Author: Mai Wenjie

Publisher: College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering  

Date: December 10, 2024

A research team led by Mai Wenjie from the College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering at Jinan University has made significant strides in understanding the glass transition mechanism of saltwater systems. Their findings were published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications in an article titled Tailoring tetrahedral and pair correlation entries of glass forming liquids for energy storage applications at ultra-low temperatures.

(Screenshot of the paper)

The study reveals that by effectively regulating both the tetrahedral rotation of water molecules and the ion-related binary translation order in saltwater systems, it is possible to circumvent the traditional freezing process. This approach allows the systems to reach a supercooled state with the lowest glass transition temperature, which considerably enhances low-temperature performance. The research highlights the interplay between water molecule tetrahedral entropy and ion-related pair entropy in influencing the glass transition temperature of saltwater systems.

Postdoctoral researcher Qiu Meijia and Associate Professor Sun Peng are co-first authors of the paper, while Professor Wang Zhonglin from the Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Mai Wenjie are co-corresponding authors. Jinan University is recognized as the leading institution behind this research.

 Research Insights:

The study addresses the confusion surrounding the bifurcation mechanism that occurs in aqueous solutions as they cool, leading to either crystallization or vitrification. By introducing the concept of entropy-driven glass-forming liquids (EDGFL), the researchers propose a method to develop anti-freezing electrolytes. They explain that the glass transition temperature (Tg) can be finely tuned by manipulating local structural orders to prevent energy-driven ice crystallization, favoring an entropy-driven glass transition instead. 

The EDGFL developed in this research demonstrates a remarkably low Tg of −128 °C and a high boiling point of +145 °C. This unique property allows for stable energy storage across an extensive temperature range of −95 to +120 °C, achieving a superior AC linear filtering function at −95 °C. Furthermore, this new electrolyte significantly enhances the performance of aqueous zinc-ion batteries at ultra-low temperatures, offering both theoretical insights and practical applications for future anti-freezing energy storage systems in cold environments.

For further reading, the article is available [here]

(https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-54449-x).