Effective Suppression of Lithium Dendrite Growth Using a Flexible Single‐Ion Conducting Polymer Electrolyte

A novel single‐ion conducting polymer electrolyte (SIPE) membrane with high lithium‐ion transference number, good mechanical strength, and excellent ionic conductivity is designed and synthesized by facile coupling of lithium bis(allylmalonato) borate (LiBAMB), pentaerythritol tetrakis (2‐mercaptoacetate) (PETMP) and 3,6‐dioxa‐1,8‐octanedithiol (DODT) in an electrospun poly(vinylidienefluoride) (PVDF) supporting membrane via a one‐step photoinitiated in situ thiol–ene click reaction. The structure‐optimized LiBAMB‐PETMP‐DODT (LPD)@PVDF SIPE shows an outstanding ionic conductivity of 1.32 × 10^?3 S cm^?1 at 25 °C, together with a high lithium‐ion transference number of 0.92 and wide electrochemical window up to 6.0 V. The SIPE exhibits high tensile strength of 7.2 MPa and elongation at break of 269%. Due to these superior performances, the SIPE can suppress lithium dendrite growth, which is confirmed by galvanostatic Li plating/stripping cycling test and analysis of morphology of Li metal electrode surface after cycling test. Li|LPD@PVDF|Li symmetric cell maintains an extremely stable and low overpotential without short circuiting over the 1050 h cycle. The Li|LPD@PVDF|LiFePO₄ cell shows excellent rate capacity and outstanding cycle performance compared to cells based on a conventional liquid electrolyte (LE) with Celgard separator. The facile approach of the SIPE provides an effective and promising electrolyte for safe, long‐life, and high‐rate lithium metal batteries.     

Sandwich-Structured Quasi-Solid Polymer Electrolyte Enables High-Capacity,Long-Cycling,and Dendrite-Free Lithium Metal Battery at Room Temperature

The insufficient ionic conductivity, limited lithium-ion transference number (t_Li+), and high interfacial impedance severely hinder the practical application of quasi-solid polymer electrolytes (QSPEs). Here, a sandwich-structured polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based QSPE is constructedin which MXene-SiO₂ nanosheets act as a functional filler to facilitate the rapid transfer of lithium-ion in the QSPE, and a polymer and plastic crystalline electrolyte (PPCE) interface modification layer is coated on the surface of the PAN-based QSPE of 3 wt.% MXene-SiO₂ (SS-PPCE/PAN-3%) to reduce interfacial impedance. Consequently, the synthesized SS-PPCE/PAN-3% QSPE delivers a promising ionic conductivity of ≈1.7 mS cm⁻¹ at 30 °C, a satisfactory t_Li+ of 0.51, and a low interfacial impedance. As expected, the assembled Li symmetric battery with SS-PPCE/PAN-3% QSPE can stably cycle more than 1550 h at 0.2 mA cm⁻². The Li||LiFePO₄ quasi-solid-state lithium metal battery (QSSLMB) of this QSPE exhibits a high capacity retention of 81.5% after 300 cycles at 1.0 C and at RT. Even under the high-loading cathode (LiFePO₄ ≈ 10.0 mg cm⁻²) and RT, the QSSLMB achieves a superior area capacity and good cycling performance. Besides, the assembled high voltage Li||NMC811(loading ≈ 7.1 mg cm⁻²) QSSLMB has potential applications in high-energy fields.     

