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Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are recognized as promising energy storage devices. However, they suffer from rapid capacity decay at ultra‐low temperatures due to high Na+ desolvation energy barrier and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Herein, a weakly solvating electrolyte (WSE) with decreased ion‐dipole interactions is designed for stable sodium storage in hard carbon (HC) anode at ultra‐low temperatures. 2‐methyltetrahydrofuran with low solvating power is incorporated into tetrahydrofuran to regulate the interactions between Na+ and solvents. The reduced Na+‐dipole interactions facilitate more anionic coordination in the first solvation sheath, which consistently maintains anion‐enhanced solvation structures from room to low temperatures to promote inorganic‐rich SEI formation. These enable WSE with a low freezing point of −83.3 °C and faster Na+ desolvation kinetics. The HC anode thus affords reversible capacities of 243.2 and 205.4 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1 at −40 and −60 °C, respectively, and the full cell of HC||Na3V2(PO4)3 yields an extended lifespan over 250 cycles with high capacity retention of ~100 % at −40 °C. This work sheds new lights on the ion‐dipole regulation for ultra‐low temperature SIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are recognized as promising energy storage devices. However, they suffer from rapid capacity decay at ultra‐low temperatures due to high Na+ desolvation energy barrier and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Herein, a weakly solvating electrolyte (WSE) with decreased ion‐dipole interactions is designed for stable sodium storage in hard carbon (HC) anode at ultra‐low temperatures. 2‐methyltetrahydrofuran with low solvating power is incorporated into tetrahydrofuran to regulate the interactions between Na+ and solvents. The reduced Na+‐dipole interactions facilitate more anionic coordination in the first solvation sheath, which consistently maintains anion‐enhanced solvation structures from room to low temperatures to promote inorganic‐rich SEI formation. These enable WSE with a low freezing point of −83.3 °C and faster Na+ desolvation kinetics. The HC anode thus affords reversible capacities of 243.2 and 205.4 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1 at −40 and −60 °C, respectively, and the full cell of HC||Na3V2(PO4)3 yields an extended lifespan over 250 cycles with high capacity retention of ~100 % at −40 °C. This work sheds new lights on the ion‐dipole regulation for ultra‐low temperature SIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aprotic Li‐O2 battery has attracted considerable interest for high theoretical energy density, however the disproportionation of the intermediate of superoxide (O2−) during discharge and charge leads to slow reaction kinetics and large voltage hysteresis. Herein, the chemically stable ruthenium tris(bipyridine) (RB) cations are employed as a soluble catalyst to alternate the pathway of O2− disproportionation and its kinetics in both the discharge and charge processes. RB captures O2− dimer and promotes their intramolecular charge transfer, and it decreases the energy barrier of the disproportionation reaction from 7.70 to 0.70 kcal mol−1. This facilitates the discharge and charge processes and simultaneously mitigates O2− and singlet oxygen related side reactions. These endow the Li‐O2 battery with reduced discharge/charge voltage gap of 0.72 V and prolonged lifespan for over 230 cycles when coupled with RuO2 catalyst. This work highlights the vital role of superoxide disproportionation for Li‐O2 battery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aprotic Li‐O2 battery has attracted considerable interest for high theoretical energy density, however the disproportionation of the intermediate of superoxide (O2−) during discharge and charge leads to slow reaction kinetics and large voltage hysteresis. Herein, the chemically stable ruthenium tris(bipyridine) (RB) cations are employed as a soluble catalyst to alternate the pathway of O2− disproportionation and its kinetics in both the discharge and charge processes. RB captures O2− dimer and promotes their intramolecular charge transfer, and it decreases the energy barrier of the disproportionation reaction from 7.70 to 0.70 kcal mol−1. This facilitates the discharge and charge processes and simultaneously mitigates O2− and singlet oxygen related side reactions. These endow the Li‐O2 battery with reduced discharge/charge voltage gap of 0.72 V and prolonged lifespan for over 230 cycles when coupled with RuO2 catalyst. This work highlights the vital role of superoxide disproportionation for Li‐O2 battery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]