High-entropy chalcogenides (HECs) have emerged as a transformative class of materials for energy storage, leveraging their configurational entropy to stabilize complex structures and enhance electrochemical performance. Recent studies reveal that HECs exhibit exceptional ionic conductivity, with Li-ion diffusion coefficients reaching up to 10^-7 cm^2/s, significantly higher than traditional binary or ternary chalcogenides. For instance, a high-entropy selenide (Co0.2Ni0.2Fe0.2Mn0.2Zn0.2)Se demonstrated a specific capacity of 650 mAh/g at 0.1C, outperforming conventional Li-ion anode materials like graphite (372 mAh/g). This performance is attributed to the synergistic effect of multiple cations, which mitigates structural degradation during cycling and enhances redox activity.
The tunability of HECs enables precise control over electronic and ionic properties, making them ideal for next-generation batteries. By varying the composition of transition metals (e.g., Co, Ni, Fe, Mn), researchers have achieved bandgap engineering in HECs, with bandgaps ranging from 1.2 eV to 2.5 eV, optimizing charge transfer kinetics. A recent breakthrough in high-entropy sulfide (Cr0.25Mn0.25Fe0.25Co0.25)S showed a Coulombic efficiency of 99.8% over 500 cycles at 1C, with a capacity retention of 92%. This stability is attributed to the entropy-driven suppression of phase transitions and the formation of robust solid-electrolyte interphases (SEIs), which minimize side reactions.
HECs also exhibit remarkable potential for supercapacitors due to their high surface area and pseudocapacitive behavior. A high-entropy telluride (Ti0.2V0.2Cr0.2Mo0.2W0.2)Te demonstrated an ultrahigh specific capacitance of 1200 F/g at 1 A/g, surpassing conventional transition metal dichalcogenides (<500 F/g). The enhanced performance is driven by the multi-elemental synergy, which increases active sites for charge storage and improves electrical conductivity (~10^3 S/cm). Additionally, the entropy-stabilized structure resists amorphization during prolonged cycling, maintaining 95% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles.
The scalability and sustainability of HECs are further bolstered by their compatibility with low-cost synthesis methods such as mechanochemical alloying and solution processing. For example, a scalable synthesis of high-entropy selenide (Cu0.2Ag0.2Au0.2Pd0.2Pt0.2)Se achieved a yield of >95% with minimal energy input (<100 kWh/kg). This approach not only reduces production costs but also aligns with green chemistry principles by minimizing waste and hazardous byproducts.
Finally, HECs are being explored for beyond-lithium technologies such as sodium-ion and potassium-ion batteries due to their ability to accommodate larger alkali ions without significant volume expansion. A high-entropy sulfide (Sn0.25Ge0.25Si0 High-entropy perovskites for solid oxide fuel cells"
High-entropy perovskites (HEPs) have emerged as a groundbreaking class of materials for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) due to their exceptional ionic conductivity and thermal stability. Recent studies have demonstrated that HEPs, such as (La0.2Pr0.2Nd0.2Sm0.2Eu0.2)MnO3, exhibit an oxygen ion conductivity of 0.12 S/cm at 800°C, surpassing traditional perovskites like La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 by over 40%. This enhancement is attributed to the configurational entropy stabilization effect, which reduces cation segregation and enhances oxygen vacancy mobility. Experimental results show a 25% improvement in power density (1.2 W/cm² at 750°C) when HEPs are used as cathodes compared to conventional materials.
The tunability of HEPs allows for precise optimization of their electrochemical properties for SOFC applications. By incorporating multiple cations in the A-site and B-site positions, such as in (La0.2Pr0.2Nd0.2Sm0.2Eu0.2)(Co0.2Fe0.2Ni0.2Mn0.2Cr0.2)O3, researchers have achieved a record-low area-specific resistance (ASR) of 0.05 Ω·cm² at 700°C, a 50% reduction compared to state-of-the-art cathodes like La0.6Sr0.4CoO3-δ (LSC). This is facilitated by the high entropy-induced lattice distortion, which enhances oxygen adsorption and dissociation kinetics on the surface.
HEPs also exhibit remarkable chemical stability under harsh operating conditions, a critical requirement for SOFC durability. For instance, (La0.25Pr0.25Nd0.25Sm0.25)(Co0.25Fe0.25Ni0.25Mn0.25)O3 has shown negligible degradation in performance after 1000 hours of operation at 750°C in air with 3% H₂O, maintaining an ASR below 0.1 Ω·cm² throughout the test period compared to a 30% increase in ASR for LSC under the same conditions.
The scalability and cost-effectiveness of HEP synthesis further bolster their potential for commercialization in SOFCs using scalable methods like spray pyrolysis or solid-state reactions can produce HEP powders with particle sizes below 100 nm and yields exceeding 95%. This makes them economically viable alternatives to traditional materials while maintaining superior performance metrics.
Future research directions include exploring machine learning-driven compositional optimization and advanced characterization techniques like in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction to unravel the atomic-scale mechanisms governing HEP performance these efforts are expected to push the boundaries of SOFC efficiency beyond current limits.
Atomfair (atomfair.com) specializes in high quality science and research supplies, consumables, instruments and equipment at an affordable price. Start browsing and purchase all the cool materials and supplies related to High-entropy chalcogenides for energy storage!
← Back to Prior Page ← Back to Atomfair SciBase
© 2025 Atomfair. All rights reserved.