ABSTRACT: Despite their exceptionally high capacity, overlithiated layered oxides (OLO) have not yet been practically used in lithium-ion battery cathodes due to necessary toxic/complex chemical activation processes and unsatisfactory electrochemical reliability. Here, a new class of ecofriendly chemical activation strategy based on amphiphilic deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA)-wrapped multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) is demonstrated. Hydrophobic aromatic bases of DNA have a good affinity for MWCNT via noncovalent π–π stacking interactions, resulting in core (MWCNT)-shell (DNA) hybrids (i.e., DNA@MWCNT) featuring the predominant presence of hydrophilic phosphate groups (coupled with Na+) in their outmost layers. Such spatially rearranged Na+–phosphate complexes of the DNA@MWCNT efficiently extract Li+ from monoclinic Li2MnO3 of the OLO through cation exchange reaction of Na+–Li+, thereby forming Li4Mn5O12-type spinel nanolayers on the OLO surface. The newly formed spinel nanolayers play a crucial role in improving the structural stability of the OLO and suppressing interfacial side reactions with liquid electrolytes, eventually providing significant improvements in the charge/discharge kinetics, cyclability, and thermal stability. This beneficial effect of the  DNA@MWCNT-mediated chemical activation is comprehensively  elucidated by an in-depth structural/electrochemical characterization.

 

논문정보: Advanced Energy Materials, 10, 1903658 (2020)
Published: 20 January 2020
DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201903658