Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Characterization of Electrode Materials for Lithium Ion and Sodium Ion Batteries Using Synchrotron Radiation Techniques
Published on: November 11, 2013
Single-Crystalline, Semiconductive Layered Organic Cathode Powers High-Energy All-Solid-State Batteries
Junyong Mo1, Jiande Wang2, Mircea Dincă3
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
Abstract:
All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) offer a pathway to improved safety and increased energy density but remain limited by sluggish ion transport and low active material loading in composite cathodes. Organic cathode materials provide a sustainable alternative to metal-based systems, yet their implementation in solid-state architectures is constrained by poor electronic conductivity and inefficient electrode microstructures. Here, we integrate a high-capacity, semiconductive, single-crystalline layered organic cathode into ASSBs and demonstrate an electrochemical performance comparable to that of conventional systems. Systematic optimization of cathode composition identifies a configuration that delivers a specific capacity of 310 mAh g-1 at 25 mA g-1 with stable cycling over 100 cycles at room temperature under moderate pressure. At this rate, the architecture achieves an active-material-level energy density of 638 Wh kg-1. Performance limitations are mitigated through compositing with single-walled carbon nanotubes and operation at an elevated temperature. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy indicates simplified interfacial behavior and suppressed side reactions relative to conventional solid-state cathodes, while in situ measurements reveal volcano-shaped lithium-ion diffusion behavior arising from the interplay between structural evolution and site occupancy. These results define design constraints for organic solid-state cathodes and establish their viability as functional components in next-generation solid-state energy storage.
Related Concept Videos
Batteries and Fuel Cells
The Electrical Double Layer
Metallic Solids
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability. Many...
Network Covalent Solids
To break or to melt a covalent network solid, covalent bonds must be broken. Because covalent bonds are relatively strong, covalent network solids are typically...

