Electrolyte Design for Improving Mechanical Stability of Solid Electrolyte Interphase in Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Practical lithium–sulfur (Li−S) batteries are severely plagued by the instability of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formed in routine ether electrolytes. Herein, an electrolyte with 1,3,5-trioxane (TO) and 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME) as co-solvents is proposed to construct a high-mechanical-stability SEI by enriching organic components in Li−S batteries. The high-mechanical-stability SEI works compatibly in Li−S batteries. TO with high polymerization capability can preferentially decompose and form organic-rich SEI, strengthening mechanical stability of SEI, which mitigates crack and regeneration of SEI and reduces the consumption rate of active Li, Li polysulfides, and electrolytes. Meanwhile, DME ensures high specific capacity of S cathodes. Accordingly, the lifespan of Li−S batteries increases from 75 cycles in routine ether electrolyte to 216 cycles in TO-based electrolyte. Furthermore, a 417 Wh kg⁻¹ Li−S pouch cell undergoes 20 cycles. This work provides an emerging electrolyte design for practical Li−S batteries.     

金属有机骨架材料在金属锂电池界面的应用

金属锂电池是下一代高能量密度电池体系的代表。然而,高比能金属锂电池的发展受到界面诸多问题的限制,如:金属锂负极枝晶生长、隔膜界面兼容性、正极界面不稳定等,影响了金属锂电池的界面传质传荷过程,并导致金属锂界面环境恶化、电池的容量衰减、安全性能下降等问题。金属有机骨架(MOF)是一种具有稳定多孔结构的有机无机杂化材料,近年来在高比能金属锂电池领域受到广泛关注。其多孔结构与开放的金属位点(OMs)提供了优异的离子电导率,稳定的空间结构提供了较高的机械强度,多样的官能团与金属节点带来丰富的功能性。本文分析了金属锂电池界面的主要挑战,结合金属锂界面的成核模型,总结了MOF及其衍生材料在解决锂金属负极界面、隔膜界面、以及正负极界面稳定性相互作用等方面的研究进展和作用机理,为解决高比能金属锂电池界面失稳问题提供了解决途径,并展望了MOF基材料的设计与发展方向。     

锂金属电池用高浓度电解液体系研究进展

锂金属二次电池具有极高的能量密度,是下一代储能电池的研究热点。然而,金属锂负极在传统碳酸酯电解液1 mol·L^?1 LiPF6-EC/DEC(ethylene carbonate/diethyl carbonate)中充放电时,存在严重的枝晶生长和循环效率低下等问题,阻碍了其商业化应用。因此,开发与锂负极兼容的新型电解液体系是目前重要的研究任务。与传统稀溶液相比,高浓度电解液体系具有独有的物化性质和优异的界面相容性,并且能有效抑制锂枝晶生长、显著提升锂负极的循环可逆性,因而格外受到关注。本文综述了高浓度电解液及局部高浓电解液体系的最新研究进展,分析了其溶液化学结构和物化性质,对其与锂负极的界面相容性、枝晶抑制效果、效率提升能力及界面稳定性机制进行了探讨;文章着重介绍了高浓与局部高浓电解液体系在锂金属二次电池中的应用,同时从基础科学研究和应用研究两个层面对高浓电解液和局部高浓电解液存在的主要问题进行了简要分析,并对其未来发展方向进行了展望。     

Correlating Polysulfide Solvation Structure with Electrode Kinetics towards Long-Cycling Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Lithium–sulfur (Li−S) batteries are promising due to ultrahigh theoretical energy density. However, their cycling lifespan is crucially affected by the electrode kinetics of lithium polysulfides. Herein, the polysulfide solvation structure is correlated with polysulfide electrode kinetics towards long-cycling Li−S batteries. The solvation structure derived from strong solvating power electrolyte induces fast anode kinetics and rapid anode failure, while that derived from weak solvating power electrolyte causes sluggish cathode kinetics and rapid capacity loss. By contrast, the solvation structure derived from medium solvating power electrolyte balances cathode and anode kinetics and improves the cycling performance of Li−S batteries. Li−S coin cells with ultra-thin Li anodes and high-S-loading cathodes deliver 146 cycles and a 338 Wh kg⁻¹ pouch cell undergoes stable 30 cycles. This work clarifies the relationship between polysulfide solvation structure and electrode kinetics and inspires rational electrolyte design for long-cycling Li−S batteries.     

