Moisture-tolerant Mg-metal electrodes for practical fabrication of rechargeable Mg batteries Woo Joo No, Jonghyun Han, Jinyeon Hwang, Sibylle Riedel, Minji Jeong, Hyeong Kyu Park, Ju Young Kim, Kwan Young Lee, Minah Lee, Taeeun Yim, Hyun Deog Yoo, Hyung Chul Ham, Sang-Young Lee, Zhirong Zhao-Karger, Si Hyoung Oh Nature Communications, 2026 Despite striking advantages in terms of cost and safety, penetration of rechargeable Mg batteries into the commercial market is still hampered by major technical challenges, including intrinsic hypersensitivity of Mg metal to moisture, which readily forms a compact ion-insulating film on the surface. To unlock this critical constraint, a moisture-tolerant Mg electrode is developed that is capable of efficient Mg plating-stripping even in the highly moist electrolytes. Here we show that short immersion of Mg metal in trimethyl phosphate creates a sacrificial protection layer containing dimethyl magnesium in magnesium dimethyl phosphate, which synergistically scavenges water molecules from the electrolytes instantly, enabling manufacturing of Mg-ion cells under moist and/or atmospheric conditions. This simple and scalable strategy provides a practical route to reducing the manufacturing costs of rechargeable Mg batteries, thereby expediting their early commercialization.
Carbon nanotube-grafted silicon–carbon composite as a highly durable anode material for lithium-ion batteries A.-Yeon Kim, Minyoung Lee, Hyeon-Ji Shin, Hyeonbin Kim, Jinkwan Choi, Jung Hoon Kim, Jung-Keun Yoo, Minah Lee, Joong Tark Han, Jeong Sook Ha, Hun-Gi Jung Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2026 SWCNT-embedded Si–C composites offer enhanced structural integrity and internal conductivity, enabling stable operation with high areal capacity and long-term cycling performance for practical lithium-ion battery applications.
Scale-Up Synthesis of Porous Silicon Structures by Rotary Magnesiothermic Reduction of Silica for Advanced Energy Storage Materials JeongWoo Bae, ChanSik Son, Jae Wook Suh, SeEun Park, Seung Hyeok Chu, Murugesan Karuppaiah, Minah Lee, Jae-Bong Kim, Jindo Kim, Jung Kyoo Lee ACS Omega, 2025 High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide A 1L-scale dynamic magnesiothermic reduction (DMR) of nonporous silica (1.8 μm in diameter) was conducted using a rotary reactor system to produce porous silicon (pSi) particles for lithium-ion battery (LIB) anodes. The effects of the NaCl (heat scavenger)-to-silica weight ratio (0.8, 3.0, 5.0, and 10.0) were systematically investigated in terms of (i) exothermic reduction heats (monitored in situ and estimated by enthalpy balance), (ii) porosity development in the resulting pSi particles, and (iii) electrochemical performance of the pSi/C composites, benchmarked against conventional silicon nanoparticles (SiNP, <50 nm)/C. When the NaCl/silica weight ratio was ≥5, no significant temperature spikes were observed due to effective dissipation of the exothermic heat, resulting in highly porous pSi particles. Thanks to their favorable structure, both bare pSi-1 particles (synthesized at a NaCl/silica ratio of 10.0) and the corresponding pSi-1/C composites exhibited superior cycling performance compared to bare SiNP and SiNP/C composites, respectively. In particular, the pSi/C composites derived from highly porous pSi showed enhanced cycling stability, retaining over 90.9% of their initial capacity after 270 cycles at a current density of 500 mA g –1 . It also demonstrated excellent rate capability, full-cell performance, and structural robustness, underscoring its potential as a high-capacity LIB anode material. These findings highlight the DMR of silica as a scalable and effective process for the mass production of porous silicon particles, offering a promising pathway for next-generation high-performance LIB anodes.
