The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering

Select

Review of additives for electrolyte of sodium-ion battery

Yuyue GUO Xiaoying ZHAI Ningbo ZHANG

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2023, 23 (8): 1089-1101. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.223104

Abstract （622）

HTML （33）

PDF （3494KB）（513）

Save

With the upsurge of the energy revolution, secondary battery as a new way of energy storage has been widely concerned owing to their efficient energy conversion. As we all know, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have high operating voltage and high energy density, they can be used in various application scenarios, such as electrical vehicles (EV), portable electronic devices, and large-scale energy storage systems. However, due to the shortage of lithium resources and rising prices of raw materials, many battery companies are observed to undergo cost pressure and bankruptcy risk. Given this, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) work similarly to lithium-ion batteries, but they have great advantages in terms of resource reserve, low cost, low temperature, rate performance, and safety, thus have received strong attention from researchers and engineers. In the sodium-ion battery system, it is also composed of the positive electrode, negative electrode, electrolyte, separator, and other key components. The electrolyte, as the intermediate bridge connecting the positive and negative electrode material system, plays a vital role to undertake the transport of sodium ions, which mainly consists of organic solvent, sodium salt, and additives. The introduction of a small number of functional additives can significantly improve the overall performance of the battery because it constructs a solid electrolyte interface (SEI) between electrolyte and electrode. Different kinds of additives can exhibit specific properties to meet different conditions. This review focuses on the use of electrolyte additives, including unsaturated carbonates, sulfur compounds, phosphorus compounds, silicon compounds, inorganic sodium salts, and other types of components. Meanwhile, the research progress and related mechanisms of this addition agent in the electrolyte of sodium-ion batteries in recent years were summarized as a reference for subsequent research. Finally, the future study of electrolyte additives prospects from the science idea and practical application, for example, density functional theory, AI for science, and in-situ analysis method for SIBs.

Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Research progress of thermal management technology for lithium-ion batteries

Jiaxin LI Pengzhao LI Miao WANG Chun CHEN Liangyu YAN Yue GAO Shengchen YANG Manman CHEN Cai ZHAO Jing MAO

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2023, 23 (8): 1102-1117. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.223094

Abstract （402）

HTML （21）

PDF （13593KB）（209）

Save

Efficient battery thermal management technology is critical to the safe operation, long cycle life, and overall cost reduction of lithium-ion batteries and is important in promoting the large-scale application of lithium-ion batteries. In this review, several mainstream battery thermal management technologies are discussed in detail, including air cooling, liquid cooling, new phase change material cooling, and thermoelectric cooling technology. The battery heat generation model is briefly described. Finally, the development direction of battery cooling technology is prospected. Air cooling technology is simple in structure, but it is difficult to ensure temperature uniformity of the cells within the battery pack and is not suitable for cooling large lithium-ion battery packs, but is more suitable for small flying electric devices and low-end electric vehicles. Cooling plate liquid cooling technology is more effective, but there is a risk of coolant leakage and the temperature uniformity needs to be further improved. Immersion liquid cooling technology offers significant cooling and temperature uniformity but is expensive and is likely to be used more often in the future in energy storage plants with high cooling requirements, while for most lithium-ion electric vehicles the lower-cost cooling plate liquid cooling technology is more suitable. Phase change material cooling and thermoelectric cooling technologies without moving parts have achieved initial commercial application in electronic equipment and small power plants, but the cooling efficiency is low and needs further refinement. It is worth noting that it is critical to choose the right cooling technology for the user's needs. While there is no perfect cooling solution, a combination of cooling technologies can be used to meet the thermal management needs of a wider range of application scenarios.

Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Research and industrialization of conductive additive technology in the field of new energy batteries

Peiling YUAN Xingxing DING Peng GUO Caili ZHANG Rui HU

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2023, 23 (8): 1118-1130. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.223115

Abstract （160）

HTML （3）

PDF （2082KB）（72）

Save

Secondary batteries have been widely developed and used in various fields, such as large-scale energy storage, portable electronic devices, and electric vehicles. Conductive additives, as an important component of lithium-ion batteries, could increase and maintain the electronic conductivity of the electrodes by constructing a conductive network, which will effectively improve the electrochemical performance of batteries. Although conductive additives account for a relatively small proportion of the cost of lithium batteries (around 2%), compared to the trillion level lithium battery industry, conductive additives have also become a trillion level industry. At present, the mainstream conductive additives are carbon black, conductive graphite, vapor grown carbon fiber (VGCF), carbon nanotubes, and graphene. They are ideal conductive additives for lithium-ion batteries because of superior properties such as low weight, high chemical inertness, and high specific surface area. Among them, carbon black, conductive graphite, and VGCF are traditional conductive additive materials that form point and line contact conductive networks between active materials; carbon nanotubes and graphene belong to new conductive additive materials, which respectively form wire and surface contact conductive networks between active materials. Compared to a single conductive agent, composite conductive agents create synergistic effects between different conductive agents, thus exhibiting better performance. Therefore, we believe that the new conductive agent has a highly unified relationship with traditional conductive agents. Taking into account both cost and performance, the future conductive agent system will gradually shift from singularity to multiple composites. In addition, China's conductive agents have long relied on imports. In recent years, some excellent enterprises have gradually broken through process barriers in preparation methods and dispersion technologies, accelerating the process of localization. This article will discuss the related work of using carbon nanomaterials as conductive additives in the field of batteries and improving their electrochemical performance. Then, further discuss the industrialization status and prospects of conductive additives.

Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Study on aluminum anode with different Ti addition for kW-grade aluminum-air batteries

Cong XU Xinyue FANG Min KONG Ruizhi WANG Jun ZHANG Guangxi LU Junhua HU Shaokang GUAN

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2023, 23 (8): 1131-1136. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.223107

Abstract （115）

HTML （6）

PDF （27370KB）（51）

Save

With the development of science and technology, modern industry and social development rely more and more on electric energy, advanced and efficient energy conversion technology is the key to the development, of new high-power fuel batteries (such as aluminum-air batteries) because of its high energy density (theoretical energy density 8100 Wh/kg), abundant storage capacity, low production cost, environmental protection, and non-toxic advantages and so on favored by many scholars. However, there are some problems against the application of aluminum anodes, such as high overpotential caused by the attached passivation layer on the surface and high self-corrosion rate in alkaline electrolytes. To address these challenges, many researchers are committed to improving anode performance through microalloying. In this work, the effects of different Ti contents (0.03wt%, 0.05wt%, 0.08wt%, and 0.10wt%) on the microstructure, corrosion behavior, electrochemical behavior, and discharge behavior of Al-Mg-In anode materials for kilowatt-class aluminum-air batteries were investigated systematically. The results show that with the increase of Ti content, the fibrous grains in the Al-Mg-In anode gradually refine, the grain organization gradually becomes uniform, and the increase of the number of grain boundaries can provide more reaction area for the air batteries, and the discharge activity of the anode material will increase with more discharge reaction channels, which will help to increase the working voltage of the aluminum anode. However, when the Ti addition exceeds 0.05wt%, the number of second phase particles in the Al-Mg-In anode sheet will increase, and a "primary battery" will be formed between the second phase and the substrate, which will accelerate the corrosion of the alloy and the local dissolution of grain boundaries, resulting in the decrease of corrosion resistance and discharge performance of the alloy. Therefore, the Al-Mg-In alloy with 0.05wt% Ti has the best corrosion resistance and battery discharge performance, indicating that the appropriate amount of Ti can optimize the performance of aluminum-air batteries.

Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Theoretical design of new energy solid-state battery materials and development of battery technology under the background of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality

Hongjie XU Guanghui WANG Yujie SU Zhigao ZHANG Haitong LI Zhongzheng YANG Yuchen WANG Linyue HU Guoqin CAO

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2023, 23 (7): 943-957. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.223113

