.3%, respectively.
Further, not limited to Ni–Na2O, the structure–function relationship between
the anionic oxidation mechanism and electrode–electrolyte interface
fabrication is revealed as a paradigm for the development of sacrificial
cathode presodiation agent.
Y.Chen,Y.Zhu,X.Kuai,J.Chen,B.Zhang,J.Yin,H.Luo,Y.Tang,
G. Zeng, K. Zhang, L. Li, Y. Zou, Y. Qiao, S.-G. Sun
State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces
Department of Chemistry
College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Xiamen University
Xiamen 361005, China
E-mail: kuaixiaoxiao@yeah.net;yuqiao@xmu.edu.cn
Y. C h e n , X . K u a i , Y. Z o u , Y. Q i a o
Fujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Energy
Materials of China (Tan Kah Kee Innovation Laboratory)
Xiamen 361005, China
The ORCID identification number(s) for the author(s) of this article
can be found under https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202407720
DOI: 10.1002/adma.202407720
1. Introduction
At present, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs)
reign as the preeminent technology for
energy storage in portable devices and
automotive applications.[1]However, the
scarcity of lithium resources and geo-
graphical limitations makes it impossible
to sustain and meet the exploding mar-
ket demand.[2]Considering the widespread
availability and cost-effectiveness of sodium
resources, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) tech-
nology emerges as a compelling alternative
to LIBs.[3]In the initial cycle of SIBs, the
anode side irreversibly consumes the finite
sodium ions released from the cathode, re-
sulting in a decrease in initial coulombic
efficiency (ICE), and consequently, lower-
ing energy density.[4]Releasing the inherent
entire capacity of cathode materials across
the full battery system is a complex and
challenging endeavor. Especially when cou-
pled with mainstream hard carbon (HC) an-
odes, their relatively lower ICE (70–90%) in-
evitably triggers irreversible consumption
Z. Sun, Q. Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces
College of Materials
Xiamen University
Xiamen 361005, China
E-mail: zhangqiaobao@xmu.edu.cn
J. Xu, W. Yin
Institute of High Energy Physics
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Beijing 100049, China
J. Xu, W. Yin
Spallation Neutron Source Science Center
Dongguan 523803, China
Y. Q i u
School of Materials Science and Engineering
Dongguan University of Technology
Guangdong 523808, China
Adv. Mater. 2024,36, 2407720 © 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH
2407720 (1 of 11)
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More and more basic practical application scenarios have been gradually ignored/disregarded, in fundamental research on rechargeable batteries, e.g. assessing cycle life under various depths‐of‐discharge (DODs). Herein, although benefit from the additional energy density introduced by anionic redox, we critically revealed that lithium‐rich layered oxide (LRLO) cathodes present anomalously poor capacity retention at low‐DOD cycling, which is essentially different from typical layered cathodes (e.g. NCM), and pose a formidable impediment to the practical application of LRLO. We systemically demonstrated that DOD‐dependent capacity decay is induced by the anionic redox and accumulation of oxidized lattice oxygen (Oⁿ⁻). Upon low‐DOD cycling, the accumulation of Oⁿ⁻ and the persistent presence of vacancies in the transition metal (TM) layer intensified the in‐plane migration of TM, exacerbating the expansion of vacancy clusters, which further facilitated detrimental out‐of‐plane TM migration. As a result, the aggravated structural degradation of LRLO at low‐DOD impeded reversible Li⁺ intercalation, resulting in rapid capacity decay. Furthermore, prolonged accumulation of Oⁿ⁻ persistently corroded the electrode‐electrolyte interface, especially negative for pouch‐type full‐cells with the shuttle effect. Once the “double‐edged sword” effect of anionic redox being elucidated under practical condition, corresponding modification strategies/routes would become distinct for accelerating the practical application of LRLO.
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