Designing a hybrid electrode toward high energy density with a staged Li <sup>+</sup> and PF <sub>6</sub> <sup>−</sup> deintercalation/intercalation mechanism
Junnan Hao, Fuhua Yang, Shilin Zhang, Hanna He, Guanglin Xia, Yajie Liu, Christophe Didier, Tongchao Liu, Wei Kong Pang, Vanessa K. Peterson, Jun Lü, Zhanhu Guo
Abstract
Significance The limited energy density, lifespan, and high cost of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) drive the development of new-type affordable batteries. As a green and cheap alternative, dual-graphite batteries (DGBs) have received much attention recently; however, they have been criticized for low capacity, electrode durability, and “real” energy density. Here, we designed hybrid LiFePO 4 (LFP)/graphite electrodes that operate with a staged deintercalation/intercalation of the Li + and PF 6 − mechanism. Introducing graphite into LFP not only accelerates the electrochemical performance of LFP but also unlocks the electrolyte role by providing active sites for PF 6 − intercalation. This work provides insights to optimize the current LIB technology by full utilization of individual components, including electrolyte.