Search Results (252)

Aqueous redox flow batteries (ARFBs) have attracted significant attention in the field of electrochemical energy storage due to their high intrinsic safety, low cost, and flexible system configuration. However, the advancement of this technology is still hindered by several critical challenges, including capacity decay, structural optimization, and the design and application of key materials as well as their performance within battery systems. Addressing these issues requires systematic theoretical foundations and scientific guidance. Numerical modeling has emerged as a powerful tool for investigating the complex physical and electrochemical processes within flow batteries across multiple spatial and temporal scales. It also enables predictive performance analysis and cost-effective optimization at both the component and system levels, thus accelerating research and development. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent progress in the modeling of ARFBs. Taking the all-vanadium redox flow battery as a representative example, we summarize the key multiphysics phenomena involved and introduce corresponding multi-scale modeling strategies. Furthermore, specific modeling considerations are discussed for phase-change ARFBs, such as zinc-based ones involving solid–liquid phase transition, and hydrogen–bromine systems characterized by gas–liquid two-phase flow, highlighting their distinctive features compared to vanadium systems. Finally, this paper explores the major challenges and potential opportunities in the modeling of representative ARFB systems, aiming to provide theoretical guidance and technical support for the continued development and practical application of ARFB technology. Full article

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have garnered significant research attention in the energy storage field owing to their inherent safety, cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability. Nevertheless, critical challenges associated with zinc anodes—including dendrite formation, hydrogen evolution corrosion, and mechanical degradation—substantially impede their practical implementation. Grain boundary engineering (GBE) emerges as an innovative solution for zinc anode optimization through the precise regulation of grain boundary density, crystallographic orientation, and chemical states in metallic materials. This study comprehensively investigates the fundamental mechanisms and application prospects of GBE in zinc-based anodes, providing pivotal theoretical insights and technical methodologies for designing highly stable electrode architectures. The findings are expected to promote the development of aqueous zinc batteries toward a high energy density and long cycle life. Full article

The modification of materials is considered as one of the productive methods to facilitate the better electrochemical behavior of lithium–sulfur battery cathodes and inhibit the shuttle effect. Adopting first-principles calculations in this work, the application potential of pristine and B-, N-, and P-doped thgraphene as anchoring materials was investigated. The results reveal that pristine and doped substrates have an excellent structural stability, conductivity, and electrochemical activity. In the absence of an electric field, four substrates exhibit a strong anchoring effect on the Li₂S cluster, where the adsorption energies fall within 3.10 to 4.48 eV. Even under the external electric field, all substrates exhibit notable structural stability during Li₂S adsorption processes and maintain a high electrical conductivity, with adsorption energies exceeding 2.75 eV. Furthermore, it has been observed that the interfacial diffusion energy barriers for Li on all substrates are below 0.35 eV, which effectively enhances Li migration and facilitates reaction kinetics. Additionally, Li₂S demonstrates a low decomposition energy barrier (varying from 0.84 to 1.55 eV) on pristine and doped substrates, enabling the efficient regeneration of the active material during the battery cycling. These findings offer a scientific guideline for the design of pristine and doped thgraphene as an excellent anchoring material for advanced lithium–sulfur batteries. Full article

Aluminum–air batteries are highly promising energy storage systems due to their high theoretical energy density, environmental friendliness, and cost-effectiveness. However, the self-corrosion of aluminum anodes in alkaline electrolytes remains a critical issue that significantly limits their practical application and commercialization. This review paper comprehensively examined various advanced strategies aimed at suppressing the self-corrosion of anodes in Al–air batteries. We summarized the fundamental principles of these approaches, their advantages and disadvantages, and provided an in-depth analysis of their effectiveness, supported by experimental and theoretical evidence. Specifically, this review systematically analyzes six major strategies for suppressing anode self-corrosion: anode alloying, electrolyte additives, novel electrolytes, anode surface treatment, battery structural design, and computer-aided investigation. Furthermore, we proposed the challenges and future research directions in this field. Overall, this review aimed to offer valuable insights and guidance for the development of high-performance, long-lasting Al–air batteries. Full article