Toward High-Energy-Density Lithium Metal Batteries: Opportunities and Challenges for Solid Organic Electrolytes

With increasing demands for safe, high capacity energy storage to support personal electronics, newer devices such as unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as the commercialization of electric vehicles, current energy storage technologies are facing increased challenges. Although alternative batteries have been intensively investigated, lithium (Li) batteries are still recognized as the preferred energy storage solution for the consumer electronics markets and next generation automobiles. However, the commercialized Li batteries still have disadvantages, such as low capacities, potential safety issues, and unfavorable cycling life. Therefore, the design and development of electromaterials toward high-energy-density, long-life-span Li batteries with improved safety is a focus for researchers in the field of energy materials. Herein, recent advances in the development of novel organic electrolytes are summarized toward solid-state Li batteries with higher energy density and improved safety. On the basis of new insights into ionic conduction and design principles of organic-based solid-state electrolytes, specific strategies toward developing these electrolytes for Li metal anodes, high-energy-density cathode materials (e.g., high voltage materials), as well as the optimization of cathode formulations are outlined. Finally, prospects for next generation solid-state electrolytes are also proposed.     

High-Safety and High-Energy-Density Lithium Metal Batteries in a Novel Ionic-Liquid Electrolyte

Rechargeable lithium metal batteries are next generation energy storage devices with high energy density, but face challenges in achieving high energy density, high safety, and long cycle life. Here, lithium metal batteries in a novel nonflammable ionic-liquid (IL) electrolyte composed of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (EMIm) cations and high-concentration bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (FSI) anions, with sodium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (NaTFSI) as a key additive are reported. The Na ion participates in the formation of hybrid passivation interphases and contributes to dendrite-free Li deposition and reversible cathode electrochemistry. The electrolyte of low viscosity allows practically useful cathode mass loading up to ≈16 mg cm⁻². Li anodes paired with lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO₂) and lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂, NCM 811) cathodes exhibit 99.6–99.9% Coulombic efficiencies, high discharge voltages up to 4.4 V, high specific capacity and energy density up to ≈199 mAh g⁻¹ and ≈765 Wh kg⁻¹ respectively, with impressive cycling performances over up to 1200 cycles. Highly stable passivation interphases formed on both electrodes in the novel IL electrolyte are the key to highly reversible lithium metal batteries, especially for Li–NMC 811 full batteries.     

A Flexible Ceramic/Polymer Hybrid Solid Electrolyte for Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries

Ceramic/polymer hybrid solid electrolytes (HSEs) have attracted worldwide attentions because they can overcome defects by combining the advantages of ceramic electrolytes (CEs) and solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs). However, the interface compatibility of CEs and SPEs in HSE limits their full function to a great extent. Herein, a flexible ceramic/polymer HSE is prepared via in situ coupling reaction. Ceramic and polymer are closely combined by strong chemical bonds, thus the problem of interface compatibility is resolved and the ions can transport rapidly by an expressway. The as-prepared membrane demonstrates an ionic conductivity of 9.83 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ at room temperature and a high Li⁺ transference numbers of 0.68. This in situ coupling reaction method provides an effective way to resolve the problem of interface compatibility.     

The Synergetic Effect of Lithium Bisoxalatodifluorophosphate and Fluoroethylene Carbonate on Dendrite Suppression for Fast Charging Lithium Metal Batteries

Fluorinated solid‐electrolyte interphase (SEI) derived from fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) is particularly favored for dendrite suppression in lithium metal batteries because of the high Young's modulus (≈64.9 Gpa) and low electronic conductivity (10^?31 S cm^?1) of LiF. However, the transportation ability of Li⁺ in this fluorinated SEI under high current densities is limited by the low ionic conductivity of LiF (≈10^?12 S cm^?1). Herein, by rational design, 0.1 m lithium bisoxalatodifluorophosphate (LiDFBOP) is adopted to modify fluorinated SEI in FEC based electrolyte for fast charging lithium metal batteries. Benefiting from the synergetic effect of LiDFBOP and FEC, a fluorinated SEI rich in LiF and Li_xPO_yF_z species can be yielded, which can further improve the stability and ionic conductivity of SEI for fast Li⁺ transportation. Meanwhile, the average coulombic efficiency for Li plating/stripping is improved from 92.0% to 96.7%, thus promoting stable cycling of Li||Li symmetrical batteries with dendrite free morphologies, even at high current densities (3.0 mA cm^?2) and high plating/stripping capacities (3.0 mAh cm^?2). More attractively, in practical Li||LiNi_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2O₂ batteries, the cycling life at 1C and rate capacities at 6C are also significantly improved. Therefore, the synergetic effect of LiDFBOP and FEC provides great potential for achieving advanced lithium metal batteries with fast charging ability.     

