Even the most conservative projections suggest that significantly higher demand for batteries in the transport sector is expected in the coming years. A relevant concern is the supply security of lithium-ion batteries, which has been raised and discussed in existing literature in the context of sustainability and the technological readiness of different parts of the battery value chain. However, an up-to-date analysis of this value chain is beneficial to spotlight the main current bottlenecks. This perspective article aims to make a worthwhile contribution in two respects: first, to encourage further research in the techno-economic aspects of lithium-ion and beyond battery chemistries; second, to aid investors and policymakers in the decision-making process paving the road for the realization of the sustainability goals in the transport sector.

The pursuit of novel anode materials that offer high storage capacity, hasty ionic transport, good cyclic stability, and material recyclability is at the core of the research activities. In this study, we uncovered the potential of 2D puckered chromium ditelluride (CrTe₂) as a novel anode material for multivalent metal-ion batteries employing Li ions, Mg ions, and Al ions. The structural and dynamical stability of the material was ensured via formation energy and phonon dispersion curves. The optimal anodic properties of the material were systematically analyzed, with a focus on its structural properties, electronic characteristics, adsorption sites, diffusion barriers, and storage capability. The exothermic interactions of Li, Mg, and Al with host CrTe₂ demonstrated its suitability for the intercalation process in respective monovalent, divalent, and trivalent ion batteries. The storage capacity of the material appeared as 1745 mAh g^-1 for LIBs, 872 mAh g^-1 for MIBs, and 785 mAh g^-1 for AIBs. The open-circuit voltage is found as 0.76 V for Li, 0.97 V for Mg, and 0.62 V for Al. The diffusion barriers faced by Li, Mg, and Al atoms are found to be low at 0.26 eV, 0.55 eV, and 0.42 eV, respectively, which points to the rapid charging capability of the battery. Furthermore, the electronic transport properties of the host material are also studied using a combined density functional theory (DFT) and Green’s function method (DFT-GF). The findings of this study indicate that CrTe₂ has the potential for utilization as a promising anode material for the development of high-performance Li, Mg, and Al-ion batteries.

The advancement of efficient and robust photocatalysts for water splitting is pivotal for the sustainable production of clean hydrogen energy. This study introduces a novel photocatalyst, synthesized by integrating 0D Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S quantum dots (ZCS QDs) onto 2D K⁺-doped graphitic carbon nitride (K-CN) microribbons, via an in-situ hydrothermal growth method. A comprehensive characterization was performed to assess the optical characteristics, structural attributes, and charge transfer efficacy of the prepared photocatalysts. Our findings reveal that the incorporation of K⁺ ions effectively modulates the bandgap and valence band positions of g-C₃N₄, facilitating an optimal energy level alignment with ZCS QDs. Moreover, the integration of ZCS QDs improves the photon capture ability and concurrently diminishes the recombination rate of photogenerated charge carriers. The optimized ZCS 51%/K-CN photocatalyst demonstrates a promising simulated sunlight-driven hydrogen production rate of 9.606 mmol·h^-1·g^-1, surpassing that of pristine ZCS QDs by nearly three times, without the need for noble metal co-catalysts. Most notably, the photocatalyst maintains its hydrogen evolution performance consistently over five photocatalytic cycles, underscoring its stability. The remarkable photocatalytic activity is primarily ascribed to the formation of a type-II heterojunction between K-CN and ZCS QDs, which enhances charge separation and transfer. This research represents a significant step forward in the design of heterojunction photocatalysts by merging QDs with g-C₃N₄, offering a highly effective and durable solution for photocatalytic hydrogen production.

High-nickel LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ (NCM811) cathode paired with silicon-based graphite (SiO/Gr) is pivotal for enhancing the energy density of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the high reactivity of NCM811 with the electrolyte and the volumetric expansion issues associated with SiO/Gr pose significant challenges to their practical application. To settle these issues, we explore the impact of additives with phenyl and acid anhydride moieties on the performance of NCM811‖SiO/Gr pouch cells across a wide temperature range of -20°C∼60°C. Acid anhydride additives are capable of diminishing the internal resistance in NCM811‖SiO/Gr pouch cells, as well as curbing gas evolution and thickness increase during the operational phase. Notably, the batteries enriched with citraconic anhydride (CAn) and succinic anhydride (SAn) additives after 120 cycles at 45°C demonstrated enhanced capacity retention from 83.2% to 88.1% and 85.5%, respectively. Intriguingly, the inclusion of phenyl-containing additives in the electrolyte was found to be advantageous for NCM811‖SiO/Gr pouch cells’ low-temperature performance. Furthermore, neither type of functional group significantly enhanced performance at room conditions. Consequently, the combination of additives is necessary to fulfill the stringent requirements of LIBs for extreme environment applications. This work guides designing composite electrolytes for high energy density wide temperature operation LIBs.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have established themselves as the preferred power sources for both pure electric and hybrid vehicles, attributable to their exceptional characteristics, including prolonged cycle life, elevated energy density, and minimal self-discharge rates. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as innovative functional molecular crystal materials, exhibit promising application prospects in LIBs. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in the synthesis techniques and structural modulation of MOFs and their derivative materials. It particularly emphasizes a thorough exploration of the utilization of MOFs and their derivatives in the anode, cathode, and separators of LIBs. Additionally, this paper delves into the current obstacles encountered by MOFs in LIB applications and offers insights into their potential future development.

Separators play a significant role in the safety and performance of lithium-ion batteries. In this study, composite separators were fabricated using montmorillonite (MMT) as a filler in a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix, followed by electron irradiation to enhance the safety and performance of separator. Electron irradiation induces chemical bonds by crosslinking between HDPE chains, also between the MMT and HDPE. MMT features a two-dimensional layered structure with a high surface area, providing abundant crosslinking sites. MMT is treated with a silane coupling agent, which induces layer exfoliation. The exfoliation increases the surface area of MMT, thereby providing more crosslinking sites. Additionally, the surface modification of MMT enhances its affinity with HDPE, leading to better dispersion of MMT within the HDPE matrix. Simultaneously, electron irradiation in an air atmosphere generates polar functional groups, improving the electrolyte affinity of the separator. Consequently, the safety of the MMT composite separator was significantly enhanced, exhibiting a high puncture strength of 0.52 N µm^-1 and a thermal shrinkage rate of 21.4% at 135°C for 30 min. Li//LCO cells using the composite separator demonstrated superb cycle stability with a discharge retention of 98.7% and a coulombic efficiency of 99.6% after 200 cycles at 0.5 C, and exhibited rate capability maintaining 74.5% of the capacity at 20 C compared to 0.5 C.