Synthesized, surface-functionalized, acidified metal oxide materials for energy storage, catalytic, photovoltaic and sensor applications
An acidified metal oxide (“AMO”) material, preferably in monodisperse nanoparticulate form 20 nm or less in size, having a pH<7 when suspended in a 5 wt % aqueous solution and a Hammett function H 0 >−12, at least on its surface. The AMO material is useful in applications such as a battery electrode, catalyst, or photovoltaic component.
1. A battery cell comprising:
an electrode including a surface-functionalized solid metal oxide being in nanoparticulate form having a particle size less than 20 nm and a cyclability against lithium of at least 150 to 200 charge-discharge cycles
wherein:
the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide has, at least on its surface, a pH less than 5.5 and a Hammet function H 0 greater than −12; and
the pH being measured when a dried form of the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide is re-suspended in water at 5 wt %.
2. A battery cell according to claim 1 , the pH being in a range of 2 to 5.
3. A battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein the cyclability is at least 300 charge-discharge cycles.
4. A battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein the cyclability is at least 400 charge-discharge cycles.
5. A battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein the cyclability is at least 500 charge-discharge cycles.
6. A battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein the cyclability is at least 600 charge-discharge cycles.
7. A battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein the cyclability is at least 700 charge-discharge cycles.
8. A battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein the cyclability is at least 800 charge-discharge cycles.
9. A battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein the cyclability is at least 900 charge-discharge cycles.
10. A battery cell according to claim 1 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide being surface-functionalized with at least one electron-withdrawing group-having a molecular weight less than 200.
11. A battery cell according to claim 1 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide being surface-functionalized with at least one electron-withdrawing group-having a carbon chain length no greater than 4.
12. A battery cell according to claim 1 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide being surface-functionalized with at least one electron-withdrawing surface group selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br, BO 3 , SO 4 , PO 4 , CH 3 COO, C 2 O 4 , and C 6 H 5 O 7 .
13. A battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein a lithiation capacity of the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide is in a range of 900 mAh/g to at least 1400 mAh/g.
14. A battery cell according to claim 1 , further comprising a second electrode including lithium metal.
15. A battery cell according to claim 1 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide having a spherical morphology.
16. A battery cell according to claim 1 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide having an elongated morphology.
17. A battery cell according to claim 1 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide having a plate morphology.
18. A battery cell according to claim 1 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide being substantially monodispersed.
19. A battery cell according to claim 1 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide comprising iron oxide.
20. A battery cell according to claim 1 , a metal of the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide comprising one or more of antimony, bismuth, titanium, zirconium, manganese, or indium.
21. A battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein the electrode is configured as an anode.
22. A battery cell according to claim 1 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide comprising 10 wt % to 50 wt % of the electrode.
23. A battery cell according to claim 1 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide comprising 10 wt % to 33 wt % of the electrode.
24. A battery cell according to claim 1 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide comprising 33 wt % to 50 wt % of the electrode.
25. A battery cell according to claim 1 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide comprising 50 wt % to 80 wt % of the electrode.
26. A battery cell comprising:
an electrode including a surface-functionalized solid metal oxide in nanoparticulate form having a particle size less than 20 nm and a and a cyclability against lithium of at least 150 to 200 charge-discharge cycles;
the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide further characterized by a formula M m O x /G, where
M m is a metal, m is at least 1 and no greater than 5;
O x is total oxygen, x is at least 1 and no greater than 21;
M m O x is a metal oxide;
G is at least one electron-withdrawing surface group, and “I” makes a distinction between the metal oxide and the electron-withdrawing surface group;
wherein:
the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide has, at least on its surface, a pH less than 5.5 and a Hammet function Ho greater than − 12 ;
the pH being measured when a dried form of the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide is re-suspended in water at 5 wt %.
27. A battery cell according to claim 26 , the pH being in a range of 2 to 5.
28. A battery cell according to claim 26 , wherein the cyclability is at least 300 charge-discharge cycles.
29. A battery cell according to claim 26 , wherein the cyclability is at least 400 charge-discharge cycles.
30. A battery cell according to claim 26 , wherein the cyclability is at least 500 charge-discharge cycles.
31. A battery cell according to claim 26 , wherein the cyclability is at least 600 charge-discharge cycles.
32. A battery cell according to claim 26 , wherein the cyclability is at least 700 charge-discharge cycles.
33. A battery cell according to claim 26 , wherein the cyclability is at least 800 charge-discharge cycles.
34. A battery cell according to claim 26 , wherein the cyclability is at least 900 charge-discharge cycles.
35. A battery cell according to claim 26 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide being surface-functionalized with at least one electron-withdrawing group-having a molecular weight less than 200.
36. A battery cell according to claim 26 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide being surface-functionalized with at least one electron-withdrawing group-having a carbon chain length no greater than 4.
37. A battery cell according to claim 26 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide being surface-functionalized with at least one electron-withdrawing surface group selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br, BO 3 , SO 4 , PO 4 , CH 3 COO, C 2 O 4 , and C 6 H 5 O 7 .
38. A battery cell according to claim 26 , wherein a lithiation capacity of the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide is in a range of 900 mAh/g to at least 1400 mAh/g.
39. A battery cell according to claim 26 , further comprising a second electrode including lithium metal.
40. A battery cell according to claim 26 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide having a spherical morphology.
41. A battery cell according to claim 26 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide having an elongated morphology.
42. A battery cell according to claim 26 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide having a plate morphology.
43. A battery cell according to claim 26 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide being substantially monodispersed.
44. A battery cell according to claim 26 , the metal being iron.
45. A battery cell according to claim 26 , the metal selected from the group consisting of antimony, bismuth, titanium, zirconium, manganese, and indium.
46. A battery cell according to claim 26 , wherein the electrode is configured as an anode.
47. A battery cell according to claim 26 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide comprising 10 wt % to 50 wt % of the electrode.
48. A battery cell according to claim 26 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide comprising 10 wt % to 33 wt % of the electrode.
49. A battery cell according to claim 26 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide comprising 33 wt % to 50 wt % of the electrode.
50. A battery cell according to claim 26 , the surface-functionalized solid metal oxide comprising 50 wt % to 80 wt % of the electrode.