Reduction-Induced Oxygen Loss: the Hidden Surface Reconstruction Mechanism of Layered Oxide Cathodes in Lithium-Ion Batteries Seungyun Jeon, Gukhyun Lim, Hoseok Lee, Hyunyoung Park, Min Kyung Cho, Chan Kim, YeEun Lee, Jaehoon Kim, Minhyung Kwon, Jung‐Keun Yoo, Hyangsoo Jeong, Jinwoo Kim, Seung‐Ho Yu, Minah Lee, Jongsoon Kim, Jihyun Hong Advanced Energy Materials, 2025 The surface reconstruction from the layered to rocksalt‐type phase represents a primary deterioration pathway of layered‐oxide cathodes in lithium‐ion batteries, involving irreversible oxygen loss and transition metal migration. This degradation mechanism has primarily been attributed to the oxidative instability of highly delithiated cathodes at high voltages (>4.3 V vs Li/Li+). However, the battery degradation also occurs under seemingly stable voltage ranges, the origin of which remains unclear. Herein, a hidden mechanism to induce surface reconstruction and oxygen loss is proposed, termed the “quasi‐conversion reaction”, which is revealed to occur during electrochemical reduction (discharge) processes just below 3.0 V (vs Li/Li+). Combined experiments and first‐principles calculations unveil that the oxygens at the surface can be extracted from the cathode lattice by forming lithium oxides and oxygen vacancies, at significantly higher potentials than conventional conversion reaction, due to the instability of surface oxygens coordinated with fewer cations than in the bulk. The chemical incompatibility between lithium oxides and commercial carbonate‐based electrolytes results in electrolyte decomposition, forming an organic‐rich blocking layer and gaseous byproducts, which further increases the cell impedance. This study emphasizes the necessity of a thorough understanding of surface instability upon reduction to develop long‐lasting batteries.
Decoupling capacity fade and voltage decay of Li-rich Mn-rich cathodes by tailoring surface reconstruction pathways Gukhyun Lim, Min Kyung Cho, Jaewon Choi, Ke-Jin Zhou, Dongki Shin, Seungyun Jeon, Minhyung Kwon, A-Re Jeon, Jinkwan Choi, Seok Su Sohn, Minah Lee, Jihyun Hong Energy and Environmental Science, 2024 Stabilizing lattice oxygen at the electrochemical interface of Li-/Mn-rich cathodes preferentially promotes layered-to-spinel phase transition and suppresses rocksalt phase formation, offering excellent capacity retention.
Thermal runaway prevention through scalable fabrication of safety reinforced layer in practical Li-ion batteries In Taek Song, Joonkoo Kang, Jongkwan Koh, Hyunju Choi, Heemyeong Yang, Eunkyung Park, Jina Lee, Woohyung Cho, Yu-mi Lee, Seokkyeong Lee, Noma Kim, Minah Lee, Kihwan Kim Nature Communications, 2024 Integrating safety features to cut off excessive current during accidental internal short circuits in Li-ion batteries (LIBs) can reduce the risk of thermal runaway. However, making this concept practical requires overcoming challenges in both material development and scalable manufacturing. Here, we demonstrate the roll-to-roll production of a safety reinforced layer (SRL) on current collectors at a rate of 5 km per day. The SRL, made of molecularly engineered polythiophene (PTh) and carbon additives, interrupts current flow during voltage drops or overheating without adversely affecting battery performance. Impact testing on 3.4-Ah pouch cells shows that the SRL reduces battery explosions from 63% to 10%. This work underscores the potential of integrating material science with manufacturing technology to enhance battery safety. The authors present a scalable method for implementing a thermo-responsive safety reinforced layer (SRL) in batteries, which enables immediate shutdown during internal short circuits and reduces the risk of overheating and explosions.
Bilayer Interphase for Air-Stable and Dendrite-Free Lithium Metal Anode Cycling in Carbonate Electrolytes A‐Re Jeon, Byeol Yi Han, Minhyung Kwon, Seung‐Ho Yu, Kyung Yoon Chung, Jimin Shim, Minah Lee Small, 2024 The intrinsic reactivity of lithium (Li) toward ambient air, combined with insufficient cycling stability in conventional electrolytes, hinders the practical adoption of Li metal anodes in rechargeable batteries. Here, a bilayer interphase for Li metal is introduced to address both its susceptibility to corrosion in ambient air and its deterioration during cycling in carbonate electrolytes. Initially, the Li metal anode is coated with a conformal bottom layer of polysiloxane bearing methacrylate, followed by further grafting with poly(vinyl ethylene carbonate) (PVEC) to enhance anti‐corrosion capability and electrochemical stability. In contrast to single‐layer applications of polysiloxane or PVEC, the bilayer design offers a highly uniform coating that effectively resists humid air and prevents dendritic Li growth. Consequently, it demonstrates stable plating/stripping behavior with only a marginal increase in overpotential over 200 cycles in carbonate electrolytes, even after exposure to ambient air with 46% relative humidity. The design concept paves the way for scalable production of high‐voltage, long‐cycling Li metal batteries.
