Although Li-ion batteries have been successful in various applications, their shortcomings with regard to high cost and global maldistribution of raw materials, as well as safety concerns have promoted alternative rechargeable batteries based on other carrier ions represented by sodium and magnesium ions, targeting grid-scale energy storage systems (ESSs). However, many electrode materials in these emerging systems often suffer from sluggish kinetics due to the larger size or bivalency of carrier ions, limiting electrochemical performance particular in specific capacity and operation voltage. In this talk, I will introduce a new approach of engaging intercalated water in layered cathode materials. The intercalated water improves the performance of the given materials substantially by shielding electrostatic interactions or maintaining the crystal frameworks over repeated cycles. Detailed effects of intercalated water will also be described, along with promising potentials towards aqueous operations. I will also briefly introduce recent studies on zinc metal electrodes. In the last part, I will also introduce various novel approaches to stabilize the Zn metal anodes, which include electrolyte additives and electrode protection layers.
Jang Wook Choi is currently a Professor in the School of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Seoul National University. He received his Ph.D. from California Institute of Technology in 2007 in the area of molecular electronics and electrochemistry. He conducted postdoctoral research at Stanford University in the field of lithium‐ion batteries from 2008 to 2010. He has performed his independent research at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) from 2010, after which he moved to Seoul National University in 2017. His research programs cover materials design, cell diagnosis, and degradation mechanisms for various rechargeable batteries.