Surface Science and Engineering for Electrochemical Materials.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Surface Engineering

Background:

• Electrochemical energy storage systems suffer capacity degradation from parasitic reactions, metal dissolution, and dendrite growth.
• Surface engineering offers a method to modify electrode surfaces, controlling interfacial reactions and interactions.
• Stabilizing electrode surfaces prevents electrolyte reactions without altering bulk properties, maximizing capacity and retention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize research on surface engineering techniques for improving battery cycling durability and efficiency.
• To demonstrate how stabilized surfaces enhance the performance of lithium-ion and magnesium-metal batteries.
• To highlight the importance of material selection and effective engineering methods for battery performance.

Main Methods:

• Utilized atomic and molecular layer deposition (ALD and MLD) for ultrathin inorganic and organic-inorganic coatings.
• Employed templating techniques to reduce electrode tortuosity in ultrathick electrodes.
• Developed an artificial solid-electrolyte interface for magnesium-metal batteries using cyclized polyacrylonitrile and magnesium trifluoromethanesulfonate.

Main Results:

• Ultrathin coatings (e.g., Al2O3, alucone, lithicone) on NMC and Si electrodes significantly improved cycling efficiency and durability.
• Three-dimensional templating reduced electrode tortuosity, enabling high-rate performance and long-term cycling.
• The artificial solid-electrolyte interface successfully prevented electrolyte reduction and facilitated Mg2+ diffusion, boosting Mg-metal battery performance.

Conclusions:

• Surface modification is crucial for mitigating parasitic reactions and dendrite growth, enhancing battery performance.
• Effective surface engineering preserves bulk properties while improving interfacial stability and charge transfer kinetics.
• Surface engineering holds transformative potential for developing advanced battery materials and future energy storage solutions.