Next generation

Since their inception in 1976, photorechargeable batteries (PRBs) have been continuously developed to harness solar energy and store it efficiently. In particular, a remarkable advantage of dye-sensitized photo-rechargeable batteries (DSPBs) lies in their ability to utilize not only sunlight but also indoor lighting, exhibiting significantly higher energy efficiency when operating indoors. ¹⁾ With a current reported highest energy efficiency of 13.2% ²⁾ using indoor lighting, DSPBs hold great promise in energy conservation by recycling wasted energy from indoor lighting, potentially offsetting global ammonia production demands. Our study aims to further enhance the energy density of DSPBs, focusing on two primary objectives: 1) surpassing the solubility limit of the liquid active material, Mp, and 2) increasing the output voltage. Such advancements are crucial in realizing the full potential of DSPBs as an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient solution for indoor light harvesting and storage.

Reference paper :
1) Energy & Environ. Sci. 2020, 13, 1473
2) ACS Energy Lett. 2021, 6, 1198

Lithium-air batteries have garnered substantial attention a next-generation energy storage system due to their superior energy density compared to today’s lithium-ion batteries. Nevertheless, significant challenges exist, particularly concerning cycle life limitation and increased overpotentials. These challenges encompass: (1) The chemical instability of electrolyte and cathode materials during cycles, (2) The passivation of cathode surface from the oxygen species by discharge products and (3) incomplete splitting of lithium peroxide back to oxygen and lithium ion during charge. Our research group mainly focuses on the reactive oxygen species which is the major cause of deterioration of lithium-air batteries. We aim to develop reversible lithium-air batteries by comprehensively understanding the reaction mechanism responsible for removing reactive oxygen species and by exploring novel materials for this purpose.

Reference paper :
ACS Nano 2019, 13, 8, 9190-9197