锂硫银锗矿固态电解质研究进展

全固态电池因其较高的安全性和能量密度而成为下一代电动汽车和智能电网用储能器件的重点研究方向之一。开发具有高室温锂离子电导率、化学/电化学稳定性优异、对电极材料兼容性优异等特点的固态电解质材料是推动全固态电池发展的重要研究课题之一。硫化物电解质因其相对较高的室温电导率(~10⁻³ S∙cm⁻¹)、较低的电解质/电极固-固界面阻抗等优点而在众多无机固体电解质材料中成为研究热点。本文基于作者多年研究成果和当前国内外发表的相关工作,从电解质的结构、离子传导、合成、综合性能改善及在全固态电池中的应用等方面系统总结了锂硫银锗矿固态电解质材料研究,并分析了该类电解质面临的问题和挑战,最后探讨了其未来可能的研究方向和发展趋势。     

固态锂电池中正极/电解质界面的密度泛函计算研究

锂离子电池的广泛应用对储能器件的能量密度、安全性和充放电速度提出了新的要求. 全固态锂电池与传统锂离子电池相比具有更少的副反应和更高的安全性,已成为下一代储能器件的首选. 构建匹配的电极/电解质界面是在全固态锂电池中获得优异综合性能的关键. 本文采用第一性原理计算研究了固态电池中电解质表面及正极/电解质界面的局域结构和锂离子输运性质. 选取β-Li₃PS₄ (010)/LiCoO₂ (104)和 Li₄GeS₄ (010)/LiCoO₂ (104)体系计算了界面处的成键情况及锂离子的迁移势垒. 部分脱锂态的正极/电解质界面上由于Co-S成键的加强削弱了P/Ge-S键的强度,降低了对Li⁺的束缚,从而导致了更低的锂离子迁移势垒. 理解界面局域结构及其对Li+输运性质的影响将有助于我们在固态电池中构建性能优异的电极/电解质界面.     

高性能硫化物基全固态锂电池设计：从实验室到实用化

全固态锂电池因其优异的安全性和高能量密度成为储能领域的重点研究内容。硫化物电解质因其高离子电导率、良好电极/电解质界面兼容性及易加工性,有力推动了硫化物基全固态锂电池的发展。本文首先从实验室研究阶段出发,从正极/电解质界面、硫化物电解质自身及负极/电解质界面三方面阐述了硫化物基全固态锂电池现阶段面临的主要问题,并介绍了相关的解决策略。随后从硫化物基全固态锂电池的实用化生产角度出发,介绍了电极/电解质膜的制膜工艺、软包电池的装配相关问题、高载正极的设计及硫化物电解质的大规模、低成本制备。最后展望了硫化物基全固态锂电池的未来研究方向和发展趋势。     

Nitriding‐Interface‐Regulated Lithium Plating Enables Flame‐Retardant Electrolytes for High‐Voltage Lithium Metal Batteries

Safety concerns are impeding the applications of lithium metal batteries. Flame‐retardant electrolytes, such as organic phosphates electrolytes (OPEs), could intrinsically eliminate fire hazards and improve battery safety. However, OPEs show poor compatibility with Li metal though the exact reason has yet to be identified. Here, the lithium plating process in OPEs and Li/OPEs interface chemistry were investigated through ex situ and in situ techniques, and the cause for this incompatibility was revealed to be the highly resistive and inhomogeneous interfaces. Further, a nitriding interface strategy was proposed to ameliorate this issue and a Li metal anode with an improved Li cycling stability (300 h) and dendrite‐free morphology is achieved. Meanwhile, the full batteries coupled with nickel‐rich cathodes, such as LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂, show excellent cycling stability and outstanding safety (passed the nail penetration test). This successful nitriding‐interface strategy paves a new way to handle the incompatibility between electrode and electrolyte.     

Active Diluent-Anion Synergy Strategy Regulating Nonflammable Electrolytes for High-Efficiency Li Metal Batteries

High-energy Li metal batteries (LMBs) consisting of Li metal anodes and high-voltage cathodes are promising candidates of the next generation energy-storage systems owing to their ultrahigh energy density. However, it is still challenging to develop high-voltage nonflammable electrolytes with superior anode and cathode compatibility for LMBs. Here, we propose an active diluent-anion synergy strategy to achieve outstanding compatibility with Li metal anodes and high-voltage cathodes by using 1,2-difluorobenzene (DFB) with high activity for yielding LiF as an active diluent to regulate nonflammable dimethylacetamide (DMAC)-based localized high concentration electrolyte (LHCE-DFB). DFB and bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (FSI⁻) anion cooperate to construct robust LiF-rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI), which effectively stabilize DMAC from intrinsic reactions with Li metal anode and enhance the interfacial stability of the Li metal anodes and LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ (NCM811) cathodes. LHCE-DFB enables ultrahigh Coulombic efficiency (98.7 %), dendrite-free, extremely stable and long-term cycling of Li metal anodes in Li || Cu cells and Li || Li cells. The fabricated NCM811 || Li cells with LHCE-DFB display remarkably enhanced long-term cycling stability and excellent rate capability. This work provides a promising active diluent-anion synergy strategy for designing high-voltage electrolytes for high-energy batteries.     

Locally Concentrated Ionic Liquid Electrolytes Enabling Low-Temperature Lithium Metal Batteries

Lithium metal is a promising anode material for next-generation high-energy-density batteries but suffers from low stripping/plating Coulombic efficiency and dendritic growth particularly at sub-zero temperatures. Herein, a poorly-flammable, locally concentrated ionic liquid electrolyte with a wide liquidus range extending well below 0 °C is proposed for low-temperature lithium metal batteries. Its all-anion Li⁺ solvation and phase-nano-segregation solution structure are sustained at low temperatures, which, together with a solid electrolyte interphase rich in inorganic compounds, enable dendrite-free operation of lithium metal anodes at −20 °C and 0.5 mA cm⁻², with a Coulombic efficiency of 98.9 %. As a result, lithium metal batteries coupling thin lithium metal anodes (4 mAh cm⁻²) and high-loading LiNi_0.8Co_0.15Al_0.05O₂ cathodes (10 mg cm⁻²) retain 70 % of the initial capacity after 100 cycles at −20 °C. These results, as a proof of concept, demonstrate the applicability of locally concentrated ionic liquid electrolytes for low-temperature lithium metal batteries.     

An odyssey of lithium metal anode in liquid lithium–sulfur batteries

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries exhibit outstanding energy density and material sustainability. Enormous effects have been devoted to the sulfur cathode to address redox kinetics and polysulfide intermediates shuttle. Recent attentions are gradually turning to the protection of the lithium metal anodes, since electrochemical performances of Li–S batteries are closely linked to the working efficiency of the anode side, especially in pouch cells that adopt stringent test protocols. This Perspective article summarizes critical issues encountered in the lithium metal anode, and outlines possible solutions to achieve efficient working lithium anode in Li–S batteries. The lithium metal anode in Li–S batteries shares the common failure mechanisms of volume fluctuation, nonuniform lithium flux, electrolyte corrosion and lithium pulverization occurring in lithium metal batteries with oxide cathodes, and also experiences unique polysulfide corrosion and massive lithium accumulation. These issues can be partially addressed by developing three-dimensional scaffold, exerting quasi-solid reaction, tailoring native solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and designing artificial SEI. The practical evaluation of Li–S batteries highlights the importance of pouch cell platform, which is distinguished from coin-type cells in terms of lean electrolyte-to-sulfur ratio, thin lithium foil, as well as sizable total capacity and current that are loaded on pouch cells. This Perspective underlines the development of practically efficient working lithium metal anode in Li–S batteries.     

