In Situ Polymerized 1,3-Dioxolane Electrolyte for Integrated Solid-State Lithium Batteries

Solid-state lithium batteries are promising and safe energy storage devices for mobile electronics and electric vehicles. In this work, we report a facile in situ polymerization of 1,3-dioxolane electrolytes to fabricate integrated solid-state lithium batteries. The in situ polymerization and formation of solid-state dioxolane electrolytes on interconnected carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and active materials is the key to realizing a high-performance battery with excellent interfacial contact among CNTs, active materials and electrolytes. Therefore, the electrodes could be tightly integrated into batteries through the CNTs and electrolyte. Electrons/ions enable full access to active materials in the whole electrode. Electrodes with a low resistance of 4.5 Ω □⁻¹ and high lithium-ion diffusion efficiency of 2.5×10⁻¹¹ cm² s⁻¹ can significantly improve the electrochemical kinetics. Subsequently, the batteries demonstrated high energy density, amazing charge/discharge rate and long cycle life.     

基于表界面反应及优化的锂金属电池研究进展

金属锂具有高理论比容量和低还原电位, 是锂电池阳极的理想材料之一. 但在长期循环充放电过程中, 金属锂因锂枝晶生长会导致出现界面恶化及能量损失严重等问题, 对锂金属电极与电解质表界面反应的优化是一个重要研究方向. 本文介绍了锂枝晶产生的危害, 从分析及抑制锂枝晶沉积两方面综合评述了为解决这一问题所采取的方法, 包括固态电解质界面形成机制和保护机理、 表面改性、 三维锂阳极和液态/固态电解质等方法, 总结了各种方法的优劣势, 并展望锂金属电池在能源领域的研究前景.     

Wiederaufladbare Batterien

As a matter of fact, most of our technical electrochemical energy storage systems operate outside the limitations of thermodynamics. As in the case of rechargeable batteries with aqueous electrolytes (part I of this article), kinetics control the operation and safety also in batteries with nonaqueous electrolytes (this second and final part).A striking example is the lithium ion battery which possesses an operating voltage of >3,5 V and a very high energy density. From a thermodynamic viewpoint such a cell is impossible because the used organic electrolyte is in contact with two lithium insertion electrodes that operate at extreme reducing and oxidizing potentials, respectively. However, a unique mechanism kinetically prevents the decomposition of the electrolyte due to the formation of electronically insulating interphases between electrode and electrolyte that are still permeable to the electrochemically active Li⁺ cations. Lithium ion batteries have already made their breakthrough into the market as small format systems for portable electronics. The only „kinetically shielded”︁ high energy density, however, might be a safety complication for large format batteries, which are assembled for electric vehicle (EV) propulsion. Safety concerns are also valid for high temperature (300°C) batteries such as the sodium-sulfur and sodium-nickel chloride systems. These systems are still in the stage of „experimental batteries”︁, which may find future application in large units for EV's or uninterruptible power systems. The paper is concluded by a performance comparison of various rechargeable battery systems with aqueous and nonaqueous electrolytes. (Possible) applications in consumer electronics and EV's are discussed in more detail.     

