Sodium and potassium ion rich ferroelectric solid electrolytes for traditional and electrode-less structural batteries

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2022

Authors

Federico Danzi (Author) FEUP; Mafalda Valente (Author) FEUP; Sylwia Terlicka (Author) Other; Maria Helena Braga (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Apl Materials

Vol. 10 No. 3

Pages: 1-15

ISSN: 2166-532X

Publisher: American Institute of Physics

Indexing

ISI Web of Science

Scopus

Associated Projects

LAETA2023 - Programático - ET - Emerging Technologies - LAETA2023 - Programático - ET - Emerging Technologies

Other information

DOI: 10.1063/5.0080054

Abstract (EN): The transition to a sustainable society is vital and requires electrification. Sodium and potassium ion-based electrolytes will likely play an important role in energy storage as these elements are very abundant. The latter cations and chloride are especially interesting since life on the planet is somehow based on biological transfers of these ions through cell membranes. K+ is the key charge carrier in plants. Here, we characterize electrochemically, electrostatically, and structurally novel electrolytes, K3ClO and K2.99Ba0.005ClO, and compare their performance with Na3ClO and Na2.99Ba0.005ClO in symmetric and asymmetric structural electrode-less cells, such as K/K2.99Ba0.005ClO in a cellulose membrane/K, Na/Na2.99Ba0.005ClO in a cellulose membrane/Na, Al/K2.99Ba0.005ClO composite/Cu, and Al/Na2.99Ba0.005ClO composite/Cu, at temperatures that range from -45 to 65 degrees C. An ab initio molecular dynamics structural study followed by band structure determination using density functional theory and hybrid simulations allowed us to compare the amorphous character of the structures, bandgap, and electron localization function for both K3ClO at 25 degrees C and Na3ClO at 37 degrees C, temperatures at which preliminary studies indicate that these compounds are already amorphous. As in Na+-based electrolytes, the ferroelectric character of the K+-based electrolytes is well recognizable, especially at -45 degrees C, where the relative real permittivity achieves 10(13) in K/K2.99Ba0.005ClO in cellulose membrane/K symmetric cells for an ionic conductivity of similar to 120 mS/cm. As in Na+-based electrodes-less structural battery cells, self-charge and self-cycling phenomena are also demonstrated reinforcing the ferroelectric nature of the A(3)ClO (A = Li, Na, and K) family of electrolytes. These studies may contribute to understanding the K+ and Na+ transfer behavior in energy harvesting and storage as well as the biologic world. (C) 2022 Author(s).

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 15