氟代溶剂在锂金属电池中的应用

近年来，锂金属电池由于具有较高的能量密度而成为储能领域的研究热点。电解液作为锂金属电池的“血液”发挥着至关重要的作用。在传统锂离子电池电解液中，锂金属负极与电解液之间的界面副反应严重并伴随着锂枝晶生长，从而导致安全隐患以及循环寿命缩短等问题。在解决锂金属负极问题上，电解液调控策略具有易操作性和有效性，因而在推动锂金属电池发展方面具有举足轻重的地位。氟代电解液是目前重要的研究方向，氟代电解液在循环过程中能够在电极表面形成富含LiF的固体电解质界面膜(SEI)；该界面膜不仅可以有效抑制负极锂枝晶的形成，并且在正极方面能够大幅提高电解液的氧化稳定性，从而提升高电压正极的适配性和锂金属电池的循环稳定性。氟代电解液中氟代溶剂/氟代锂盐的分子结构对电解液的溶剂化结构有重要影响。当氟代溶剂分子中氟原子的位置与数量不同时，氟代溶剂的物理化学性质也会随之发生变化，进而改变了电解液与电极的界面反应性。因此，氟代溶剂能够起到调制SEI膜成分和结构的作用，是决定电池性能的关键因素。本文总结了应用于锂金属电池的主要氟代溶剂，尤其是近几年来发展的新型氟代溶剂；着重介绍了高度氟代的溶剂分子作为局域超浓电解液的稀释剂，以及对溶剂进行精准分子设计得到的部分氟代溶剂等。此外，本文还分析探讨了氟代溶剂分子与电池性能之间的构效关系，展望了构建新型氟代溶剂分子的策略，希望能对电解液溶剂分子的结构设计以及构效关系的评估有一定的启发意义。     

氟代溶剂在锂金属电池中的应用

Lithium metal batteries, which use lithium metal as the anode, have attracted tremendous research interest in recent years, owing to their high energy density and potential for future energy storage applications. Despite their advantages such as high energy density, the safety concerns and short lifespan significantly impede their practical applications in transportation and electronic devices. Tremendous efforts have been devoted to overcoming these problems, including materials design, interface modification, and electrolyte engineering. Among these strategies, electrolyte regulation plays a key role in improving the efficiency, stability, and safety of lithium metal anodes. As an important class of electrolyte components, fluorinated solvents, which can decompose to form LiF-rich interphase layers on both anode and cathode, have been proven to enhance the stability of lithium metal anodes and improve the oxidative stability of the electrolytes. Meanwhile, the spatial structure of fluorinated solvents, such as the number and sites of fluorine atoms, can influence the physicochemical properties of the electrolytes and the compositions/structure of the solid-electrolyte interphase, which eventually dictates the cycling performance of Li metal batteries. Recently, many fluorinated solvents with different molecular structures have been designed to regulate the solvation structure of electrolytes, and these solvents exhibit novel electrochemical properties in lithium metal batteries. However, there are few comprehensive reviews that summarize the fluorinated solvents used in Li metal batteries and discuss their functions in electrolytes and their physicochemical properties. This review summarizes the novel fluorinated solvents used in lithium metal batteries in recent years, which have been classified into three parts: diluents, traditional solvents, and novel molecules, based on their functions in the electrolytes. In every part, the understanding of the interactions between fluorinated solvents and Li ions, the decomposition mechanism of fluorinated solvents at the interface of the electrode, the functions of fluorinated solvents in the electrolytes, and the structure-activity relationship between the fluorinated solvents and battery performance have been comprehensively summarized and discussed. Moreover, the advantages and disadvantages of fluorinated solvents have been discussed, and the importance of precisely controlling the number of fluorine atoms and the structure of fluorinated solvents has been emphasized. At the end of this review, a perspective for designing new fluorinated solvents has been proposed. We believe that this review can provide insights on designing novel fluorinated solvents for high-performance Li metal batteries.      