Solution-Based Deep Prelithiation for Lithium-Ion Capacitors with High Energy Density Seungyun Jeon, Sehee lm, Inyeong Kang, Dongki Shin, Seung‐Ho Yu, Minah Lee, Jihyun Hong Small, 2024 Lithium‐ion capacitors (LICs) exhibit superior power density and cyclability compared to lithium‐ion batteries. However, the low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) of amorphous carbon anodes (e.g., hard carbon (HC) and soft carbon (SC)) limits the energy density of LICs by underutilizing cathode capacity. Here, a solution‐based deep prelithiation strategy for carbon anodes is applied using a contact‐ion pair dominant solution, offering high energy density based on a systematic electrode balancing based on the cathode capacity increased beyond the original theoretical limit. Increasing the anode ICE to 150% over 100%, the activated carbon (AC) capacity is doubled by activating Li+ cation storage, which unleashes rocking‐chair LIC operation alongside the dual‐ion‐storage mechanism. The increased AC capacity results in an energy density of 106.6 Wh kg−1AC+SC, equivalent to 281% of that of LICs without prelithiation. Moreover, this process lowers the cathode‐anode mass ratio, reducing the cell thickness by 67% without compromising the cell capacity. This solution‐based deep chemical prelithiation promises high‐energy LICs based on transition metal‐free, earth‐abundant active materials to meet the practical demands of power‐intensive applications.
Moisture-tolerant Mg-metal electrodes for practical fabrication of rechargeable Mg batteries WJ No, J Han, J Hwang, S Riedel, M Jeong, HK Park, JY Kim, KY Lee, ... Nature Communications , 2026 2026
Tailoring electrochemical interface to regulate competition between Zn deposition and hydrogen evolution in aqueous rechargeable batteries M Kwon, S Jeon, U Hwang, E Kwon, HK Shin, S Yu, DI Kim, J Hong, ... Energy Storage Materials, 104960 , 2026 2026
Carbon nanotube-grafted silicon–carbon composite as a highly durable anode material for lithium-ion batteries AY Kim, M Lee, HJ Shin, H Kim, J Choi, JH Kim, JK Yoo, M Lee, JT Han, ... Journal of Materials Chemistry A , 2026 2026 Citations: 2
Scale-Up Synthesis of Porous Silicon Structures by Rotary Magnesiothermic Reduction of Silica for Advanced Energy Storage Materials JW Bae, CS Son, JW Suh, SE Park, SH Chu, M Karuppaiah, M Lee, ... ACS omega 10 (41), 48670-48683 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Reduction‐Induced Oxygen Loss: the Hidden Surface Reconstruction Mechanism of Layered Oxide Cathodes in Lithium‐Ion Batteries S Jeon, G Lim, H Lee, H Park, MK Cho, C Kim, YE Lee, J Kim, M Kwon, ... Advanced Energy Materials 15 (12), 2404193 , 2025 2025 Citations: 13
Bilayer Interphase for Air‐Stable and Dendrite‐Free Lithium Metal Anode Cycling in Carbonate Electrolytes AR Jeon, BY Han, M Kwon, SH Yu, KY Chung, J Shim, M Lee Small 20 (42), 2402213 , 2024 2024 Citations: 7
Thermal runaway prevention through scalable fabrication of safety reinforced layer in practical Li-ion batteries IT Song, J Kang, J Koh, H Choi, H Yang, E Park, J Lee, W Cho, Y Lee, ... Nature Communications 15 (1), 8294 , 2024 2024 Citations: 61
Solution‐Based Deep Prelithiation for Lithium‐Ion Capacitors with High Energy Density S Jeon, S Lm, I Kang, D Shin, SH Yu, M Lee, J Hong Small 20 (30), 2401295 , 2024 2024 Citations: 14
Ion-conductive organic networks for battery applications Z Bao, Z Yu, D Feng, MA LEE, Y Cui, A Pei US Patent 11,909,050 , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
