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Xia Cao

Xia Cao

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
PO Box 999
Richland, WA 99352
(509) 372-6977

Biography

Dr. Xia Cao is currently a Materials Scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). Her work pioneers in discovering and designing better materials for energy storage chemistries. Her research spans from molecular design, electrolyte formulation, interphase engineering to the battery assembly, applications, and advanced characterizations. The ultimate objective of her work is to facilitate the stable and safe operation of high performance rechargeable battery chemistries under varying conditions and contribute to the building of a climate-neutral society. Before joining PNNL, she received her Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Münster, Germany, under the supervision of Prof. Martin Winter.

Research Interests

  • Advanced Materials
  • Functional Electrolyte and Additives
  • Solid Electrolyte Interphase
  • Lithium/Sodium Batteries

Education and Credentials

  • Ph.D., Physical Chemistry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany, 2017
  • M.S., Physical Chemistry, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China, 2013

PNNL Patents

PNNL Publications

2024

  • Lim H., D. Nguyen, J.A. Lochala, X. Cao, and J. Zhang. 2024. "Improving Cycling Performance of Anode-Free Lithium Batteries by Pressure and Voltage Control." ACS Energy Letters 9, no. 1:126-135. PNNL-SA-189664. doi:10.1021/acsenergylett.3c01808

2023

  • Buyuker I., B. Pei, H. Zhou, X. Cao, Z. Yu, S. Liu, and W. Zhang, et al. 2023. "Voltage and Temperature Limits of Advanced Electrolytes for Lithium-Metal Batteries." ACS Energy Letters 8, no. 4:1735-1743. PNNL-SA-181739. doi:10.1021/acsenergylett.3c00235
  • Cao X. 2023. "Important Factors for the Reliable and Reproducible Preparation of Non-aqueous Electrolyte Solutions for Lithium Batteries." Communications Materials 4, no. 1:Art. No. 10. PNNL-SA-181687. doi:10.1038/s43246-023-00338-7
  • Corey E.M., Q. Wu, N. Gao, Y. Zhang, H. Zhu, K. Gering, and M. Hurley, et al. 2023. "Localized high-concentration electrolytes get more localized through micelle-like structures." Nature Materials 22, no. 12:1531-1539. PNNL-SA-178219. doi:10.1038/s41563-023-01700-3
  • Kautz D.J., X. Cao, P. Gao, B.E. Matthews, Y. Xu, K. Han, and F.O. Omenya, et al. 2023. "Designing Electrolytes With Controlled Solvation Structure for Fast-Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries." Advanced Energy Materials 13, no. 35:Art. No. 2301199. PNNL-SA-184367. doi:10.1002/aenm.202301199

2022

  • Hu J., L. Li, Y. Bi, J. Tao, J.A. Lochala, D. Liu, and B. Wu, et al. 2022. "Locking Oxygen in Lattice: A Quantifiable Comparison of Gas Generation in Polycrystalline and Single Crystalline Ni-Rich Cathodes." Energy Storage Materials 47. PNNL-SA-163635. doi:10.1016/j.ensm.2022.02.025
  • Li Q., R. Yi, Y. Xu, X. Cao, C. Wang, W. Xu, and J. Zhang. 2022. "Failure analysis and design principles of silicon-based lithium-ion batteries using micron-sized porous silicon/carbon composite." Journal of Power Sources 548, no. n/a:232063. PNNL-SA-168200. doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2022.232063
  • Xiao J., C.S. Anderson, X. Cao, H. Chang, R. Feng, Q. Huang, and Y. Jin, et al. 2022. "Perspective - Electrochemistry in Understanding and Designing Electrochemical Energy Storage Systems." Journal of the Electrochemical Society 169, no. 1:Art. No. 010524. PNNL-SA-167756. doi:10.1149/1945-7111/ac4a55
  • Xu W., H. Jia, L. Zhong, and X. Cao. 2022. High-Safety Electrolytes for Lithium-Ion Batteries : Is non-flammability of electrolyte overrated in the overall safety performance of lithium ion batteries?. PNNL-33366. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. High-Safety Electrolytes for Lithium-Ion Batteries : Is non-flammability of electrolyte overrated in the overall safety performance of lithium ion batteries?
  • Zhang X., P. Gao, Z. Wu, M.H. Engelhard, X. Cao, H. Jia, and Y. Xu, et al. 2022. "Pinned Electrode/Electrolyte Interphase and Its Formation Origin for Sulfurized Polyacrylonitrile Cathode in Stable Lithium Batteries." ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 14, no. 46:52046-52057. PNNL-SA-175354. doi:10.1021/acsami.2c16890

