Recently, the Carbon Neutrality Research Institute of ZWU, with our university as the first affiliation, published consecutive research papers in two of the world’s leading materials science journals, Advanced Energy Materials (latest impact factor: 24.4) and Small (latest impact factor: 13.0). This is the first time that our university has published research findings in Advanced Energy Materials and Small as the first affiliation institution.
One of the papers, titled “Activation of MOF Catalysts with Low Steric Hindrance via Undercoordination Chemistry for Efficient Polysulfide Conversion in Lithium-Sulfur Battery”, were co-authored by Professor Chen Zhongwei, a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and the Canadian Academy of Sciences, Honorary Director of the Carbon Neutrality Research Institute, and Director of the National Key Laboratory of Energy Catalysis at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with Dr. Wang Xin, Executive Director of the Carbon Neutrality Research Institute. The first author of the paper is Dr. Wang Jiayi, a young faculty member at the institute.
The other paper, titled “Molybdenum-Doped Cobalt-Free Cathode Realizing the Electrochemical Stability by Enhanced Covalent Bonding”, was co-authored by Professor Chen Zhongwei, Dr. Wang Xin, and Dr. Su Dong, a researcher at the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, with Dr. Wang Jiayi as the first author.
With the growing demand for energy and the increasing severity of environmental issues, developing efficient and low-cost battery technologies has become a key goal for global scientific advancement and sustainable development. In this context, lithium-sulfur batteries and molybdenum-doped cobalt-free cathode materials have emerged as critical directions for the future of battery technology due to their unique advantages. Lithium-sulfur batteries in particular, have attracted significant attention for their high energy density and low material costs. Sulfur, used as a cathode material, offers a theoretical energy density of up to 2600 Wh/kg, far surpassing that of traditional lithium-ion batteries.
In addition, sulfur is abundant and inexpensive, helping to reduce the overall cost of batteries. Therefore, developing environmentally-friendly lithium-sulfur batteries with high energy density is a crucial pathway toward achieving sustainable development of new energy and advancing carbon neutrality.
The research team at the Carbon Neutrality Research Institute has addressed key challenges in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, such as the pronounced polysulfide shuttle effect and slow reaction kinetics, by developing high-performance sulfur catalysts using an undercoordination chemistry modification strategy. By selectively removing organic ligands from the Zn-Co bimetallic MOF (D-ZIF L) to reduce steric hindrance, the team enhanced contact between sulfur species and the metal active centers, significantly boosting the catalytic activity of the MOF. Furthermore, the undercoordination design induced a redistribution of electrons around the metal active centers, improving their intrinsic conductivity. Thanks to these advancements, the Li-S batteries utilizing the D-ZIF L catalyst effectively suppressed the polysulfide shuttle effect and accelerated the sulfur species conversion kinetics. The resulting practical soft-pack batteries demonstrated a high initial capacity of 1.8 Ah at a current of 85.8 mA, maintaining stability over 50 cycles.
In current commercial lithium-ion battery systems, cobalt is a key component of cathode materials. However, cobalt is a scarce and expensive resource, and its extraction has significant environmental and health impacts. As a result, developing molybdenum-doped cobalt-free cathode materials with high energy density has become a critical direction for next-generation lithium-ion battery development. To address the key issues of low discharge capacity and poor cycling stability in existing molybdenum-doped cobalt-free cathode materials, the research team at the Carbon Neutrality Research Institute introduced elemental doping in LiNi₀.₈Mn₀.₂O₂. This approach enhances the structural stability and electrochemical performance of the material.
The research is the first to investigate the impact of the oxidation state of molybdenum precursors on the final cathode structure and performance, identifying the critical role of molybdenum valence in enhancing cathode functionality. The addition of high-valence molybdenum induces the growth of a surface cation-disordered layer, which strengthens structural stability and improves lithium-ion transport kinetics. In contrast, low-valence molybdenum leads to excessive growth of the cation-disordered layer, diminishing the positive effects of the doping strategy.
The MoH+-NM82 cathode, doped with a high-valence molybdenum compound, demonstrated a high capacity retention rate of 90% after 200 cycles at 0.5°C, along with excellent rate performance. Density Functional Theory (DFT) results revealed that the improvement in structural stability is due to the formation of stronger covalent bonds between molybdenum’s delocalized 4d electrons and oxygen. This covalent reinforcement prevents surface degradation of the cathode during long-term cycling.
Founded in 2022, our university’s Carbon Neutrality Research Institute is an open research platform that integrates talent development, academic research, and the commercialization of research outcomes. With strong support from the university and leaders at various levels, the institute has steadily progressed, achieving a series of innovative results.
To date, the institute has published 12 SCI papers in leading international academic journals in the field of materials science, including Angewandte Chemie (International Edition), Advanced Materials, Advanced Energy Materials, Advanced Functional Materials, and Small, with Zhejiang Wanli University as the first author affiliation. Additionally, it has filed 15 national invention patents, secured 5 provincial and municipal research projects, and established an innovation team in the field of scientific and technological innovation under the Yinzhou District High-level Talent Program.
The institute has also gathered a number of industrial achievements in the fields of energy storage and hydrogen energy, including high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries, low-temperature batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, and key materials for fuel cells such as catalysts, carbon paper, membrane electrodes, and stacks. Currently, the institute is collaborating with renowned domestic companies, including Zhongding Group (Stock Code 000887), on the industrialization of silicon-carbon anodes.
The institute has also established the Zhongding-ZWU Joint Experimental Center, promoting resource sharing and complementary strengths through collaborative research projects and the creation of joint laboratories. Additionally, the institute has set up a Zhejiang Provincial Postdoctoral Workstation and currently employs nine postdoctoral researchers. It has established partnerships for joint graduate training with several universities, including South China Normal University, Northeast Forestry University, Taiyuan University of Technology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, and Harbin University of Science and Technology, with more than 40 master’s and doctoral students currently enrolled.
The institute is dedicated to building a platform that links scientific research with industrialization, leveraging the university’s research resources while combining the manufacturing strengths of Zhejiang Province and Ningbo City. This approach aims to drive the commercialization and application of advanced energy storage technologies.