The high-fidelity lithium-ion battery (LIB) models are crucial for realizing an accurate state estimation in battery management systems (BMSs). Recently, the fractional-order equivalent circuit models (FOMs), as a frequency-domain modeling approach, offer distinct advantages for constructing high-precision battery models in field of electric vehicles. However, the quantitative evaluations and adaptability of these models under different driving cycle datasets are still lacking and challenging. For this reason, comparative evaluations of different FOMs using a novel drive cycle dataset of a battery was carried out in this paper. First, three typical FOMs were initially established and the particle swarm optimization algorithm was then employed to identify model parameters. Complementarily, the efficiency and accuracy of the offline identification for three typical FOMs are also discussed. Subsequently, the terminal voltages of these different FOMs were investigated and evaluated under dynamic operating conditions. Results demonstrate that the FOM-W model exhibits the highest superiority in simulation accuracy, achieving a mean absolute error (MAE) of 9.2 mV and root mean square error (RMSE) of 19.1 mV under Highway Fuel Economy Test conditions. Finally, the accuracy verification of the FOM-W model under two other different dynamic operating conditions has also been thoroughly investigated, and it could still maintain a RMSE and MAE below 21 mV, which indicates its strong adaptability and generalization compared with other FOMs. Conclusions drawn from this paper can further guide the selection of battery models to achieve reliable state estimations of BMS. Full article

Electric vehicles are increasingly being used for green transportation in smart urban mobility, thus protecting environmental biodiversity and the ecosystem. Energy storage by electric vehicle batteries is a critical point of this ecologically responsible transportation. This storage is strongly linked to the different external managements related to its capacity state. The latter concerns the interconnection of storage to energy resources, charging strategies, and their complexity. In an ideal urban context, charging strategies would use wireless devices. However, these may involve complex frames and unwanted electromagnetic field interferences. The sustainable management of wireless devices and battery state conditions allows for optimized operation and minimized adverse effects. Such management includes the sustainable design of devices and monitoring of complex connected procedures. The present study aims to analyze this management and to highlight the mathematical routines enabling the design and control tasks involved. The investigations involved are closely related to responsible attitude, “One Health”, and twin supervision approaches. The different sections of the article examine the following: electric vehicle in smart mobility, sustainable design and control, electromagnetic exposures, governance of physical and mathematical representation, charging routines, protection against adverse effects, and supervision of complex connected vehicles. The research presented in this article is supported by examples from the literature. Full article

Resonators are passive components that respond to an excitation signal by oscillating at their natural frequency with an exponentially decreasing amplitude. When combined with antennas, resonators enable purely passive chipless sensors that can be read wirelessly. In this contribution, we investigate the properties of dielectric resonators, which combine the following functionalities: They store the readout signal for a sufficiently long time and couple to free space electromagnetic waves to act as antennas. Their mode spectrum, along with their resonant frequencies, quality factor, and coupling to electromagnetic waves, is investigated using a commercial finite element program. The fundamental mode exhibits a too-low overall Q factor. However, some higher modes feature overall Q factors of several thousand, which allows them to act as transponders operating without integrated circuits, batteries, or antennas. To experimentally verify the simulations, isolated dielectric resonators exhibiting modes with similarly high radiation-induced and dissipative quality factors were placed on a low-loss, low permittivity ceramic holder, allowing their far-field radiation properties to be measured. The radiation patterns investigated in the laboratory and outdoors agree well with the simulations. The resulting radiation patterns show a directivity of approximately 7.5 dBi at 2.5 GHz. The sensor was then heated in a ceramic furnace with the readout antenna located outside at room temperature. Wireless temperature measurements up to 700 °C with a resolution of 0.5 °C from a distance of 1 m demonstrated the performance of dielectric resonators for practical applications. Full article

Despite the commercial success of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the risk of thermal runaway, which can lead to dangerous fires, has become more concerning as LIB usage increases. Research has focused on understanding the causes of thermal runaway and how to prevent or detect it. Additionally, novel thermal runaway-resistant materials are being researched, as are different methods of constructing LIBs that better isolate thermal runaway and prevent it from propagating. However, field firefighters are using hundreds of thousands of liters of water to control large runaway thermal emergencies, highlighting the need to merge research with practical observations. To study battery fire, this study utilized a temperature abuse method to increase LIB temperature and investigated whether thermal runaway can be suppressed by applying external cooling during heating. The batteries used were pouch-type ones and subjected to high states of charge (SOC), which primed the thermal runaway during battery temperature increase. A water spray method was then devised and tested to reduce battery temperature. Results showed that, without cooling, a thermal runaway fire occurred every time during the thermal abuse. However, external cooling successfully prevented thermal runaway. This observation shows that using water as a temperature reducer is more effective than using it as a fire suppressant, which can substantially improve battery performance and increase public safety. Full article

