Lithium batteries outperform sodium and potassium batteries due to electrochemical properties
the verdict
CONTESTED PARTIAL
refutedsupported
the weight of evidence
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While some evidence highlights advantages for lithium batteries in specific metrics like ionic conductivity and diffusion kinetics due to its properties, other studies report superior performance for sodium-ion systems in low-temperature conditions or reversible capacity.
Liquid electrolytes (LEs) commonly show severe side reactions at the electrode-electrolyte interface, especially with alkali metal anodes, leading to rapid capacity fade of metal-ion batteries. Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs), however, contribute to the suppression of side reactions due to their inherent inertness and high mechanical strength, providing long-term stable battery operation. Herein, we investigated physical and electrochemical properties of SPEs based on our previously reported microphase-separated poly(vinyl benzyl methoxy poly (ethylene oxide) ether)- block -polystyrene block copolymer (PVBmPEO-b -PS) with different alkali metal ions ( A + = Li + , Na + or K + ) and their use in the respective metal batteries, showing the potential for the transition from lithium to post-lithium batteries. Rheological and thermal properties as well as ion transport in the SPEs with different bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (TFSI) salts concentrations revealed similar shear storage moduli (G ’ ) for the investigated SPEs, while the lowest glass transition temperatures ( T g ) were found for KTFSI-based films. By contrast, the highest total ionic conductivity was found for the LiTFSI-based SPEs. To quantify the A + transference numbers ( T A + ), the Bruce-Vincent method and pulsed-field gradient (PFG) NMR were conducted, revealing significant challenges for T A + determination of post-Li systems. Further, the examination of the inter-facial stability of SPE/A interfaces by conducting plating/stripping experiments revealed significantly higher resistances for sodium-and potassium-based systems in comparison to their lithium-based counterpart. None-theless, A-metal/SPE/cathode cells with PVBmPEO-b -PS-based Na-and K-SPEs with the Prussian Blue analogues (PBAs, Na 2-x Fe[Fe(CN) 6 ] and K 2-x Fe[F e (CN) 6 ]) positive electrodes and the respective alkali metal negative electrodes enabled cycling at elevated temperature of 55 ◦ C. Herein, both sodium and potassium metal batteries exhibited stable cycling with capacity retentions of 73% over 100 cycles for the Na-cell, and 94% over the same cycle number for the K-cell, (and a high coulombic efficiency (CE) of 98% at the 100th cycle).
Emerging sodium‐ion batteries (NIBs) and potassium‐ion batteries (KIBs) show promise in complementing lithium‐ion battery (LIB) technology and diversifying the battery market. Hard carbon is a potential anode candidate for LIBs, NIBs, and KIBs due to its high capacity, sustainability, wide availability, and stable physicochemical properties. Herein, a series of hard carbons is synthesized by hydrothermal carbonization and subsequent pyrolysis at different temperatures to finely tune their structural properties. When tested as anodes, the hard carbons exhibit differing ion‐storage trends for Li, Na, and K, with NIBs achieving the highest reversible capacity. Extensive materials and electrochemical characterizations are carried out to study the correlation of structural features with electrochemical performance and to explain the specific mechanisms of alkali‐ion storage in hard carbons. In addition, the best‐performing hard carbon is tested against a sodium cathode Na3V2(PO4)3 in a Na‐ion pouch cell, displaying a high power density of 2172 W kg−1 at an energy density of 181.5 Wh kg−1 (based on the total weight of active materials in both anode and cathode). The Na‐ion pouch cell also shows stable ultralong‐term cycling (9000 h or 5142 cycles) and demonstrates the promising potential of such materials as sustainable, scalable anodes for beyond Li‐batteries.
Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) exhibit better low‐temperature electrochemical performance than lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) due to sodium's unique physical and chemical properties. However, SIBs face significant challenges at extremely low temperatures, such as −40 °C, where electrolyte salting out, reduced ionic conductivity, and increased viscosity hinder performance. Optimizing electrolyte formulations is critical to overcoming these issues. This study introduces 1,3‐Dioxolane (DOL) as a co‐solvent to enhance electrolyte performance under low‐temperature conditions. DOL significantly improves NaPF6 solubility by forming strong interactions with anions. Additionally, it modifies the solvation structure, increasing anion participation and promoting the formation of a NaF‐rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on the anode surface. These enhancements are supported by experimental data and computational simulations. The addition of DOL also improves the cycling stability of commercial Sn microparticles (μ‐Sn) at low temperatures. μ‐Sn achieves a high reversible capacity of 248.3 mAh g−1 at −40 °C after 1500 cycles at 0.5 A g−1, significantly outperforming electrolytes without DOL. This work provides a novel approach for designing advanced low‐temperature electrolytes, enabling more reliable sodium‐ion battery performance in extreme environments.
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