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Cubic‐garnet solid electrolyte has garnered significant attention in all‐solid‐state batteries (ASSBs) due to its ionic conductivity and chemical robustness against Li metal. However, the short‐circuit formation at low current density poses a significant obstacle with the main cause remaining ambiguous. Here, the lithium‐penetration mode originating from phase transformation is unveiled at the sintered pellet surface via mechanically induced lithiation. Mechanical stress applied during polishing under excess lithium content induces lithiation into the cubic‐garnet structure, leading to partial structural evolution into the tetragonal phase. This surface alteration induces current constriction, hindered by sluggish interfacial Li‐ion transport from the tetragonal phase, which exhibits low ionic conductivity, causing short circuits. By reducing mechanical stress, mitigating surface strain, and restoring the cubic phase, stable operation is ensured without short‐circuit formation in both Li symmetric and hybrid‐full cells. This insights illuminate the origin of lithium penetration related to phase transition at the surface of cubic‐garnet and pave the way for enhancements in ASSB development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni‐rich layered oxides are envisioned as the most promising cathode materials for next‐generation lithium‐ion batteries; however, their practical adoption is plagued by fast capacity decay originating from chemo‐mechanical degradation. The intrinsic chemical–mechanical instability, inherited from atomic‐ and nanoscale defects generated during synthesis, is not yet resolved. Here, atomic‐ and nanoscale structural evolution during solid‐state synthesis of Ni‐rich layered cathode, Li[Ni0.92Co0.03Mn0.05]O2, is investigated using combined X‐ray/neutron scattering and electron/X‐ray microscopy. The multiscale analyses demonstrate the intertwined correlation between phase transition and microstructural evolution, with atomic‐scale defects derived from the decomposition of precursors leading to the creation of intra/inter‐granular pores. The nucleation and coalescence mechanism of pore defects during the synthesis of Ni‐rich layered cathodes are quantitatively revealed. Furthermore, a modified synthetic route is proposed to effectively circumvent the formation of nanoscale defects in Ni‐rich layered cathodes by facilitating uniform synthetic reactions, resulting in superior electrochemical and microstructural stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the expanding range of applications for lithium‐ion batteries, a great deal of research is being conducted to improve their capacity, stability, and charge/discharge rates. This study was performed to investigate the effects of MXene, which has a large surface area and metallic conductivity, as a conductive additive to the cathode, on electrochemical performance. The two‐dimensional material MXene constructs a conductive network with zero‐dimensional carbon black in plane‐to‐point mode to improve conductivity and contact area with active materials, thereby facilitating fast charge transfer. The conductive network reduces the internal resistance and polarization of the cathode and aids the diffusion of electrons. The electrode containing an appropriate amount of MXene showed improved rate performance, high discharge capacity (123.9 mAh g−1 at 4 C), and excellent cycle stability at a high scan rate (125.8 mAh g−1 at 2 C after 150 cycles) compared to pristine electrodes. Based on these results, Ti3C2Tx MXene is a promising conductive additive in the battery field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct recycling has been considered the most promising method of recycling spent batteries because of its eco-friendliness and cost-effectiveness. However, the uneven distribution of elements and particle sizes in spent cathode materials, caused by different states of health, presents a challenge for direct recycling. In this study, we employed a pre-treatment process using chlorination to selectively extract residual lithium and enhance the uniformity of the particle sizes in a spent LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 cathode. Furthermore, a multi-step aging process was designed to increase the primary particle size and minimize impurity formation, resulting in the successful synthesis of upcycled single-crystalline LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811). The bimodal electrode, which contained both upcycled single-crystalline and commercially available polycrystalline NCM811, exhibited a large discharge capacity of 191.3 mA h g−1 at 0.2C and maintained a stable cycle performance of 84.1% after 300 cycles at 1C. Our study highlights the use of selective lithium extraction in the regeneration process, enabling the homogenization of the element distribution and particle size in spent cathode materials as well as the effective utilization of upcycled single-crystalline cathode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management of cancer-associated pain warrants consideration of many factors, including characterization and etiology of the pain, socioeconomic factors, medication tolerance, and substance use history. Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is an herbal substance with stimulant and analgesic properties that is becoming a popular drug in the United States. In this report, we present a patient with a history of opioid use disorder (OUD) who had been using high doses of kratom to alleviate progressive chest pain and dyspnea secondary to newly diagnosed stage IV lung adenocarcinoma. He underwent kratom withdrawal shortly after his index admission and was reluctant to continue full opioid agonists given his history of OUD and complex living situation. His kratom withdrawal and cancer-associated symptoms were successfully managed with buprenorphine–naloxone. Providers should obtain a careful history of novel substance use such as kratom. Furthermore, buprenorphine–naloxone is a safe and effective option to simultaneously manage kratom withdrawal and cancer-associated pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) based on ceramic materials are considered a key technology for automobiles and energy storage systems owing to their high safety and stability. However, contact issues between the electrode and solid-electrolyte materials and undesired chemical reaction occurring at interfaces have hindered their development. Herein, the chemical compatibility and structural stability of composite mixtures of the layered cathode materials Li 1- x Ni 0.5 Co 0.2 Mn 0.3 O 2 (NCM523) with the garnet-type solid electrolyte Li 6.25 Ga 0.25 La 3 Zr 2 O 12 (LLZO-Ga) during high-temperature co-sintering under various gas flowing conditions are investigated. In situ high-temperature X-ray diffraction analysis of the composite materials reveals that Li diffusion from LLZO-Ga to NCM523 occurs at high temperature under synthetic air atmosphere, resulting in the decomposition of LLZO-Ga into La 2 Zr 2 O 7 and the recovery of charged NCM523 to the as-prepared state. The structural stability of the composite mixture at high temperature is further investigated under N 2 atmosphere, revealing that Li diffuses toward the opposite direction and involves the phase transition of LLZO-Ga from a cubic to tetragonal structure and the reduction of the NCM523 cathode to Ni metal. These findings provide insight into the structural stability of layered cathode and garnet-type solid-electrolyte composite materials and the design of stable interfaces between them via co-sintering for ASSBs., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)