Energy storage system is a critical enabling factor for deploying unstable and intermittent renewable power sources such as solar and wind power sources. Energy storage devices including metal-oxygen and metal-sulfur batteries have received extraordinary attentions owing to their high energy density. In this presentation, we will discuss fundamental redox processes and design strategies in these battery systems. We exploit various spectroscopic techniques coupled with single-cell electrochemical characterizations to probe the sulfur and oxygen reactions. In addition, we will discuss new redox chemistries as alternative anode materials to metals and synergistic interplay between solvent and redox-active materials at solid and liquid interfaces that commonly exist in these high-energy-density energy storage systems.

Acknowledgement:

This work was supported by a grant from the Research Grants Council (RGC) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HK SAR), China, T23-601/17-R and a grant from the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. ITS/063/18).