金属锂负极失效机制及其先进表征技术

尽管传统的石墨负极在商业化锂离子电池中取得了成功,但其理论容量低(372 mAh·g^?1)、本身不含锂的先天缺陷限制了其在下一代高比能量锂电池体系中的应用,特别是在需要锂源的锂-硫和锂-空气电池体系中。金属锂因其极高的理论比容量(3860 mAh·g^?1)和低氧化还原电势(相对于标准氢电极为?3.040 V),被认为是下一代锂电池负极材料的最佳选择之一。但是,金属锂负极存在库伦效率低、循环性能差、安全性差等一系列瓶颈问题亟待解决,而循环过程中锂枝晶的生长、巨大的体积变化、以及电极界面不稳定等是导致这些问题的关键因素。本文综述了近年来关于金属锂负极瓶颈问题及其机理,包括金属锂电极表面固态电解质界面膜的形成,锂枝晶的生长行为,以及惰性死锂的形成。同时,本文还介绍了目前用于研究金属锂负极的先进表征技术,这些技术为研究人员深入认识金属锂负极的失效机制提供了重要信息。     

Quantification of the ion transport mechanism in protective polymer coatings on lithium metal anodes

Protective Polymer Coatings (PPCs) have been proposed to protect lithium metal anodes in rechargeable batteries to stabilize the Li/electrolyte interface and to extend the cycle life by reducing parasitic reactions and improving the lithium deposition morphology. However, the ion transport mechanism in PPCs remains unclear. Specifically, the degree of polymer swelling in the electrolyte and the influence of polymer/solvent/ion interactions are never quantified. Here we use poly(acrylonitrile-co-butadiene) (PAN–PBD) with controlled cross-link densities to quantify how the swelling ratio of the PPC affects conductivity, Li⁺ ion selectivity, activation energy, and rheological properties. The large difference in polarities between PAN (polar) and PBD (non-polar) segments allows the comparison of PPC properties when swollen in carbonate (high polarity) and ether (low polarity) electrolytes, which are the two most common classes of electrolytes. We find that a low swelling ratio of the PPC increases the transference number of Li⁺ ions while decreasing the conductivity. The activation energy only increases when the PPC is swollen in the carbonate electrolyte because of the strong ion–dipole interaction in the PAN phase, which is absent in the non-polar PBD phase. Theoretical models using Hansen solubility parameters and a percolation model have been shown to be effective in predicting the swelling behavior of PPCs in organic solvents and to estimate the conductivity. The trade-off between conductivity and the transference number is the primary challenge for PPCs. Our study provides general guidelines for PPC design, which favors the use of non-polar polymers with low polarity organic electrolytes.

Protective Polymer Coatings (PPCs) protect lithium metal anodes in rechargeable batteries to stabilize the Li/electrolyte interface and to extend the cycle life by reducing parasitic reactions and improving the lithium deposition morphology.     

A Nano‐shield Design for Separators to Resist Dendrite Formation in Lithium‐Metal Batteries

Lithium dendrite growth during repeated charge and discharge cycles of lithium‐metal anodes often leads to short‐circuiting by puncturing the porous separator. Here, a morphological design, the nano‐shield, for separators to resist dendrites is presented. Through both mechanical analysis and experiment, it is revealed that the separator protected by the nano‐shield can effectively inhibit the penetration of lithium dendrites owing to the reduced stress intensity generated and therefore mitigate the short circuit of Li metal batteries. More than 110 h of lithium plating life is achieved in cell tests, which is among the longest cycle life of lithium metal anode and five times longer than that of blank separators. This new aspect of morphological and mechanical design not only provides an alternative pathway for extending lifetime of lithium metal anodes, but also sheds light on the role of separator engineering for various electrochemical energy storage devices.     

