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Fang, Ruyi

Publications and source records attributed to Fang, Ruyi.

7 records
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DOE OSTI2023

Tuned Reactivity at the Lithium Metal–Argyrodite Solid State Electrolyte Interphase

Thin intermetallic Li 2 Te–LiTe 3 bilayer (0.75 µm) derived from 2D tellurene stabilizes the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) of lithium metal and argyrodite (LPSCl, Li 6 PS 5 Cl) solid-state electrolyte (SSE). Tellurene is loaded onto a standard battery separator and reacted with lithium through single-pass mechanical rolling or transferred directly to SSE surface by pressing. State-of-the-art electrochemical performance is achieved, e.g., symmetric cell stable for 300 cycles (1800 h) at 1 mA cm -2 and 3 mAh cm -2 (25% DOD, 60 µm foil). Cryo-stage focused ion beam (Cryo-FIB) sectioning and Raman mapping demonstrate that the Li 2 Te–LiTe 3 bilayer impedes SSE decomposition. The unmodified Li–LPSCl interphase is electrochemically unstable with a geometrically heterogeneous reduction decomposition reaction front that extends deep into the SSE. Decomposition drives voiding in Li metal due to its high flux to the reaction front, as well as voiding in the SSE due to the associated volume changes. Analysis of cycled SSE found no evidence for pristine (unreacted) lithium metal filaments/dendrites, implying failure driven by decomposition phases with sufficient electrical conductivity that span electrolyte thickness. In conclusion, DFT calculations clarify thermodynamic stability, interfacial adhesion, and electronic transport properties of interphases, while mesoscale modeling examines interrelations between reaction front heterogeneity (SEI heterogeneity), current distribution, and localized chemo-mechanical stresses.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Achieving stable all-solid-state lithium-metal batteries by tuning the cathode-electrolyte interface and ionic/electronic transport within the cathode

All-solid-state batteries with sulfide electrolytes and high-nickel layered oxide cathodes attract much interest due to their high specific energy. However, their cycling performance is primarily influenced by the interface between the sulfide electrolyte and the high-Ni layered oxide particles, which requires the use of composite cathodes with high ionic and electronic conductivities to achieve a kinetically stable interface inside the cathode. Here, we apply Ti 2 O 3 particles to the high-Ni cathode LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 (NCM811), where Ti 2 O 3 not only acts as an electronic conductor to provide a fast diffusion path for electrons in the composite cathode, but also absorbs the lattice oxygen released from NCM811 cathode during cycling, stabilizing the Li 6 PS 5 Cl/NCM811 interface and suppressing electrolyte oxidation. The as-modified cathode exhibits an initial specific capacity of 192 mAh g -1 and retains 166 mAh g -1 after 140 cycles at 0.1C rate with a good capacity retention of 86.5%. Furthermore, the composite cathode displays high rate capability even at 1C rate. By contrast, the unmodified Li 6 PS 5 Cl/NCM811 cathode shows poor cycling performance with only 130 mAh g -1 remaining after 130 cycles. This work provides a new direction for the design of cathodes for all-solid-state batteries that can deliver high specific energy with long cycle life.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Stable Anode–Free All–Solid–State Lithium Battery through Tuned Metal Wetting on the Copper Current Collector

A stable anode-free all-solid-state battery (AF-ASSB) with sulfide-based solid-electrolyte (SE) (argyrodite Li 6 PS 5 Cl) is achieved by tuning wetting of lithium metal on “empty” copper current-collector. Lithiophilic 1 µm Li 2 Te is synthesized by exposing the collector to tellurium vapor, followed by in situ Li activation during the first charge. The Li 2 Te significantly reduces the electrodeposition/electrodissolution overpotentials and improves Coulombic efficiency (CE). During continuous electrodeposition experiments using half-cells (1 mA cm –2 ), the accumulated thickness of electrodeposited Li on Li 2 Te–Cu is more than 70 µm, which is the thickness of the Li foil counter-electrode. Full AF-ASSB with NMC811 cathode delivers an initial CE of 83% at 0.2C, with a cycling CE above 99%. Additionally, cryogenic focused ion beam (Cryo-FIB) sectioning demonstrates uniform electrodeposited metal microstructure, with no signs of voids or dendrites at the collector-SE interface. Electrodissolution is uniform and complete, with Li 2 Te remaining structurally stable and adherent. By contrast, an unmodified Cu current-collector promotes inhomogeneous Li electrodeposition/electrodissolution, electrochemically inactive “dead metal,” dendrites that extend into SE, and thick non-uniform solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) interspersed with pores. Density functional theory (DFT) and mesoscale calculations provide complementary insight regarding nucleation-growth behavior. Unlike conventional liquid-electrolyte metal batteries, the role of current collector/support lithiophilicity has not been explored for emerging AF-ASSBs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Ultra‐Thin Single‐Particle‐Layer Sodium Beta‐Alumina‐Based Composite Polymer Electrolyte Membrane for Sodium‐Metal Batteries

