Published by: Li Yuanjian | Edited by: Jiang Yonghong
WUST News — Recently, a research team led by Dr. Li Yuanjian, a young faculty member at the School of Metallurgy and Energy of Wuhan University of Science and Technology (WUST), has achieved a series of important research advances in the field of next-generation metal-based secondary batteries. Their work has been published in several top-tier journals, including:
Science 2025, 390, eadl5482 (Impact Factor: 45.8)
Energy Storage Materials 2025 (DOI: 10.1016/j.ensm.2025.104835, Impact Factor: 20.2)
Nano Energy 2025, 142, 111243 (Impact Factor: 17.2)
Metals such as lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and aluminum (Al) are considered ideal anodes for next-generation high-energy-density secondary batteries. However, their application is hindered by issues such as irregular deposition and unstable solid electrolyte interphases (SEI).
In collaboration with Researcher Seh Zhi Wei from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore, Professor Lu Jun from Zhejiang University, Professor Yan Yao from the University of Houston, and Professor Kang Kisuk from Seoul National University, Dr. Li Yuanjian comprehensively compared the electrochemical behaviors of monovalent and multivalent metal anodes in non-aqueous electrolytes. The team proposed universal design strategies for electrodes, electrolytes, and interphases to enable horizontally deposited metals with preferred crystallographic orientation and stable SEIs—featuring different chemical compositions but similar structural uniformity. Finally, they assessed the specific advantages and unresolved challenges of each system, providing interdisciplinary insights for developing high-energy, low-cost metal anode batteries for next-generation energy storage. These findings were published in Science 2025, 390, eadl5482, with Dr. Li Yuanjian as the first author.
Recent studies have revealed that lithium hydride (LiH) acts as a paradox—it is present in the SEI, which suppresses dendrite growth, yet is also abundantly distributed within lithium dendrites that degrade electrode structure. Why does this material exhibit such contradictory characteristics? This question has been long debated by the academic community.
Addressing this, Dr. Li Yuanjian collaborated with Professor Zhang Qianfan from Beihang University and Researcher Seh Zhi Wei from A*STAR, Singapore. Using first-principles calculations, they compared the electronic structure, interfacial binding energy, ionic conductivity, and mechanical properties of LiH with those of typical SEI components (such as LiF, LiOH, Li₂O, and Li₂CO₃). Their work unveiled, for the first time, the "dual personality" of LiH, providing key clues to deciphering the failure mechanisms of lithium batteries. These results were published in Nano Energy 2025, 142, 111243, with Dr. Li Yuanjian as a co-corresponding author.
To tackle the challenges of high crystallinity, limited ionic conductivity, and poor compatibility with high-voltage cathodes in polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-based solid electrolytes, Dr. Li Yuanjian worked with the research team of Researcher Hu Anjun and Professor Long Jianping from Chengdu University of Technology. They proposed a trifunctional molecular unit strategy. By incorporating the trifunctional unit amide NCFB into a PVDF-based matrix via copolymerization and crosslinking it with a deep eutectic electrolyte, they developed a composite polymer electrolyte (PN-DEPE). This design broadens the electrochemical window, enhances lithium-ion transport rates, and facilitates the formation of stable electrode-electrolyte interfaces on both the cathode and anode surfaces. This study offers a new pathway for constructing long-life lithium metal batteries capable of operating at high voltages. The related findings were published in Energy Storage Materials (DOI: 10.1016/j.ensm.2025.104835), with Dr. Li Yuanjian as a co-corresponding author.
The above research received strong support from the School of Metallurgy and Energy, the Key Laboratory for Ferrous Metallurgy and Resources Utilization of the Ministry of Education, and the Key Laboratory of High Temperature Electromagnetic Materials and Structures of the Ministry of Education.