Abstract （235）

HTML （7）

PDF （4779KB）（224）

Save

Rechargeable lithium metal batteries (LMBs) have attracted wide attention due to their high theoretical energy density and important applications in portable electronic devices, electric vehicles, and smart grids. However, the implementation of LMBs in practice still faces many challenges, such as low Coulombic efficiency, poor cycle performance, and complex interfacial reactions. An in-depth analysis of the physical basis and chemical science of solid-state batteries is of great significance for battery development. To confirm and supplement the experimental research mechanism, theoretical calculation provides strong support for exploring the thermodynamic and kinetic behavior of battery materials and their interfaces and lays a theoretical foundation for designing batteries with better comprehensive performance. In this review, the theoretical and structural design ideas of the Li10GeP2S12 system and argyrodite system in sulfide solid electrolytes are reviewed, including the transport mechanism and diffusion path of lithium ions. The theoretical design ideas of new anti-perovskite Li3OCl and double anti-perovskite Li6OSI2 electrolyte systems are analyzed. The transport mechanism of Li+ in oxide solid electrolyte systems under defect regulation is reviewed. In addition, the theoretical design of new halide electrolyte systems, and the role of computational materials science in the study of battery material properties are also introduced. The key issues such as ion transport mechanism, phase stability, voltage platform, chemical and electrochemical stability, the interface buffer layer, and electrode/electrolyte interface are analyzed by theoretical methods. Understanding the charge-discharge mechanism at the atomic scale and providing reasonable design strategies for electrode materials and electrolytes.

Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Advances in biosynthesis of diamine as core monomers of new nylon materials

Kun LIN Zhuang LI Kun WANG Ying BI Xiuling JI Zhigang ZHANG Yuhong HUANG

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2023, 23 (7): 958-971. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.223147

Abstract （334）

HTML （15）

PDF （1140KB）（279）

Save

In the context of carbon neutrality, bio-diamine synthesis is an effective way to achieve the low-carbon production and sustainable development. Using synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, protein engineering strategies, we are able to design and construct efficient key enzymes and pathways for the biosynthesis of diamines. In this work, the progress of diamine synthesis is reviewed around two synthetic strategies: microbial de novo fermentation and whole-cell catalysis. The main diamines include 1,4-butanediamine, 1,5-pentanediamine, and 1,6-hexamethylenediamine. The biosynthesis of butanediamine mainly includes ornithine decarboxylation and lysine decarboxylation pathways, and butanediamine is mainly produced by fermentation. However, the current yield of butanediamine is low and cannot meet the requirments of industrial production. The biosynthesis of pentanediamine depends on the decarbosylation of L-lysine, mainly by de novo fermentation and whole-cell catalysis. The whole-cell catalysis for pentanediamine is more efficient, which has been widely used in large-scale production with the maturity of the technology. Hexamethylenediamine is currently synthesized by constructing artificial pathways. In addition, to address the challenges encountered in the biosynthesis of diamines, such as many by-products, poor strain activity, low yield, difficult separation, and purification, we proposed methods to improve the biosynthesis of diamines by combining metabolic engineering and protein engineering to optimize key enzyme catalysis, exploring the mechanism of cell damage caused by diamine accumulation, enhancing the specificity and activity of enzyme catalysis to improve production intensity, and optimizing the fermentation system to simplify the subsequent separation and purification steps. Finally, we foresee the future direction and development prospect of diamine biosynthesis.

Related Articles | Metrics

Select

A review of heat storage performance improvement and power generation application of salt gradient solar pond

Hao MA Hua WANG

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2023, 23 (7): 972-986. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.223111

Abstract （120）

HTML （3）

PDF （1859KB）（70）

Save

The salt gradient solar pond is a kind of large area of saline water that can simultaneously absorb and store solar energy in the thermal energy. It has attracted widespread attention from researchers due to its advantages such as long-term heat storage, large heat storage capacity, and the ability to provide a stable and clean low-temperature heat source. Traditional salt gradient solar pond stores thermal energy by sensible heat of the saline water, and the thermal storage density is limited. The application of salt gradient salt gradient solar ponds is very extensive. It can directly utilize the heat of salt gradient solar pond and provide a stable low-temperature heat source for industry, agriculture, and daily life. The thermal energy of the salt gradient solar pond can also be used for thermoelectric conversion to provide electricity for various fields. This work first analyzes the key factors affecting the heat storage performance of salt gradient solar pond, the methods to improve the thermal storage performance of salt gradient solar pond, compares and analyzes various heat extraction methods of salt gradient solar pond. Then, the application of salt gradient solar pond in the field of power generation at domestic and abroad is introduced, and the research of salt gradient solar pond power generation technology is summarized and analyzed, aims to provide references for the construction, operation, maintenance of salt gradient solar pond and also the application in power generation.

Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Efficient catalytic synthesis of cyclic carbonates from carbon dioxide by phosphine-based composite catalysts

Heming ZHANG Chan MENG Li DONG Qian SU Weiguo CHENG

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2023, 23 (7): 987-994. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.223098

Abstract （110）

HTML （3）

PDF （5200KB）（117）

Save

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is both a major contributor to the greenhouse effect and an important C1 resource. The synthesis of cyclic carbonates from CO2 and epoxides is an important way of high efficiency and high value utilization. The development of high efficiency catalyst is the focus of research for this reaction. In the past, there were some problems such as poor stability, low catalytic activity and complex preparation of catalyst. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop phosphine-based catalysts with high catalytic activity, low price and good stability. In this study, a binary composite catalytic system was formed between phosphine oxide compound and metal salt with high stability. By regulating different proportions of metal salts and phosphine oxide compounds, the binary composite catalytic system with different proportions was formed, and the optimal transition metal salts and the optimal ratio were selected (Bu3PO:ZnBr2=2:1, namely [2Bu3PO-ZnBr2]). The influence of catalyst dosage, CO2 pressure, reaction time, and reaction temperature on propylene oxide (PO) conversion and the selectivity of propylene carbonate (PC) was investigated. The results showed that under optimum reaction conditions (130℃, 3 h, 3 MPa), the PO conversion was 92%, the PC selectivity was 99% and the catalyst maintained high catalytic activity after five cycles. Finally, the interactions between the phosphine-based binary composite catalytic system and the reactants were revealed through relevant characterization, and the Lewis acid co-catalytic mechanism was proposed. The phosphine-based binary composite catalytic system proposed in this study provides a new idea for efficient and inexpensive catalyst utilization.

Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Design and controlled mass production of cathode catalysts for powerful fuel cell

Rongrong LI Honghong LEI Zhaoyan ZHAI Lei WU Xiaoli LI Baoyin LIU Yanna ZHANG Xi WANG Jianjun XIAO

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2023, 23 (7): 995-1002. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.223110

Abstract （92）

HTML （3）

PDF （4431KB）（61）

Save

It has an important strategic significance to promote the utilization of clean energy, ensure the safety of electricity and then achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. Therefore, we must promote the adjustment of energy structure, and develop technologies that are green, environmental protection, and low carbon energy saving. With excellent characteristics, such as high energy density, low cost, high safety, and clean and pollution-free, metal fuel cell has become a new generation of electric energy device, gained widespread traction in recent years. However, due to a lack of breakthroughs in key technologies and the high cost of cathode catalysts, metal fuel cells have not achieved large-scale application. There is great significance to developing non-precious metal catalysts, which can promote the development and promotion of metal fuel cells. In this work, carbon nanotubes, cobaltous acetate, manganese acetate, and sodium hydroxide were used as raw materials, which were much cheaper than platinum-carbon. Transition metal oxides were prepared and supported on the multi-wall carbon nanotube matrix through the method of coprecipitation, which was a spinel phase CoMn3Ox/CNTs catalyst. The XRD and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) results indicated that increasing the pyrolysis temperature from 250℃ to 350℃ increased the crystallinity of the catalyst and the catalytic activity for oxygen reduction. The catalytic activity of CMO/CNTs-400 decreased as the particles grow a little larger. The SEM/EDS results showed that CoMn3Ox uniformly loaded on the surface of carbon nanotubes, with a particle size of nanoscale and a uniform distribution of each component element. The atomic number ratio of Co and Mn elements was close to 1:3. The current density and half-wave potential were 5.59 mA/cm2 and 0.75 V, respectively, which was obtained from ORR of CMO/CNTs-350. Furthermore, the CMO/CNTs-350 catalysts maintain good performance after macroscopic preparation. At 3 kW loaded, the aluminum air fuel cells assembled with CMO/CNTs-350 catalysts could operate at constant power for 12 h, with an average voltage of 1.14 V at the end of the test. Based on abundant and easy raw materials, a controllable production process and excellent electrochemical performance, CMO/CNTs-350 catalyst was a promising cathode for use in potential cathode catalysts for metal fuel cells.

Related Articles | Metrics

Content of Development of New Energy Industry in our journal