2021

  • Cao X., H. Jia, W. Xu, and J. Zhang. 2021. "Review-Localized high-concentration electrolytes for lithium batteries." Journal of the Electrochemical Society 168, no. 1:010522. PNNL-SA-157885. doi:10.1149/1945-7111/abd60e
  • Cao X., L. Zou, B.E. Matthews, L. Zhang, X. He, X. Ren, and M.H. Engelhard, et al. 2021. "Optimization of fluorinated orthoformate based electrolytes for practical high-voltage lithium metal batteries." Energy Storage Materials 34, no. n/a:76-84. PNNL-SA-153014. doi:10.1016/j.ensm.2020.08.035
  • Cao X., P. Gao, X. Ren, L. Zou, M.H. Engelhard, B.E. Matthews, and J. Hu, et al. 2021. "Effects of fluorinated solvents on electrolyte solvation structures and electrode/electrolyte interphases for lithium metal batteries." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). 118, no. 9:e2020357118. PNNL-SA-154541. doi:10.1073/pnas.2020357118
  • Liu Y., X. Wu, C. Niu, W. Xu, X. Cao, J. Zhang, and X. Jiang, et al. 2021. "Systematic Evaluation of Carbon Hosts for High-Energy Rechargeable Lithium-Metal Batteries." ACS Energy Letters 6, no. 4:1550-1559. PNNL-SA-158156. doi:10.1021/acsenergylett.1c00186
  • Niu C., D. Liu, J.A. Lochala, C.S. Anderson, X. Cao, M.E. Gross, and W. Xu, et al. 2021. "Balancing Interfacial Reactions to Achieve Long Cycle Life in High Energy Lithium Metal Batteries." Nature Energy 6, no. 7:723-732. PNNL-SA-158492. doi:10.1038/s41560-021-00852-3
  • Shadike Z., H. Lee, O. Borodin, X. Cao, X. Fan, X. Wang, and R. Lin, et al. 2021. "Identification of LiH and nanocrystalline LiF in the solid-electrolyte interphase of lithium metal anodes." Nature Nanotechnology 16. PNNL-SA-157884. doi:10.1038/s41565-020-00845-5
  • Wu H., P. Gao, H. Jia, L. Zou, L. Zhang, X. Cao, and M.H. Engelhard, et al. 2021. "A Polymer-in-Salt Electrolyte with Enhanced Oxidative Stability for Lithium Metal Polymer Batteries." ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 13, no. 27:31583-31593. PNNL-SA-159667. doi:10.1021/acsami.1c04637

