Electrochemical Energy Laboratory

Lithium, the lightest metal with the lowest standard reduction potential, has been long considered as the ultimate anode material for next‐generation high‐energy‐density batteries. However, an unexpected Li dendrite formation, which causes poor reversibility of electrochemical reactions and safety concerns, is a major problem that has to be solved for the commercialization of Li metal anodes. We are interested in understanding reaction mechanism of Li deposition/dissolution during plating/stripping and developing stable Li metal anodes. To date, rechargeable batteries have been mainly based on the cationic redox activity of transition metal (TM) ions. Recently, attention has been drawn to the anionic redox activity of oxygen, which can be exploited to prepare high‐energy‐density cathodes for lithium and sodium ion batteries. However, the irreversible structural disorder and voltage fading accompanying oxygen release are major problems preventing commercial use. We are interested in studying on relationship between structural stability and anionic redox activity to find solutions for these limitations.