Development of Oxide Maxine Electrode... A Step Closer to Commercialization of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Junho] Domestic researchers have succeeded in synthesizing oxidized titanium carbide MXene with a plate structure evenly dispersed with titanium oxide nanoparticles through a reaction with carbon dioxide. This oxidized MXene exhibits excellent oxidation stability and can accommodate sulfur, making it expected to be used in electrodes and separators of next-generation lithium-sulfur batteries, which could replace lithium-ion batteries in the future.

The research team led by Professor Jae-woo Lee of the Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced on the 25th that they synthesized oxidized MXene through a reaction between the nano new material MXene and carbon dioxide, and their related paper was published in the international academic journal ACS Nano.

Development of Cathode Material for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

MXene has been attracting attention as a next-generation material to replace graphene or carbon nanotubes, but it is not suitable as a material for lithium-sulfur batteries. MXene is composed of metal carbide compounds made of carbon and titanium elements and has no internal gaps, so it cannot accommodate sulfur.

However, the research team made it possible to use MXene as a lithium-sulfur battery material by oxidizing MXene. First, ultrasound was applied to an aqueous solution containing MXene to exfoliate MXene and produce a large amount of individual MXene layers. Then, sufficient space was secured between the MXene layers, and simultaneously, carbon dioxide was reacted with the MXene layers to evenly synthesize a large amount of titanium oxide nanoparticles on the surface.

This material secures enough space to accommodate the active material sulfur and can prevent the shuttle effect occurring during charge and discharge processes. The shuttle effect is a degradation phenomenon of the battery performance caused by lithium polysulfides generated during charge and discharge dissolving in the electrolyte and migrating to the anode side.

The research team utilized the developed material as the cathode and separator of lithium-sulfur batteries and reported excellent performance during charge and discharge. They also confirmed that applying this material to lithium-sulfur batteries minimizes active material loss, improves cycling performance, provides high reversible capacity, and buffers the volume expansion of sulfur.

Cost-Effective Production of Lithium-Sulfur Battery Materials

Professor Lee Jae-woo, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

A representative of the research team stated, "The manufacturing process of oxidized metal plate-type MXene is a simplified process consisting of aqueous solution treatment and reaction with carbon dioxide," adding, "By controlling temperature and reaction time, various plate-type devices can be manufactured, enabling cost reduction."

Lee Dong-gyu, a doctoral student and first author, explained, "The oxidized metal plate-type MXene produced through the reaction with carbon dioxide can be formed into a film for not only the cathode but also the separator of lithium-sulfur batteries, creating a membrane that can doubly prevent the shuttle effect," and added, "Plate-type MXene with uniformly formed metal oxide nanoparticles can be used in electrodes and various energy storage device components."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.