Cornell researchers have developed a porous crystal able to absorbing lithium-ion electrolytes and transporting them by one-dimensional nanochannels. This was achieved by combining two contorted molecular constructions, as detailed in a examine revealed within the Journal of the American Chemical Society. The design has the potential to enhance the protection of solid-state lithium-ion batteries.
The lead writer of the examine is Yuzhe Wang ’24, with the undertaking led by Yu Zhong, an assistant professor of supplies science and engineering at Cornell Engineering. Zhong’s lab focuses on growing gentle and nanoscale supplies to reinforce sustainability and power storage applied sciences. Wang, a junior switch scholar, approached Zhong about conducting a analysis undertaking, and so they launched into growing safer lithium-ion batteries.
In standard lithium-ion batteries, liquid electrolytes may cause the formation of dendrites—spiky constructions which will brief out the battery and even result in explosions. Stable-state batteries are safer however face challenges on account of increased resistance, slowing down ion motion by solids.
Zhong aimed to handle these points by making a crystal with nanochannels giant sufficient for clean ion transport. Wang developed a method combining two complementary molecular constructions—molecular cages and macrocycles—to create this porous crystal.
Macrocycles are molecules with rings of 12 or extra atoms; molecular cages are compounds with a number of rings. Their mixture presents a pathway that reduces interactions between lithium ions and the crystal, offering clean transport for the ions and excessive ion focus.
Wang’s work was supported by the faculty’s Engineering Studying Initiatives.
Each macrocycles and molecular cages have intrinsic pores the place ions can sit and go by. Through the use of them because the constructing blocks for porous crystals, the crystal would have giant areas to retailer ions and interconnected channels for ions to move.
Yuzhe Wang, PhD Scholar, Massachusetts Institute of Know-how
Wang designed the construction by attaching three macrocycles radially, resembling wings or arms, to a molecular cage on the middle. These elements then fused collectively, forming bigger, extra complicated, three-dimensional crystals. In response to Zhong, these crystals are nanoporous, creating one-dimensional channels that present “the ideal pathway for ion transport.”
The macrocycle-cage molecules self-assemble, utilizing hydrogen bonds and their interlocking shapes to attain spectacular ionic conductivity, reaching as much as 8.3 × 10-4 Siemens per centimeter.
That conductivity is the document excessive for these molecule-based, solid-state lithium-ion-conducting electrolytes.
Yu Zhong, Examine Senior Creator and Assistant Professor, Supplies Science and Engineering, Cornell College
To higher perceive the composition of their crystal, the researchers labored with Judy Cha, Ph.D. ’09, a professor of supplies science and engineering, who examined its construction utilizing scanning transmission electron microscopy, and Jingjie Yeo, an assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, whose simulations made clear how the molecules interacted with the lithium ions.
Zhong added, “So with all the pieces together, we eventually established a good understanding of why this structure is really good for ion transport, and why we get such a high conductivity with this material.”
The fabric can be utilized to create blended ion-electron-conducting constructions for bioelectronic circuits and sensors, in addition to to separate ions and molecules in water purification and create safer lithium-ion batteries.
“This macrocycle-cage molecule is definitely something new in this community. The molecular cage and macrocycle have been known for a while, but how you can really leverage the unique geometry of these two molecules to guide the self-assembly of new, more complicated structures is kind of an unexplored area. Now, in our group, we are working on the synthesis of different molecules and how we can assemble them and make a molecule with a different geometry so we can expand all the possibilities to make new nanoporous materials. Maybe it is for lithium-ion conductivity or maybe for even many other different applications,” Zhong acknowledged.
Doctoral scholar Kaiyang Wang, M.S. ’19; grasp’s scholar Ashutosh Garudapalli; postdoctoral researchers Stephen Funni and Qiyi Fang; and researchers from Rice College, College of Chicago, and Columbia College are the opposite examine authors.
Cornell Engineering’s Engineering Studying Initiatives supported the examine.
The researchers used the Cornell Middle for Supplies Analysis and the Columbia College Supplies Analysis Science and Engineering Middle, each of that are supported by the Nationwide Science Basis’s Supplies Analysis Science and Engineering Middle program.
Journal Reference:
Wang, Y. et al. (2024) Supramolecular Meeting of Fused Macrocycle-Cage Molecules for Quick Lithium-Ion Transport. Journal of the American Chemical Society. doi.org/10.1021/jacs.4c08558