Recent progress in lithium-ion and lithium metal batteries

Moving towards carbon-free energy and global commercialization of electric vehicles stimulated extensive development in the field of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), and to date, many scientific and technological advances have been achieved. The number of research works devoted to developing high-capacity and stable materials for lithium- ion and lithium metal batteries (LMBs) is constantly rising. This review covers the main progress in the development of LIBs and LMBs based on research works published in 2021. One of the main goals in the recent publications is to solve the problem of instability of layered nickel-rich lithium– nickel–cobalt–manganese oxides (Ni-rich NMC) cathodes, as well as silicon anodes. Improving the stability of NMC cathodes can be achieved by doping them with cations as well as by coating the oxides’ surfaces with protective layers (organic polymers and inorganic materials). The most effective strategies for dampening volumetric changes in silicon anodes include using porous silicon structures, obtaining composites with carbon, coating silicon-containing particles with inorganic or polymeric materials, and replacing standard binder materials. Much work has been devoted to suppressing dendrite formation in LMBs by forming stable coating layers on the surface of lithium metal, preparing composite anodes and alloys, and changing the composition of electrolytes. At the same time, in the field of electrolyte development, many research works have been devoted to the search for new hybrid polymer electrolytes containing lithium-conducting inorganic materials.     

Stabilizing the Electrochemistry of Lithium-Selenium Battery via In situ Gelated Polymer Electrolyte: A Look from Anode

Li metal possesses a high theoretical specific capacity,high electronic conductivity,and a low electrochemical potential,making it a promising anode material for building next-generation rechargeable metal batteries.In case conventional liquid electrolytes were used,and the anode using Li metal has been hindered by unstable(electro)chemistry at Li/electrolyte interface and the accompanied dendrite issue.Specifically,for the Li-Se batteries,the dissolution and shuttle of polyselenide intermediates lead to the deposition of poorly-conductive species on the anode,which further aggravates the chemical environment at the anode.In this work,we proposed to stabilize the Li-Se electrochemistry by constructing a gel polymer electrolyte via in situ gelations of conventional ether-based electrolytes at room temperature.The results demonstrate that the in situ gelated electrolyte helps to build electrochemically stable electrode/electrolyte interfaces and promote the efficient transfer of charge carriers across the interface.Compared with the liquid electrolytes,the gelated electrolyte shows improved chemical compatibility with the Li metal anode,which effectively alleviates the unfavorable side reactions and dendrite formation at the anode/electrolyte interface,and the polyselenide shuttle from the cathode to the anode.As a result,the Li-Se battery shows a higher Coulombic efficiency and improved cycling performance.     

Electrolyte Regulation towards Stable Lithium‐Metal Anodes in Lithium–Sulfur Batteries with Sulfurized Polyacrylonitrile Cathodes

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are highly regarded as the next‐generation energy‐storage devices because of their ultrahigh theoretical energy density of 2600 Wh kg^?1. Sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) is considered a promising sulfur cathode to substitute carbon/sulfur (C/S) composites to afford higher Coulombic efficiency, improved cycling stability, and potential high‐energy‐density Li–SPAN batteries. However, the instability of the Li‐metal anode threatens the performances of Li–SPAN batteries bringing limited lifespan and safety hazards. Li‐metal can react with most kinds of electrolyte to generate a protective solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), electrolyte regulation is a widely accepted strategy to protect Li‐metal anodes in rechargeable batteries. Herein, the basic principles and current challenges of Li–SPAN batteries are addressed. Recent advances on electrolyte regulation towards stable Li‐metal anodes in Li–SPAN batteries are summarized to suggest design strategies of solvents, lithium salts, additives, and gel electrolyte. Finally, prospects for future electrolyte design and Li anode protection in Li–SPAN batteries are discussed.     

锂金属负极人造保护膜的研究进展

金属锂因其具有极高的理论容量(3860 mAh·g^?1)、最低的电极电位(?3.04 V vs.标准氢电极)和低的密度(0.534 g·cm^?3),被认为是最具潜力的负极材料。但循环过程中不可控的枝晶生长及不稳定的固体电解质相界面膜所引起的安全隐患和电池库伦效率低等问题严重阻碍了锂金属负极的发展。通过在电极表面构建人造保护膜可以有效调控锂离子沉积行为,因此人造保护膜的构建是一种简单高效抑制锂枝晶生长的策略。本综述将从聚合物保护膜、无机保护膜、有机-无机复合保护膜和合金保护膜总结了人造保护膜的构建方法、抑制锂枝晶生长机理,为促进高比能锂金属电池的商业化应用提供借鉴参考作用。