Inorganic/organic composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs) with good flexibility and electrode contact have been pursued for solid-state sodium-metal batteries. However, the application of CPEs for high energy density solid-state sodium-metal batteries is still limited by the low Na + conductivity, large thickness, and low ion transference number. Herein, an ultra-thin single-particle-layer (UTSPL) composite polymer electrolyte membrane with a thickness of ≈20 µm straddled by a sodium beta-alumina ceramic electrolyte (SBACE) is presented. A ceramic Na + -ion electrolyte that bridges or percolates across an ultra-thin and flexible polymer membrane provides: 1) the strength and flexibility from the polymer membrane, 2) excellent electrolyte/electrode interfacial contact, and 3) a percolation path for Na + -ion transfer. Owing to this novel design, the obtained UTSPL-35SBACE membrane exhibits a high Na+-ion conductivity of 0.19 mS cm -1 and a transference number of 0.91 at room temperature, contributing to long-term cycling stability of symmetric sodium cells with a small overpotential. The assembled quasi-solid-state cell with the as-prepared UTSPL-35SBACE membrane displays superior cycling performance with a discharge capacity of 105 mAh g -1 at 0.5 °C rate after 100 cycles and excellent rate performance (82 mAh g -1 at 5 °C rate) at room temperature with the potassium manganese hexacyanoferrate (KMHCF)@CNTs/CNFs cathode, where KMHCF refers to potassium manganese hexacyanoferrate.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Li 2 S 6 ‐Integrated PEO‐Based Polymer Electrolytes for All‐Solid‐State Lithium‐Metal Batteries

Abstract The integration of Li 2 S 6 within a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)‐based polymer electrolyte is demonstrated to improve the polymer electrolyte's ionic conductivity because the strong interplay between O 2− (PEO) and Li + from Li 2 S 6 reduces the crystalline volume within the PEO. The Li/electrolyte interface is stabilized by the in situ formation of an ultra‐thin Li 2 S/Li 2 S 2 layer via the reaction between Li 2 S 6 and lithium metal, which increases the ionic transport at the interface and suppresses lithium dendrite growth. A symmetric Li/Li cell with the Li 2 S 6 ‐integrated composite electrolyte has excellent cyclability and a high critical current density of 0.9 mA cm −2 at 40 °C. Impressive electrochemical performance is demonstrated with all‐solid‐state Li/LiFePO 4 and high‐voltage Li/LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 cells at 40 °C.

Fang, Ruyi↗
DOE OSTI2021

Li 2 S 6 ‐Integrated PEO‐Based Polymer Electrolytes for All‐Solid‐State Lithium‐Metal Batteries

Abstract The integration of Li 2 S 6 within a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)‐based polymer electrolyte is demonstrated to improve the polymer electrolyte's ionic conductivity because the strong interplay between O 2− (PEO) and Li + from Li 2 S 6 reduces the crystalline volume within the PEO. The Li/electrolyte interface is stabilized by the in situ formation of an ultra‐thin Li 2 S/Li 2 S 2 layer via the reaction between Li 2 S 6 and lithium metal, which increases the ionic transport at the interface and suppresses lithium dendrite growth. A symmetric Li/Li cell with the Li 2 S 6 ‐integrated composite electrolyte has excellent cyclability and a high critical current density of 0.9 mA cm −2 at 40 °C. Impressive electrochemical performance is demonstrated with all‐solid‐state Li/LiFePO 4 and high‐voltage Li/LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 cells at 40 °C.

Fang, Ruyi↗