Solvation Structure and Interface Engineering Synergy in Low-Temperature Sodium-Ion Batteries: Advances and Prospects

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) face performance degradation in extreme low-temperature environments.
• Key challenges include increased electrolyte viscosity, electrode structural instability, and sluggish interfacial kinetics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review failure mechanisms of low-temperature SIBs.
• To summarize multi-scale optimization strategies for enhancing SIB performance at low temperatures.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of low-temperature SIB challenges and solutions.
• Analysis of advanced characterization and first-principles simulations.
• Highlighting atomic-scale phenomena like solvation-shell dynamics and charge transfer kinetics.

Main Results:

• Identified electrolyte viscosity, electrode phase transitions, and solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) kinetics as primary failure points.
• Summarized strategies including electrolyte modification, electrode structural enhancement, and inorganic-rich SEI construction.
• Detailed atomic-scale insights into low-temperature limitations.

Conclusions:

• Optimizing solvent components, electrode structures, and SEI properties are critical for low-temperature SIBs.
• Fundamental principles and guidelines are established for deploying SIBs in extreme cold.
• Addressing solvation-shell dynamics and charge transfer kinetics is key to overcoming low-temperature limitations.