With the rapid development of electrical energy storage technologies, traditional battery systems are limited in practical applications by insufficient energy density and short cycle life. This review provides a comprehensive and critical summary of MXene or MXene-based composites as electrode materials for high-performance energy storage devices. By integrating the synthesis techniques of MXenes that have been studied, this paper systematically illustrates the physicochemical properties, synthesis strategies, and mechanisms of MXenes, and analyzes the bottlenecks in their large-scale preparation. Meanwhile, it collates the latest research achievements of MXenes in the field of metal–ion batteries in recent years, focusing on integrating their latest progress in lithium–ion, sodium–ion, lithium–sulfur, and multivalent ion (Zn²⁺, Mg²⁺, Al³⁺) batteries, and reveals their action mechanisms in different electrode material cases. Combining DFT analysis of the effects of surface functional groups on adsorption energy with experimental studies clarifies the structure–activity relationships of MXene-based composites. However, the development of energy storage electrode materials using MXenes and their hybrid compounds remains in its infancy. Future development directions for MXene-based batteries should focus on understanding and regulating surface chemistry, investigating specific energy storage mechanisms in electrodes, and exploring and developing electrode materials related to bimetallic MXenes. Full article

Quantum batteries represent a new and promising technological application of quantum mechanics, offering the potential for enhanced energy storage and fast charging. In this work, we study a quantum battery composed of three two-level systems with XXZ coupling operating under open boundary conditions. We investigate the role played by ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic initial configurations on the charging dynamics of the battery. Two charging mechanisms are explored: static charging, where the battery interacts with a constant classical external field, and harmonic charging, where the field oscillates periodically over time. Our results demonstrate that static charging can be more efficient in the ferromagnetic case, achieving maximum energy due to complete population inversion between the ground and excited states. In contrast, harmonic charging excels in the antiferromagnetic case. By analyzing the stored energy and the average charging power in these two regimes, we highlight the impact of anisotropy on the performance of quantum batteries. Our findings provide valuable insights for optimizing quantum battery performance based on the system’s initial state and coupling configuration, paving the way for the study of more efficient quantum devices for energy storage. Full article

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have emerged as a cornerstone of sustainable transportation systems, driving a fundamental transformation in public transport (PT) operations over the past decade. The unique characteristics of BEVs, including range limitations and battery degradation dynamics, necessitate a multi-dimensional optimization framework that simultaneously considers energy supply management, operational efficiency, and battery lifecycle optimization in transit scheduling and timetabling. This paper presents a systematic review of BEV timetabling and scheduling research, structured around three main contributions. First, it comprehensively examines the evolution of electric vehicle timetabling problems, providing a detailed comparative analysis of methodological approaches in this domain. Second, it identifies and critically evaluates key developments in electric vehicle scheduling, including extended research directions (such as the integration with crew scheduling) and their practical implications. Third, it investigates the integration of BEV scheduling and timetabling, synthesizing the strengths and limitations of current methodologies while outlining promising avenues for future research. By offering a comprehensive analysis of the advancements in battery electric public transport scheduling over the past decade, this review serves as both a technical reference and a strategic guide for researchers and practitioners in the field of sustainable transportation systems. Full article

To improve the flow mass transfer inside the electrodes and the efficiency of an all-iron redox flow battery, a semi-solid all-iron redox flow battery is presented experimentally. A slurry electrode is designed to replace the traditional porous electrode. Moreover, the effects of an additional external magnetic field are further investigated in the semi-solid battery experiment. The results show that the mass transfer of the slurry in the battery flow channel and the prolonged discharge time are significantly affected by the additional external magnetic fields. In addition, a three-dimensional model of the semi-solid all-iron redox flow battery is presented in detail, and it is verified to be reliable by experimental data. The simulation results show that the ion concentration distributions in the battery become more uniform with the increase in the flow rate and the initial concentration. Furthermore, it is also found that the size of the flow channel influences the mass transfer efficiency of the slurry. After optimizing the flow channel, it is found that when the flow channel length of the slurry inlet and outlet section is 2 cm, the operating efficiency of the semi-solid battery shows an increasing trend. This work provides comprehensive insight into the improvement of the performances of flow batteries, which will be conducive to the practical application of flow batteries. Full article

