Mechanistic Insights into the Structural Modulation of Transition Metal Selenides to Boost Potassium Ion Storage Stability
Shuaitong Liang, Zhenjiang Yu, Tianshuai Ma, Haiting Shi, Qingqing Wu, Lijie Ci, Yujin Tong, Jiajun Wang, Zhiwei Xu
Abstract
Atomic-level structure engineering is an effective strategy to reduce mechanical degradation and boost ion transport kinetics for battery anodes. To address the electrode failure induced by large ionic radius of K+ ions, herein we synthesized Mn-doped ZnSe with modulated electronic structure for potassium ion batteries (PIBs). State-of-the-art analytical techniques and theoretical calculations were conducted to probe crystalline structure changes, ion/electron migration pathways, and micromechanical stresses evolution mechanisms. We demonstrate that the heterogeneous adjustment of the electronic structure can relieve the potassiumization-induced internal strain and improve the structural stability of battery anodes. Our work highlights the importance of the correlation between doping chemistry and mechanical stability, inspiring a pathway of structural engineering strategy toward a highly stable PIBs.