Investigating interfacial chemistry and materials for emerging anode-free and anode-less sodium metal batteries"

“无阳极”或“无阳极”钠电池(ANB)作为一种大规模储能技术具有巨大的前景，这是因为使用富含地球的钠具有成本效益和可持续性，以及通过减少负极重量使电池的能量密度得到显著提高。发展ANB的挑战包括：阳极上的Na树枝晶生长，集电器和镀钠过程中不利的寄生反应。这就需要对界面化学和材料科学进行基础研究。本项目将研究ANBS中的Na/电解质/集电体界面，旨在实现高可逆容量和长期循环稳定性。该项目的方法将包括：(I)用能够重定向Na树枝晶生长的材料来修饰Na阳极和阳极集电体的表面；(Ii)表征Na与电解液界面的化学性质和微观形态，这将指导发现可以作为人工固体-电解液界面的材料；(Iii)前两种方法的协同作用，以抑制寄生反应，实现高度可逆的电化学Na沉积。该项目将提供关于钠阳极和电解液之间动态界面的宝贵知识，并展示ANBS作为一种有前途的下一代能源技术的可行性，为我们的社会脱碳做出贡献。该项目属于EPRSC储能、电化学科学和材料工程研究领域，因此，它将具有巨大的附加值，将化学知识和材料创新转化为其他共同关注的资助项目，如钠离子电池和Li(K)-S电池。

"Anode-free" or "anode-less" Na batteries (ANBs) hold significant promise as a large-scale energy storage technology due to the cost-effectiveness and sustainability derived from the use of earth-abundant Na, as well as the major improvement in battery energy density enabled by the reduction of anode weight. Challenges to develop ANBs include Na dendrite growth on the anode current collector and unfavourable parasitic reactions during Na plating. This requires fundamental study of interfacial chemistry and materials science. This project will investigate the Na/electrolyte/current collector interfaces in ANBs and aim to achieve high reversible capacity and long-term cycling stability. The approaches of the project will include: (i) modifying the surface of Na anode and anode current collector with materials that can redirect the growth of Na dendrites; (ii) characterising the chemical nature and micro-scale morphology of the interface between Na and electrolyte, which will guide the discovery of materials that can act as artificial solid-electrolyte interphase; (iii) the synergy of the previous two approaches to inhibit parasitic reactions and realise highly reversible electrochemical Na deposition. This project will provide invaluable knowledge of the dynamic interphases between Na anode and the electrolyte, and demonstration of feasibility of ANBs as a promising next-generation energy technology, contributing to the decarbonisation of our society. This project is within the EPRSC research areas of energy storage, electrochemical sciences, and materials engineering, and therefore, it will have the great added value of transforming the chemical understanding and materials innovation to other funded projects that share mutual focuses, such as Na-ion batteries and Li(K)-S batteries.