Simeng Zhang

Halide solid electrolytes are widely regarded as promising catholytes for all‐solid‐state batteries because of their high ionic conductivity, good deformability, and relative compatibility with oxide cathodes. However, their interfacial stability has been largely evaluated under inert laboratory conditions, whereas practical battery manufacturing is typically conducted in low‐humidity dry rooms rather than inert‐atmosphere gloveboxes. Here, we demonstrate that halide solid electrolyte/oxide cathode composite electrodes can undergo severe interfacial degradation even under a low‐humidity dry‐room environment with a dew point of −40°C. Using Li ₃ InCl ₆ and LiNi _0.83 Co _0.12 Mn _0.05 O ₂ as a representative model system, we reveal that dry‐room exposure induces interfacial reactions that generate a passivation layer associated with hindered Li ⁺ transport, leading to markedly deteriorated electrochemical performance. Similar degradation behavior was also observed in several representative halide electrolyte/layered oxide combinations, suggesting that this issue is not limited to a single material pair. These findings identify a previously underappreciated processing‐induced interfacial challenge in halide‐based all‐solid‐state batteries and underscore the need to place greater emphasis on composite‐cathode stability under realistic dry‐room manufacturing conditions.

Solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) are the essential component of all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs). Designing better SSEs holds the key to the success of the ASSBs. Here, this study effectively realises the design of SSEs through functional modules. Various functional designs have been achieved by incorporating different functional models. Here, we initially introduce LaCl ₃ , which possesses a UCl ₃ structure, as a functional module to demonstrate the feasibility of our approach. The Li ₂ O-1.8TaCl ₅ -0.2LaCl ₃ (LTLOC) SSE enable the ASSB with LiNi _0.88 Co _0.09 Mn _0.03 O ₂ (NCM88) to exhibit stable cycling and stable operation at low temperature (−30 °C). Additionally, various types of functional modules, including chloride, oxide, and fluoride, have been successfully introduced, further supporting the universality of amorphous functional module design. Furthermore, the incorporation of low-cost and low-density AlF ₃ highlights the benefits of this design approach, as it allows for a high proportion of fluoride to be introduced without compromising ionic conductivity. Li ₂ O-1.8TaCl ₅ -5AlF ₃ (LTOC-5AlF ₃ ) exhibits stability in humid conditions, resistance to high voltage, and compatibility with lithium metal simultaneously. The key strength of this design approach is its ability to maintain advantages and make up for the shortcomings.

All-solid-state batteries frequently encounter mechanical instability due to the inherent brittleness and low elasticity of inorganic ceramic electrolytes, such as sulfides, oxides, and halides. These electrolytes struggle to accommodate the volumetric fluctuations of positive electrode materials during cycling, potentially leading to performance degradation and premature failure. To address this challenge, we propose a defect-based toughening approach for resilient halide solid electrolytes. By meticulously controlling the cooling rate during synthesis, we successfully increase the defect density within the electrolyte, enhancing its mechanical properties and mitigating the risk of mechanical failure. Mechanical property testing, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy characterization, and synchrotron radiation diffraction analysis reveal that the quenched material exhibit not only a higher Young’s modulus, rendering it less susceptible to deformation under stress and a higher capacity for energy absorption before plastic deformation or fracture due to its increased dispersed defect density. Consequently, it demonstrates better adaptability to the volumetric changes associated with the positive electrode material during battery cycling, effectively mitigating strain-induced material behavior. Here we show the effectiveness of defect-enhanced toughening strategies in optimizing the mechanical properties and microstructure of electrolyte materials, thereby enhancing the overall integrity of solid-state batteries without requiring modifications to their chemical composition.

Novel Na-ion solid-state electrolytes (MCl _y – x Na ₂ CO ₃ , M = Ta, Nb, Hf, Zr, and Al) were synthesized rapidly by ball milling. Conductivity of 1.11 mS cm ⁻¹ was achieved in 10 min for TaCl ₅ –1.2Na ₂ CO ₃ , with optimized TaCl ₅ –0.5Na ₂ CO ₃ reaching 5.01 mS cm ⁻¹ .

This paper studies the output regulation problem for switched systems with an event-triggered model predictive control approach. First, an event-triggering strategy is adopted to configure data sampling and communication efficiently. Moreover, the model predictive control approach is considered to optimize the control performance of the closed-loop system. By applying the piecewise Lyapunov function and average dwell time method, sufficient conditions for the solvability of the output regulation problem are given. Then, the design of model predictive controller is transformed into the solution of linear matrix inequalities. Finally, simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Background: There is epidemiological evidence that diabetes has a protective effect on the occurrence and development of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). However, information on the role of glucose level on abdominal aortic diameter is limited. This study sought to assess the relationship between fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and infra-renal aortic diameter in a Chinese hypertensive population. Methods: The prospective participants comprised candidates from 2 large population-based studies on the clinical presentation and management of hypertension in China. In total, 18,034 hypertensive participants (6,942 male and 11,092 females, with a mean age of 64.72±7.41 years) were included in the study. The maximal diameter of the infra-renal aorta was measured by ultrasound scanning. Multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the specific association between FPG and abdominal aortic diameter. The interaction terms between the baseline covariables and the aortic diameter were used to determine if a variable affected the association between FPG and abdominal aortic diameter. Results: Of these, 22 cases of AAA were identified, and the prevalence of diabetes was lower in those with AAA than those without. A significant negative association was also found between FPG and aortic diameter in both sexes. A dose-dependent decrease in the prevalence of diabetes across quartiles of aortic diameter was also observed, with an estimated odds ratio (OR) of 0.60 (95% CI: 0.50–0.72) for men and 0.72 (95% CI: 0.63–0.82) for women for the top quartiles compared to the bottom quartiles. Cigarette smoking only interacted with the association between FPG level and aortic diameter in women. The association did not differ with other subgroups. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that glycaemia may plays a protective role in the early stage of aortic dilatation in both sexes in a Chinese hypertensive population. Prospective studies need to be conducted to confirm our findings and explore the mechanism underlying this association in different populations.

Lithium metal is a promising anode material for its low redox potential and high theoretical specific capacity. However, the commercial application of the lithium metal anode is hindered with safety concerns arising from the uncontrolled growth of the lithium dendrites and significant volume variation during the lithium plating and stripping processes. Modification to the current collector is effective in tailoring the morphology of the deposited lithium and improving the cycling performance of the lithium metal batteries This review summarizes at first the global research advances in the structural design and the selection of the current collectors and their textures. It then presents some of our efforts in realizing controlled lithium deposition by designing current collectors in three aspects, lithium deposition induced by the micro-to-nano structures, lithiophilic alloys and iron carbides. Finally, conclusions and prospects are made for the further research of the current collectors.