2020

  • Beltran S.P., X. Cao, J. Zhang, and P.B. Balbuena. 2020. "Localized High Concentration Electrolytes for High Voltage Lithium-Metal Batteries: Correlation between the Electrolyte Composition and Its Reductive/Oxidative Stability." Chemistry of Materials 32, no. 14:5973-5984. PNNL-SA-155664. doi:10.1021/acs.chemmater.0c00987
  • Hu J., B. Wu, X. Cao, Y. Bi, S. Chae, C. Niu, and B. Xiao, et al. 2020. "Evolution of the Rate-Limiting step: From Thin Film to Thick Ni-rich Cathodes." Journal of Power Sources 454. PNNL-SA-150400. doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2020.227966
  • Le P., T.D. Vo, H. Pan, Y. Jin, Y. He, X. Cao, and H.V. Nguyen, et al. 2020. "Excellent cycling stability of sodium anode enabled by a stable solid electrolyte interphase formed in ether-based electrolytes." Advanced Energy Materials 30, no. 25:Article No. 2001151. PNNL-SA-150469. doi:10.1002/adfm.202001151
  • Peng Z., X. Cao, P. Gao, H. Jia, X. Ren, S. Roy, and Z. Li, et al. 2020. "High-Power Lithium Metal Batteries Enabled by High-Concentration Acetonitrile-Based Electrolytes with Vinylene Carbonate Additive." Advanced Functional Materials 30, no. 24:2001285. PNNL-SA-149736. doi:10.1002/adfm.202001285
  • Ren X., P. Gao, L. Zou, S. Jiao, X. Cao, X. Zhang, and H. Jia, et al. 2020. "Role of inner solvation sheath within salt-solvent complexes in tailoring electrode/electrolyte interphases for lithium metal batteries." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) 117, no. 46:28603-28613. PNNL-SA-153382. doi:10.1073/pnas.2010852117
  • Ren X., X. Zhang, Z. Shadike, L. Zou, H. Jia, X. Cao, and M.H. Engelhard, et al. 2020. "Designing Advanced In Situ Electrode/Electrolyte Interphases for Wide Temperature Operation of 4.5 V Li || LiCoO2 Batteries." Advanced Materials 32, no. 49:2004898. PNNL-SA-154434. doi:10.1002/adma.202004898
  • Wang H., X. Cao, H. Gu, Y. Liu, Y. Li, Z. Zhang, and W. Huang, et al. 2020. "Improving Lithium Metal Composite Anodes with Seeding and Pillaring Effects of Silicon Nanoparticles." ACS Nano 14, no. 4:4601-4608. PNNL-SA-150465. doi:10.1021/acsnano.0c00184
  • Zhang J., W. Xu, J. Xiao, X. Cao, and J. Liu. 2020. "Lithium Metal Anodes with Nonaqueous Electrolytes." Chemical Reviews 120, no. 24:13312-13348. PNNL-SA-142974. doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00275
  • Zhang X., L. Zou, Y. Xu, X. Cao, M.H. Engelhard, B.E. Matthews, and L. Zhong, et al. 2020. "Advanced electrolytes for fast-charging high-voltage lithium-ion batteries in wide-temperature range." Advanced Energy Materials 10, no. 22:2000368. PNNL-SA-150274. doi:10.1002/aenm.202000368

2019

  • Cao X., X. Ren, L. Zou, M.H. Engelhard, W. Huang, H. Wang, and B.E. Matthews, et al. 2019. "Monolithic solid-electrolyte interphases formed in fluorinated orthoformate-based electrolytes minimize Li depletion and pulverization." Nature Energy 4, no. 9:796-805. PNNL-SA-141828. doi:10.1038/s41560-019-0464-5
  • Cao X., Y. Xu, L. Zhang, M.H. Engelhard, L. Zhong, X. Ren, and H. Jia, et al. 2019. "Nonflammable Electrolytes for Lithium Ion Batteries Enabled by Ultraconformal Passivation Interphases." ACS Energy Letters 4, no. 10:2529-2534. PNNL-SA-145269. doi:10.1021/acsenergylett.9b01926
  • Jia H., L. Zou, P. Gao, X. Cao, W. Zhao, Y. He, and M.H. Engelhard, et al. 2019. "High-performance silicon anodes enabled by nonflammable localized high-concentration electrolytes." Advanced Energy Materials 9, no. 31:Article No. 1900784. PNNL-SA-141600. doi:10.1002/aenm.201900784
  • Ren X., L. Zou, X. Cao, M.H. Engelhard, W. Liu, S.D. Burton, and H. Lee, et al. 2019. "Enabling High-Voltage Lithium-Metal Batteries under Practical Conditions." Joule 3, no. 7:1662-1676. PNNL-SA-140396. doi:10.1016/j.joule.2019.05.006
  • Zheng Y., F.A. Soto, V. Ponce, J. Seminario, X. Cao, J. Zhang, and P.B. Balbuena. 2019. "Localized High Concentration Electrolyte Behavior near a Lithium-Metal Anode Surface." Journal of Materials Chemistry A 7, no. 43:25047-25055. PNNL-SA-148417. doi:10.1039/C9TA08935G

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