Fast discharging mitigates cathode-electrolyte interface degradation of LiNi0. 6Mn0. 2Co0. 2O2 in rechargeable lithium batteries S Oh, AR Jeon, G Lim, MK Cho, KH Chae, SS Sohn, M Lee, SK Jung, ... Energy Storage Materials 65, 103169 , 2024 2024 Citations: 32
Decoupling capacity fade and voltage decay of Li-rich Mn-rich cathodes by tailoring surface reconstruction pathways G Lim, MK Cho, J Choi, KJ Zhou, D Shin, S Jeon, M Kwon, AR Jeon, ... Energy & Environmental Science 17 (24), 9623-9634 , 2024 2024 Citations: 28
Thermodynamically controlled chemical regeneration of spent battery cathodes using recyclable electron donors under ambient conditions S Ko, J Choi, J Hong, C Kim, U Hwang, M Kwon, G Lim, SS Sohn, J Jang, ... Energy & Environmental Science 17 (12), 4064-4077 , 2024 2024 Citations: 43
Rational design of redox mediator for fast and energy-efficient charging of sulfur cathodes Z Bao, Y Cui, Y Tsao, MA LEE US Patent 11,804,620 , 2023 2023
Reversible magnesium metal cycling in additive-free simple salt electrolytes enabled by spontaneous chemical activation AR Jeon, S Jeon, G Lim, J Jang, WJ No, SH Oh, J Hong, SH Yu, M Lee ACS nano 17 (10), 8980-8991 , 2023 2023 Citations: 22
In Situ Mesopore Formation in SiO x Nanoparticles by Chemically Reinforced Heterointerface and Use of Chemical Prelithiation for Highly Reversible Lithium‐Ion … S Gong, Y Lee, J Choi, M Lee, KY Chung, HG Jung, S Jeong, HS Kim Small 19 (16), 2206238 , 2023 2023 Citations: 46
A fluoroalkyl iodide additive for Li–O 2 battery electrolytes enables stable cycle life and high reversibility MG Jeong, HH Lee, HJ Shin, Y Jeong, JY Hwang, WJ Kwak, G Oh, W Kim, ... Journal of Materials Chemistry A 11 (28), 15246-15255 , 2023 2023 Citations: 5
Molecularly engineered linear organic carbonates as practically viable nonflammable electrolytes for safe Li-ion batteries J Lee, AR Jeon, HJ Lee, U Shin, Y Yoo, HD Lim, C Han, H Lee, YJ Kim, ... Energy & Environmental Science 16 (7), 2924-2933 , 2023 2023 Citations: 41
Regulating Dynamic Electrochemical Interface of LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 Spinel Cathode for Realizing Simultaneous Mn and Ni Redox in Rechargeable Lithium Batteries G Lim, D Shin, KH Chae, MK Cho, C Kim, SS Sohn, M Lee, J Hong Advanced Energy Materials 12 (46), 2202049 , 2022 2022 Citations: 53
Nitrogen–doped graphitic mesoporous carbon materials as effective sulfur imbibition hosts for magnesium-sulfur batteries M Lee, M Jeong, YS Nam, J Moon, M Lee, HD Lim, D Byun, T Yim, SH Oh Journal of Power Sources 535, 231471 , 2022 2022 Citations: 17
Prelithiation solution for graphite or graphite composite anode and prelithiation method using same LEE Minah, H Jihyun, J Ju Young US Patent App. 17/217,413 , 2022 2022 Citations: 1
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Robust and conductive two-dimensional metal− organic frameworks with exceptionally high volumetric and areal capacitance D Feng, T Lei, MR Lukatskaya, J Park, Z Huang, M Lee, L Shaw, S Chen, ... Nature Energy 3 (1), 30-36 , 2018 2018 Citations: 1138
Mechanically tunable conductive interpenetrating network hydrogels that mimic the elastic moduli of biological tissue VR Feig, H Tran, M Lee, Z Bao Nature communications 9 (1), 2740 , 2018 2018 Citations: 655
Stabilization of hexaaminobenzene in a 2D conductive metal–organic framework for high power sodium storage J Park, M Lee, D Feng, Z Huang, AC Hinckley, A Yakovenko, X Zou, Y Cui, ... Journal of the American Chemical Society 140 (32), 10315-10323 , 2018 2018 Citations: 498
