New approaches to three-dimensional positive electrodes enabling scalable high areal capacity
Abstract
Optimizing electrode architecture to enhance areal capacity is key to enabling greater capacity in batteries. Unfortunately, the cost and manufacturing techniques associated with innovative electrode designs have constrained their application. In situ powder infiltration is applied to integrate LiFePO4 nanoparticles (LFP NPs) into highly porous aluminum networks (pAlN) in novel binder-free three-dimensional positive electrodes. The substrate assembled from porous Al wool and foams provides a continuous conductive skeleton. Combined in situ powder infiltration and solution impregnation enables direct anchoring of LFP onto the network, avoiding electrochemically inactive binder additives, whilst achieving excellent mechanical properties, high active material mass loading and good electronic/ionic conductivity. Due to the exquisite interface contact, the formed LFP/pAlN positive electrode exhibits superior areal capacity (6.56 mA h cm−2 at 0.55 mA cm−2) and capacity retention (94.1%, at 2.32 mA cm−2 for 100 cycles). The new electrode structures maximize the functionality of available electrode materials, facilitating the integration of future chemistries into cost-effective and scalable devices.
Citation
Zhao , Z , Zhang , X , Wang , P , Pateli , I M , Gao , H , Wang , G & Irvine , J T S 2024 , ' New approaches to three-dimensional positive electrodes enabling scalable high areal capacity ' , Journal of Materials Chemistry A , vol. 12 , no. 3 , pp. 1736-1745 . https://doi.org/10.1039/d3ta07139a
Publication
Journal of Materials Chemistry A
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
2050-7488Type
Journal article
Description
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51972024 and 52002029), Beijing Natural Science Foundation (No. 2232053), Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (No. 2022A1515011918), and Scientific and Technological Innovation Foundation of Shunde Graduate School, University of Science and Technology Beijing (No. BK20AE003). The authors thank EPSRC for funding St Andrews electron microscopy facilities EP/R023751/1 and EP/ L017008/1.Collections
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