In potassium ion electrode materials, MXenes have garnered significant attention in the energy storage field due to their high conductivity and complex surface chemistry. In this work, thiourea was used as a nitrogen–sulfur composite precursor, and a self-assembly method was employed to synthesize a material, named nitrogen–sulfur– MXene (NS-MXene). During the reaction, thiourea molecules attach to the surface and interlayers of MXene, increasing the interlayer spacing. Upon heating, thiourea molecules decompose into nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S), which then combine with the MXene material. The N and S provide additional capacity for potassium ion storage, while the increased interlayer spacing also facilitates the intercalation and deintercalation of K⁺. Use of NS-MXene as anode material for potassium-ion batteries results in a high-rate performance (final capacity of 205.2 mAhg⁻¹ at 0.1 Ag⁻¹), long-term cycling stability (128.5 mAhg⁻¹ at 0.5 Ag⁻¹), and a good specific capacity (141 mAhg⁻¹ at 0.1 Ag⁻¹). This groundbreaking discovery opens the door to investigating MXene-based energy storage materials with superior performance and creates a new standard for MXene derivatives. Full article

With the development of society and the advancement of technology, the application of electricity in modern life has become increasingly widespread. However, the risk of electrical fires has also significantly increased. This paper thoroughly investigates the causes, classifications, and challenges of electrical fires in special environments, and summarizes advanced detection and extinguishing technologies. The study reveals that the causes of electrical fires are complex and diverse, including equipment aging, improper installation, short circuits, and overloading. In special environments such as submarines, surface vessels, and aircraft, the risk of electrical fires is higher due to limited space, dense equipment, and difficult rescue operations. This paper also provides a detailed analysis of various types of electrical fires, including cable fires, electrical cabinet fires, transformer fires, battery fires, data center fires, and residential fires, and discusses their characteristics and prevention and control technologies. In terms of detection technology, this paper summarizes the progress of technologies such as arc detection, video detection, and infrared thermography, and emphasizes the importance of selecting appropriate technologies based on specific environments. Regarding extinguishing technologies, this paper discusses various means of extinguishing, such as foam extinguishing agents, dry powder extinguishing agents, and fine water mist technology, and highlights their advantages, disadvantages, and applicable scenarios. Finally, this paper identifies the limitations in the current field of electrical fire prevention and control, emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary research and the development of advanced risk assessment models, and outlines future research directions. Full article

The advent of the lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has transformed the energy storage field, leading to significant advances in electronics and electric vehicles, which continuously demand more and more performant devices. However, commercial LIB systems are still far from satisfying applications operating in arduous conditions, such as temperatures exceeding 100 °C. For instance, safety issues, materials degradation, and toxic stem development, related to volatile, flammable organic electrolytes, and thermally unstable salts (LiPF₆), limit the operative temperature of conventional lithium-ion batteries, which only occasionally can exceed 50–60 °C. To overcome this highly challenging drawback, the present study proposes advanced electrolyte technologies based on innovative, safer fluids such as ionic liquids (ILs). Among the IL families, we have selected ionic liquids based on tetrabutylphosphonium and 1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium cations, coupled with per(fluoroalkylsulfonyl)imide anions, for standing out because of their remarkable thermal robustness. The thermal behaviour as well as the ion transport properties and electrochemical stability were investigated even in the presence of the lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide salt. Conductivity measurements revealed very interesting ion transport properties already at 50 °C, with ion conduction values ranging from 10⁻³ and 10⁻² S cm⁻¹ levelled at 100 °C. Thermal robustness exceeding 150 °C was detected, in combination with anodic stability above 4.5 V at 100 °C. Preliminary cycling tests run on Li/LiFePO₄ cells at 100 °C revealed promising performance, i.e., more than 94% of the theoretical capacity was delivered at a current rate of 0.5C. The obtained results make these innovative electrolyte formulations very promising candidates for high-temperature LIB applications and advanced energy storage systems. Full article