Abnormally High‐Lithium Storage in Pure Crystalline C₆₀ Nanoparticles

Abstract

Li+ intercalates into a pure face‐centered‐cubic (fcc) C60 structure instead of being adsorbed on a single C60 molecule. This hinders the excess storage of Li ions in Li‐ion batteries, thereby limiting their applications. However, the associated electrochemical processes and mechanisms have not been investigated owing to the low electrochemical reactivity and poor crystallinity of the C60 powder. Herein, a facile method for synthesizing pure fcc C60 nanoparticles with uniform morphology and superior electrochemical performance in both half‐ and full‐cells is demonstrated using a 1 m LiPF6 solution in ethylene carbonate/diethyl carbonate (1:1 vol%) with 10% fluoroethylene carbonate. The specific capacity of the C60 nanoparticles during the second discharge reaches ≈750 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1, approximately twice that of graphite. Moreover, by applying in situ X‐ray diffraction, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, and first‐principles calculations, an abnormally high Li storage in a crystalline C60 structure is proposed based on the vacant sites among the C60 molecules, Li clusters at different sites, and structural changes during the discharge/charge process. The fcc of C60 transforms tetragonal via orthorhombic LixC60 and back to the cubic phase during discharge. The presented results will facilitate the development of novel fullerene‐based anode materials for Li‐ion batteries.

Boosting Perovskite Solar Cells Efficiency and Stability: Interfacial Passivation of Crosslinked Fullerene Eliminates the “Burn‐in” Decay

“…Recently, Qiu et al reported that owing to the excellent electrochemical reaction of C 60 , lithiation/ delithiation can be formed during the charge-discharge process, and form fullerene-lithium adducts. [47][48][49] Since CL-PCBM has similar conjugated molecular core unit as PCBM, the Li + storage mechanism of CL-PCBM should be similar to PCBM. The measured Li + ions migration behavior is in good accordance with the "burn-in" decay of the cells, which indicates Li + ions migration from SnO 2 to the perovskite and spiro-OMeTAD layer is the main reason for the "burn-in" degradation of the cell.…”

Tetra (C60) lanthanum phthalocyanine: design, synthesis and investigation of the third-order nonlinear optical properties

“…The tetra(C 60 )–LaPc and pristine C 60 powder showed similar peak positions at 10.68°, 17.6°, 20.68°, 21.64°, 27.4°, 28.08°, 30.8°, 32.72°, corresponding to (111), (220), (311), (222), (331), (420), (422) and (511) crystal face, respectively. 26,27…”

“…2 420), ( 422) and (511) crystal face, respectively. 26,27 The Raman spectra of C 60 and tetra(C 60 )-LaPc are illustrated in Fig. 2(b).…”

A three-in-one C60-integrated PEO-based solid polymer electrolyte enables superior all-solid-state lithium–sulfur batteries

“…Fullerenes (C 60 ) possessing specific and well-defined molecular structures can be rationally decorated at the molecular level, and have received extensive attention in rechargeable batteries: anode materials of lithium-ion batteries, 27 cathode promoters of lithium–sulfur batteries, 28 and artificial interlayers for lithium metal anodes. 29 Nevertheless, to the best of our knowledge, the utilization of C 60 in all-solid-state lithium metal batteries has never been evaluated so far.…”