Steering the liquid-solid redox conversion of lithium-selenium batteries through ultrafine MoC catalyst

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Selenium cathodes offer high conductivity and energy density for lithium-selenium (Li-Se) batteries.
• The shuttle effect of lithium polyselenides (LiPSes) causes capacity fading, limiting Li-Se battery applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize an ultrafine molybdenum carbide (MoC) catalyst.
• To utilize the MoC catalyst to suppress the LiPS shuttle effect in Li-Se batteries.
• To enhance the electrochemical performance and stability of Li-Se batteries.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of ultrafine molybdenum carbide (MoC) catalyst.
• Electrochemical testing of Li-Se batteries incorporating the MoC catalyst.
• Analysis of the catalytic effect on lithium polyselenide conversion.

Main Results:

• The MoC catalyst effectively accelerates the conversion of liquid LiPSes to solid Li2Se2/Li2Se.
• Suppression of the shuttle effect was observed, leading to reduced capacity fading.
• Improved cycling stability and overall battery performance were achieved.

Conclusions:

• Ultrafine MoC is a promising catalyst for mitigating the shuttle effect in Li-Se batteries.
• The study offers insights into designing efficient catalysts for advanced energy storage systems.
• Rational catalyst design is crucial for the practical application of high-performance Li-Se batteries.