A Single-Ion Conducting Borate Network Polymer as a Viable Quasi-Solid Electrolyte for Lithium Metal Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries have remained a state-of-the-art electrochemical energy storage technology for decades now, but their energy densities are limited by electrode materials and conventional liquid electrolytes can pose significant safety concerns. Lithium metal batteries featuring Li metal anodes, solid polymer electrolytes, and high-voltage cathodes represent promising candidates for next-generation devices exhibiting improved power and safety, but such solid polymer electrolytes generally do not exhibit the required excellent electrochemical properties and thermal stability in tandem. Here, an interpenetrating network polymer with weakly coordinating anion nodes that functions as a high-performing single-ion conducting electrolyte in the presence of minimal plasticizer, with a wide electrochemical stability window, a high room-temperature conductivity of 1.5 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹, and exceptional selectivity for Li-ion conduction (t_Li+ = 0.95) is reported. Importantly, this material is also flame retardant and highly stable in contact with lithium metal. Significantly, a lithium metal battery prototype containing this quasi-solid electrolyte is shown to outperform a conventional battery featuring a polymer electrolyte.     

Weak-Coordination Electrolyte Enabling Fast Li+ Transport in Lithium Metal Batteries at Ultra-Low Temperature

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are promising for next-generation high-energy-density batteries owing to the highest specific capacity and the lowest potential of Li metal anode. However, the LMBs are normally confronted with drastic capacity fading under extremely cold conditions mainly due to the freezing issue and sluggish Li⁺ desolvation process in commercial ethylene carbonate (EC)-based electrolyte at ultra-low temperature (e.g., below −30 °C). To overcome the above challenges, an anti-freezing carboxylic ester of methyl propionate (MP)-based electrolyte with weak Li⁺ coordination and low-freezing temperature (below −60 °C) is designed, and the corresponding LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ (NCM811) cathode exhibits a higher discharge capacity of 84.2 mAh g⁻¹ and energy density of 195.0 Wh kg⁻¹_cathode than that of the cathode (1.6 mAh g⁻¹ and 3.9 Wh kg⁻¹_cathode) working in commercial EC-based electrolytes for NCM811‖ Li cell at −60 °C. Molecular dynamics simulation, Raman spectra, and nuclear magnetic resonance characterizations reveal that rich mobile Li⁺ and the unique solvation structure with weak Li⁺ coordination are achieved in MP-based electrolyte, which collectively facilitate the Li⁺ transference process at low temperature. This work provides fundamental insights into low-temperature electrolytes by regulating solvation structure, and offers the basic guidelines for the design of low-temperature electrolytes for LMBs.     

High Performance Low-Temperature Lithium Metal Batteries Enabled by Tailored Electrolyte Solvation Structure

The electrochemical performances of lithium metal batteries are determined by the kinetics of interfacial de-solvation and ion transport, especially at low-temperature environments. Here, a novel electrolyte that easily de-solvated and conducive to interfacial film formation is designed for low-temperature lithium metal batteries. A fluorinated carboxylic ester, diethyl fluoromalonate (DEFM), and a fluorinated carbonate, fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) are used as solvents, while high concentrated lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) is served as the solute. Through tailoring the electrolyte formulation, the lithium ions in the high concentrated fluorinated carboxylic ester electrolyte are mainly combined with anions, which weakens the bonding strength of lithium ions and solvent molecules in the solvation structure, beneficial to the de-solvation process at low temperature. The fluorinated carboxylic ester (FCE) electrolyte enables the LiFePO₄ (LFP) | Li half-cell achieves a high capacity of 91.9 mAh g⁻¹ at −30 °C, with high F content in the interface. With optimized de-solvation kinetics, the LFP | Li full cell remains over 100 mAh g⁻¹ at 0 °C after cycling 100 cycles. Building new solvents with outstanding low-temperature properties and weaker solvation to match with Li metal anode, this work brings new possibilities of realizing high energy density and low temperature energy storage batteries.     

