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Sodiophilic micro‐composite films of sodium‐chalcogenide intermetallics (Na2Te and Na2S) and Cu particles are fabricated onto commercial copper foam current collectors (Na2Te@CF and Na2S@CF). For the first time a controllable capacity thermal infusion process is demonstrated. Enhanced wetting by the metal electrodeposition leads to state‐of‐the‐art electrochemical performance. For example, Na2Te@CF‐based half‐cells demonstrate stable cycling at 6 mA cm−2 and 6 mAh cm−2, corresponding to 54 µm of Na electrodeposited/electrodissolved by geometric area. Sodium metal batteries with Na3V2 (PO4)3 cathodes are stable at 30C (7 mA cm−2) and for 10 000 cycles at 5C and 10C. Cross‐sectional cryogenic focused ion beam (cryo‐FIB) microscopy details deposited and remnant dissolved microstructures. Sodium metal electrodeposition onto Na2Te@CF is dense, smooth, and free of dendrites or pores. On unmodified copper foam, sodium grows in a filament‐like manner, not requiring cycling to achieve this geometry. Substrate–metal interaction critically affects the metal–electrolyte interface, namely the thickness and morphology of the solid electrolyte interphase. Density functional theory and mesoscale simulations provide insight into support‐adatom energetics, nucleation response, and early‐stage morphological evolution. On Na2Te sodium atomic dispersion is thermodynamically more stable than isolated clusters, leading to conformal adatom coverage of the surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anodes for lithium metal batteries, sodium metal batteries, and potassium metal batteries are susceptible to failure due to dendrite growth. This review details the structure–chemistry–performance relations in membranes that stabilize the anodes' solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), allowing for stable electrochemical plating/stripping. Case studies involving Li, Na, and K are presented to illustrate key concepts. "Classical" versus "modern" understandings of the SEI are described, with an emphasis on the new structural insights obtained through novel analytical techniques, including in situ liquid‐secondary ion mass spectroscopy, titration gas chromatography, and tip‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy. This Review highlights diverse approaches for increasing SEI stability, either by inserting a secondary layer between the native SEI and the separator, or by combining the membrane with a native SEI to form a hybrid composite. Exciting and nonintuitive findings are discussed, such as that the metal anode roughness profoundly affects the SEI structure and stability, or that organic artificial SEI‐layers may be more effective than the native inorganic–organic SEIs. Emerging multifunctional architectures are presented, which serve a dual role as metal hosts and metal surface protection layers. Throughout the Review, fruitful future research directions and the critical areas where there is incomplete understanding are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With revolutionary electric vehicles and the smart grid fast developing, more advanced energy storage technologies become quite crucial issues. Li-ion batteries (LIBs) and Na-ion batteries (NIBs) are considered as the most promising electrochemical energy storage technologies. Low-dimensional nano-structural electrode materials can greatly increase the specific capacity, but they still suffer from poor cycling and rate performances due to their serious self-aggregations. Constructing 3D structures, such as micro/nano-structures and free-standing electrodes, is a quite promising method to address the above issues. Such 3D structures can simultaneously avoid the disadvantages of low-dimensional nanomaterials, and preserve their advantages. As one group of promising high-capacity and low-cost electrode materials, vanadium-based oxides have exhibited an quite attractive electrochemical performance for energy storage applications in many novel works. However, their systematic reviews are quite limited, which is disadvantageous to their further development. Herein, this article provides an overview of vanadium-based oxides in the applications of LIBs and NIBs by focusing mainly on the aspect from low-dimensional nanomaterials synthesis to 3D micro/nano-structures and free-standing electrodes fabrication. Moreover, a feasible strategy to controllably fabricate the 3D micro/nano-structure for the whole vanadium-based oxides family is presented. Furthermore, and importantly, a quite promising solution method for the practical commercialized applications of vanadium oxides cathode materials in the future is proposed, i.e., fabricating the 'vanadium oxides-based cathode/solid electrolyte/Li metal anode-type' all solid-state secondary-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid Electrolyte Interphases: Review of Emerging Concepts in SEI Analysis and Artificial SEI Membranes for Lithium, Sodium, and Potassium Metal Battery Anodes (Adv. Keywords: dendrites; interfaces; lithium metal batteries; potassium metal batteries; sodium metal batteries EN dendrites interfaces lithium metal batteries potassium metal batteries sodium metal batteries 1 1 1 11/19/20 20201117 NES 201117 Two friends are skipping stones across a still ocean inlet. Dendrites, interfaces, lithium metal batteries, potassium metal batteries, sodium metal batteries. [Extracted from the article]

High‐capacity vanadium‐based oxides are one kind of promising energy storage materials, especially for electric vehicles. It has become a hot research issue to synthesize vanadium‐based oxides from low‐dimensional nanostructures to 3D micro/nano‐structures and free‐standing‐electrodes. It will become a very attractive and practical strategy in the future to fabricate the “vanadium oxides‐based cathode/solid electrolyte/Li metal anode‐type” all solid‐state secondary‐ion batteries. This is reported by Pengcheng Liu, Kongjun Zhu, and co‐workers in article number 1700547. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]