Selective Catalysis-Mediated Interface to Stabilize Antimony Atom-Cluster Anode for Robust Potassium-Ion Batteries

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Controlling electrode-electrolyte interfaces is vital for stable battery performance.
• Solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation is critical for sustainable energy storage.
• Antimony-based anodes show promise for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a selective catalysis strategy for stabilizing the antimony anode/electrolyte interface in PIBs.
• To engineer a robust SEI layer for enhanced electrochemical performance and longevity.
• To investigate the correlation between electrode/electrolyte interactions and SEI characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing antimony atom-cluster/porous carbon (Sb_SA-AC/PC) as an electrocatalyst.
• Comparing electrolyte formulations (dimethyl ether-based vs. triethyl phosphate-based).
• Analyzing SEI layer composition and morphology.

Main Results:

• Sb_SA-AC/PC in dimethyl ether electrolyte led to poor SEI and rapid capacity decay.
• Sb_SA-AC/PC in triethyl phosphate electrolyte selectively formed a beneficial bilayer SEI.
• The bilayer SEI consisted of inner inorganic-rich components and an outer elastic polyphosphate layer.
• The optimized interface demonstrated long-term stability over 12 months and 4000 cycles with 96% capacity retention.

Conclusions:

• Selective catalysis is an effective strategy for stabilizing Sb anode interfaces in PIBs.
• Tailoring electrolyte composition is key to forming a protective and functional SEI layer.
• This work offers insights into advanced interface engineering for high-performance PIBs and beyond.