锂离子电池电解质锂盐双乙二酸硼酸锂的制备与性能

综述了近年来锂离子电池的新型锂盐--双乙二酸硼酸锂(LiBOB)研究成果.介绍了双乙二酸硼酸锂的合成方法、组成与结构、化学和电化学性能及其与结构的关系,重点综述了对LiBOB电解液导电性的研究,对负极材料、正极材料稳定性的研究,以及与其他锂盐在锂离子电池中混合使用时的性能的研究等.总结了LiBOB的优缺点,指出了其进一步研究的方向.     

Rechargeable Lithium Metal Batteries with an In-Built Solid-State Polymer Electrolyte and a High Voltage/Loading Ni-Rich Layered Cathode

Solid-state batteries enabled by solid-state polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are under active consideration for their promise as cost-effective platforms that simultaneously support high-energy and safe electrochemical energy storage. The limited oxidative stability and poor interfacial charge transport in conventional polymer electrolytes are well known, but difficult challenges must be addressed if high-voltage intercalating cathodes are to be used in such batteries. Here, ether-based electrolytes are in situ polymerized by a ring-opening reaction in the presence of aluminum fluoride (AlF₃) to create SPEs inside LiNi_0.6Co_0.2 Mn_0.2O₂ (NCM) || Li batteries that are able to overcome both challenges. AlF₃ plays a dual role as a Lewis acid catalyst and for the building of fluoridized cathode–electrolyte interphases, protecting both the electrolyte and aluminum current collector from degradation reactions. The solid-state NCM || Li metal batteries exhibit enhanced specific capacity of 153 mAh g⁻¹ under high areal capacity of 3.0 mAh cm⁻². This work offers an important pathway toward solid-state polymer electrolytes for high-voltage solid-state batteries.     

Lithiophilic Magnetic Host Facilitates Target-Deposited Lithium for Practical Lithium-Metal Batteries

Lithium-metal shows promising prospects in constructing various high-energy-density lithium-metal batteries (LMBs) while long-lasting tricky issues including the uncontrolled dendritic lithium growth and infinite lithium volume expansion seriously impede the application of LMBs. In this work, it is originally found that a unique lithiophilic magnetic host matrix (Co₃O₄-CCNFs) can simultaneously eliminate the uncontrolled dendritic lithium growth and huge lithium volume expansion that commonly occur in typical LMBs. The magnetic Co₃O₄ nanocrystals which inherently embed on the host matrix act as nucleation sites and can also induce micromagnetic field and facilitate a targeted and ordered lithium deposition behavior thus, eliminating the formation of dendritic Li. Meanwhile, the conductive host can effectively homogenize the current distribution and Li-ion flux, thus, further relieving the volume expansion during cycling. Benefiting from this, the featured electrodes demonstrate ultra-high coulombic efficiency of 99.1% under 1 mA cm⁻² and 1 mAh cm⁻². Symmetric cell under limited Li (10 mAh cm⁻²) inspiringly delivers ultralong cycle life of 1600 h (under 2 mA cm⁻², 1 mAh cm⁻²). Moreover, LiFePO₄||Co₃O₄-CCNFs@Li full-cell under practical condition of limited negative/positive capacity ratio (2.3:1) can deliver remarkably improved cycling stability (with 86.6% capacity retention over 440 cycles).     

