Shuhui Sun
Shuhui Sun
INRS, Canada
Lithium-metal batteries (LMBs) are widely regarded as one of the most promising next-generation energy-storage technologies, owing to the ultrahigh theoretical capacity and low electrochemical potential of lithium metal. However, their practical use remains limited by several coupled challenges, including uncontrolled Li dendrite growth, unstable electrode/electrolyte interfaces, cathode–electrolyte interphase (CEI) degradation, and electrolyte decomposition under high-voltage operation. In this talk, I will present a synergistic interface-engineering strategy that combines atomic layer deposition (ALD) with rational electrolyte-additive design to build robust, multifunctional electrode/electrolyte interfaces. This approach simultaneously protects the NCM cathode and Li-metal anode. On the cathode side, ALD-derived surface modification, together with tailored electrolyte chemistry, promotes a dense, uniform CEI that facilitates rapid Li⁺ transport, suppresses parasitic reactions, and improves high-voltage stability. On the anode side, optimized additives regulate Li nucleation and deposition, mitigate dendrite formation, and strengthen interfacial durability during cycling, enabling high-voltage, dendrite-suppressed, long-life LMBs. I will further discuss mechanistic insights obtained through advanced microscopy, computational modelling, and synchrotron-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy. These studies reveal the protection mechanism of our strategy at both the Li-metal anode and NCM cathode, showing that trace amounts of tailored additives can regulate interfacial chemistry and form stable protective interphases.
Dr. Shuhui Sun is a Chair Professor at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) in Montreal, Canada. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. He also serves as Vice President of the International Academy of Electrochemical Energy Science (IAOEES). He is the Executive Editor-in-Chief of Electrochemical Energy Reviews (EER, IF = 36.3, Springer Nature), an Associate Editor of Nano Energy (IF = 17.1), and a member of the editorial boards of more than 10 scientific journals.
Prof. Sun’s research covers a broad range of topics in electrochemical energy conversion and storage, including batteries (e.g., lithium-metal, metal–air, Na-ion/Zn-ion, and solid-state batteries), fuel cells, hydrogen generation, and CO2 conversion. He has authored more than 370 articles in leading journals, including Nature Sustainability, Nature Communications, Science Advances, Advanced Materials, J. Am. Chem. Soc., and Angew. Chem. He has also edited 5 books, contributed 17 book chapters, and holds 6 U.S. patents. He is recognized as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher.