Publication date: 15th December 2025
Electrochemical ion intercalation is the predominant charge storage mechanism of modern rechargeable batteries. Typically, ions from a liquid electrolyte desolvate at the electrochemical liquid/solid interface before being inserted into the bulk volume of the layered host electrode. This desolvation is associated with an energy barrier. In contrast, emerging solvent co-intercalation reactions circumvent the desolvation step by directly inserting (partially) solvated ions into the electrode. This can result in fast charge transfer kinetics with improved safety and is an avenue to enable more sustainable battery chemistries that may not be feasible for desolvated ions.[1]
However, there is currently little understanding of how co-intercalation reactions can be achieved and regulated. Herein, I will address how the degree of solvation of intercalating ions can be controlled by the nanoconfinement environment of the layered electrode materials.
Specifically, I will present our recent discovery that there is a geometrical threshold of interlayer spacing in bilayered V2O5 electrodes above which solvent co-intercalation from organic, lithium-ion electrolytes takes place.[2] Moreover, I will demonstrate the feasibility of controlling the extent of water co-intercalation from aqueous zinc-based electrolytes into V2O5 via tuning the nanoconfining interlayer chemistry from hydrophilic to hydrophobic.[3] Finally, I will showcase how the degree of electrolyte confinement in layered titanates[4] can tune the electrochemical charge storage mechanism from battery-like to capacitor-like.
I acknowledge funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in the NanoMatFutur program (grant No. 03XP0423), from the German Research Foundation (DFG) through Project ID 390 874 152 (EXC 2154, POLiS Cluster of Excellence) and financial support from the Helmholtz Association.
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