Stable Potassium Metal Anodes with an All-Aluminum Current Collector through Improved Electrolyte Wetting

This is the first report of successful potassium metal battery anode cycling with an aluminum-based rather than copper-based current collector. Dendrite-free plating/stripping is achieved through improved electrolyte wetting, employing an aluminum-powder-coated aluminum foil “Al@Al,” without any modification of the support surface chemistry or electrolyte additives. The reservoir-free Al@Al half-cell is stable at 1000 cycles (1950 h) at 0.5 mA cm⁻², with 98.9% cycling Coulombic efficiency and 0.085 V overpotential. The pre-potassiated cell is stable through a wide current range, including 130 cycles (2600 min) at 3.0 mA cm⁻², with 0.178 V overpotential. Al@Al is fully wetted by a 4 m potassium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide-dimethoxyethane electrolyte (θ_CA  = 0 ° ), producing a uniform solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) during the initial galvanostatic formation cycles. On planar aluminum foil with a nearly identical surface oxide, the electrolyte wets poorly (θ_CA  = 52 ° ). This correlates with coarse irregular SEI clumps at formation, 3D potassium islands with further SEI coarsening during plating/stripping, possibly dead potassium metal on stripped surfaces, and rapid failure. The electrochemical stability of Al@Al versus planar Al is not related to differences in potassiophilicity (nearly identical) as obtained from thermal wetting experiments. Planar Cu foils are also poorly electrolyte-wetted and become dendritic. The key fundamental takeaway is that the incomplete electrolyte wetting of collectors results in early onset of SEI instability and dendrites.     

Development of an Electrophoretic Deposition Method for the In Situ Fabrication of Ultra-Thin Composite-Polymer Electrolytes for Solid-State Lithium-Metal Batteries

All-solid-state lithium-metal batteries offer higher energy density and safety than lithium-ion batteries, but their practical applications have been pushed back by the sluggish Li⁺ transport, unstable electrolyte/electrode interface, and/or difficult processing of their solid-state electrolytes. Li⁺-conducting composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs) consisting of sub-micron particles of an oxide solid-state electrolyte (OSSE) dispersed in a solid, flexible polymer electrolyte (SPE) have shown promises to alleviate the low Li⁺ conductivity of SPE, and the high rigidity and large interfacial impedance of OSSEs. Solution casting has been by far the most widely used procedure for the preparation of CPEs in research laboratories; however, this method imposes several drawbacks including particle aggregation and settlement during a long-term solvent evaporation step, excessive use of organic solvents, slow production time, and mechanical issues associated with handling of ultra-thin films of CPEs (<50 µm). To address these challenges, an electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method is developed to in situ deposit ultra-thin CPEs on lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cathodes within just a few minutes. EPD-prepared CPEs have shown better electrochemical performance in the lithium-metal battery than those CPEs prepared by solution casting due to a better dispersion of OSSE within the SPE matrix and improved CPE contact with LFP cathodes.     

Improved Cycling of Li||NMC811 Batteries under Practical Conditions by a Localized High-Concentration Electrolyte

Li||NMC811 battery, with lithium-metal (high specific capacity and low redox potential) as anode and LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ (NMC811) as cathode, has been widely accepted to be a good candidate as one of the high-energy-density batteries. However, its cyclability needs improvement to fulfill the requirement for its future commercial use, especially under practical conditions. Electrolyte plays a key role in improving the cycling performance of Li||NMC811 batteries, where a high voltage/electrochemical window and good stability with the electrodes of the electrolyte are required. Herein, a localized high-concentration electrolyte with an additive of lithium difluoro(oxalate)borate (LiDFOB) is reported that improves the cycling performance of Li||NMC811 cells under crucial conditions with Li foil thickness of 50 µm, cathode areal loading of 4 mAh cm⁻², the areal capacity ratio between the negative and positive electrodes (N/P ratio) of 2.6 and the electrolyte/cell capacity ratio (E/C ratio) of 3.0 g (Ah)⁻¹. These cells can maintain 80% of the capacity after 195 cycles.