Electrode design revolution: Harnessing the power of space charge storage mechanism

The widespread adoption of electric vehicles necessitates the development of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with rapid charging/discharging performance, yet the pursuit of high rate capability often compromises battery energy density. In a recent work published in Nature Communications, Hongsen Li and colleagues reported the adoption of a lithium thermal displacement reaction to optimize the interface of a mixed electronic/ionic conductor material (with Fe/Li2O as a representative), which achieves decoupled and rapid charge transport through the space charge storage mechanism. The electrochemically stable heterogeneous interface of Fe/Li2O not only enables additional charge storage but also facilitates rapid charge transport, thereby demonstrating its potential to bridge the gap between high energy density and fast charging/discharging performance in LIBs.