High-performance sodium–organic battery by realizing four-sodium storage in disodium rhodizonate M Lee, J Hong, J Lopez, Y Sun, D Feng, K Lim, WC Chueh, MF Toney, ... Nature Energy 2 (11), 861-868 , 2017 2017 Citations: 495
Rational design of redox mediators for advanced Li–O2 batteries HD Lim, B Lee, Y Zheng, J Hong, J Kim, H Gwon, Y Ko, M Lee, K Cho, ... Nature Energy 1 (6), 16066 , 2016 2016 Citations: 422
Critical role of oxygen evolved from layered Li–excess metal oxides in lithium rechargeable batteries J Hong, HD Lim, M Lee, SW Kim, H Kim, ST Oh, GC Chung, K Kang Chemistry of Materials 24 (14), 2692-2697 , 2012 2012 Citations: 358
Synthetic routes for a 2D semiconductive copper hexahydroxybenzene metal–organic framework J Park, AC Hinckley, Z Huang, D Feng, AA Yakovenko, M Lee, S Chen, ... Journal of the American Chemical Society 140 (44), 14533-14537 , 2018 2018 Citations: 347
Biologically inspired pteridine redox centres for rechargeable batteries J Hong, M Lee, B Lee, DH Seo, CB Park, K Kang Nature communications 5 (1), 5335 , 2014 2014 Citations: 319
Carbon‐based nanomaterials for tissue engineering SH Ku, M Lee, CB Park Advanced healthcare materials 2 (2), 244-260 , 2013 2013 Citations: 307
Crosslinked poly (tetrahydrofuran) as a loosely coordinating polymer electrolyte DG Mackanic, W Michaels, M Lee, D Feng, J Lopez, J Qin, Y Cui, Z Bao Advanced Energy Materials 8 (25), 1800703 , 2018 2018 Citations: 290
Self‐Assembled Light‐Harvesting Peptide Nanotubes for Mimicking Natural Photosynthesis JH Kim, M Lee, JS Lee, CB Park Angewandte Chemie International Edition 51 (2), 517-520 , 2012 2012 Citations: 288
Designing a quinone-based redox mediator to facilitate Li2S oxidation in Li-S batteries Y Tsao, M Lee, EC Miller, G Gao, J Park, S Chen, T Katsumata, H Tran, ... Joule 3 (3), 872-884 , 2019 2019 Citations: 287
Organic nanohybrids for fast and sustainable energy storage M Lee, J Hong, H Kim, HD Lim, SB Cho, K Kang, CB Park Advanced Materials 26 (16), 2558-2565 , 2014 2014 Citations: 269
A dynamic, electrolyte-blocking, and single-ion-conductive network for stable lithium-metal anodes Z Yu, DG Mackanic, W Michaels, M Lee, A Pei, D Feng, Q Zhang, Y Tsao, ... Joule 3 (11), 2761-2776 , 2019 2019 Citations: 268
Molecularly tailored lithium–arene complex enables chemical prelithiation of high‐capacity lithium‐ion battery anodes J Jang, I Kang, J Choi, H Jeong, KW Yi, J Hong, M Lee Angewandte Chemie International Edition 59 (34), 14473-14480 , 2020 2020 Citations: 252
An electrochemical gelation method for patterning conductive PEDOT: PSS hydrogels VR Feig, H Tran, M Lee, K Liu, Z Huang, L Beker, DG Mackanic, Z Bao Advanced Materials 31 (39), 1902869 , 2019 2019 Citations: 237
High energy organic cathode for sodium rechargeable batteries H Kim, JE Kwon, B Lee, J Hong, M Lee, SY Park, K Kang Chemistry of Materials 27 (21), 7258-7264 , 2015 2015 Citations: 228
Weakly Solvating Solution Enables Chemical Prelithiation of Graphite–SiO x Anodes for High-Energy Li-Ion Batteries J Choi, H Jeong, J Jang, AR Jeon, I Kang, M Kwon, J Hong, M Lee Journal of the American Chemical Society 143 (24), 9169-9176 , 2021 2021 Citations: 216
Multi-electron redox phenazine for ready-to-charge organic batteries M Lee, J Hong, B Lee, K Ku, S Lee, CB Park, K Kang Green Chemistry 19 (13), 2980-2985 , 2017 2017 Citations: 194
Redox cofactor from biological energy transduction as molecularly tunable energy‐storage compound M Lee, J Hong, DH Seo, DH Nam, KT Nam, K Kang, CB Park Angewandte Chemie International Edition 52 (32), 8322-8328 , 2013 2013 Citations: 185
