In recent years, sodium-ion batteries have been widely researched due to the abundance of sodium, their cost-effectiveness, and electrochemical energy storage mechanisms similar to lithium-ion batteries. However, when operating in low-temperature environments, sluggish electrochemical reaction kinetics can lead to serious capacity loss, lifespan degradation, restricted charge-discharge capabilities, or even safety issues. Designing novel electrolytes with low freezing points and constructing uniform, stable electrode/electrolyte interfaces capable of ensuring rapid Na+ transport are effective approaches to achieving high-performance and stable operation of sodium-ion batteries at low temperatures.

To address the aforementioned issues, Professor Wang Pengfei's team at the School of Electrical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU), has designed a low-concentration ether-based electrolyte that can facilitate rapid Na+ transport. Results from electrochemical tests and molecular dynamics simulations collectively indicate that this electrolyte exhibits excellent dynamic characteristics at low temperatures, effectively reducing unfavorable polarization and significantly increasing electrochemical impedance.

This work systematically investigates the changes in electrolytes and interfaces at low temperatures, providing important insights for the design of electrolytes for extreme environments and the study of electrode/electrolyte interfaces.

The research findings, titled "Monolithic Interphase Enables Fast Kinetics for High-Performance Sodium-Ion Batteries at Subzero Temperature," were published in the prestigious international academic journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

Feng Yihu, a doctoral student at XJTU, is the first author of the paper, with Professor Wang serving as a corresponding author.