Reduction-Tolerance Electrolyte Design for High-Energy Lithium Batteries

Lithium batteries employing Li or silicon (Si) anodes hold promise for the next-generation energy storage systems. However, their cycling behavior encounters rapid capacity degradation due to the vulnerability of solid electrolyte interphases (SEIs). Though anion-derived SEIs mitigate this degradation, the unavoidable reduction of solvents introduces heterogeneity to SEIs, leading to fractures during cycling. Here, we elucidate how the reductive stability of solvents, dominated by the electrophilicity (EPT) and coordination ability (CDA), delineates the SEI formed on Li or Si anodes. Solvents exhibiting lower EPT and CDA demonstrate enhanced tolerance to reduction, resulting in inorganic-rich SEIs with homogeneity. Guided by these criteria, we synthesized three promising solvents tailored for Li or Si anodes. The decomposition of these solvents is dictated by their EPTs under similar solvation structures, imparting distinct characteristics to SEIs and impacting battery performance. The optimized electrolyte, 1 M lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) in N-Pyrrolidine-trifluoromethanesulfonamide (TFSPY), achieves 600 cycles of Si anodes with a capacity retention of 81 % (1910 mAh g⁻¹). In anode-free Cu||LiNi_0.5Co_0.2Mn_0.3O₂ (NCM523) pouch cells, this electrolyte sustains over 100 cycles with an 82 % capacity retention. These findings illustrate that reducing solvent decomposition benefits SEI formation, offering valuable insights for the designing electrolytes in high-energy lithium batteries.     

多酚类化合物—丹宁酸用作锂金属负极电解液成膜添加剂

As the application of lithium-ion batteries in advanced consumer electronics, energy storage systems, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and electric vehicles increases, there has emerged an urgent need for increasing the energy density of such batteries. Lithium metal anode is considered as the "Holy Grail" for high-energy-density electrochemical energy storage systems because of its low reduction potential (-3.04 V vs standard hydrogen electrode) and high theoretical specific capacity (3860 mAh·g^-1). However, the practical application of lithium metal anode in rechargeable batteries is severely limited by irregular lithium dendrite growth and high reactivity with the electrolytes, leading to poor safety performance and low coulombic efficiency. Recent research progress has been well documented to suppress dendrite growth for achieving long-term stability of lithium anode, such as building artificial protection layers, developing novel electrolyte additives, constructing solid electrolytes, using functional separator, designing composite electrode or three-dimensional lithium-hosted material. Among them, the use of electrolyte additives is regarded as one of the most effective and economical methods to improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries. As a natural polyphenol compound, tannic acid (TA) is significantly cheaper and more abundant compared with dopamine, which is widely used for the material preparation and modification in the field of lithium-ion batteries. Herein, TA is first reported as an efficient electrolyte film-forming additive for lithium metal anode. By adding 0.15% (mass fraction, wt.) TA into the base electrolyte of 1 mol·L^-1 LiPF₆-EC/DMC/EMC (1 : 1 : 1, by wt.), the symmetric Li|Li cell exhibited a more stable cyclability of 270 h than that of only 170 h observed for the Li|Li cell without TA under the same current density of 1 mA·cm^-2 and capacity of 1 mAh·cm^-2 (with a cutoff voltage of 0.1 V). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analyses demonstrated that TA participated in the formation of a dense solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer on the surface of the lithium metal. A possible reaction mechanism is proposed here, wherein the small amount of added polyphenol compound could have facilitated the formation of LiF through the hydrolysis of LiPF₆, following which the resulting phenoxide could react with dimethyl carbonate (DMC) through transesterification to form a cross-linked polymer, thereby forming a unique organic/inorganic composite SEI film that significantly improved the electrochemical performance of the lithium metal anode. These results demonstrate that TA can be used as a promising film-forming additive for the lithium metal anode.     

Enabling the Operation of Highly Compatible LiI-3-Hydroxypropionitrile Small-Molecule Solid-State Electrolytes in Lithium Metal Batteries via Stepped-Amorphization Strategy

Integrating the advantages of both inorganic ceramic and organic polymer solid-state electrolytes, small-molecule solid-state electrolytes represented by LiI-3-hydroxypropionitrile (LiI-HPN) inorganic–organic hybrid systems possess good interfacial compatibility and high modulus. However, their lack of intrinsic Li⁺ conduction ability hinders potential application in lithium metal batteries until now, despite containing LiI phase composition. Herein, inspired by evolution tendency of ionic conduction behaviors together with first-principles molecular dynamics simulations, we propose a stepped-amorphization strategy to break the Li⁺ conduction bottleneck of LiI-HPN. It involves three progressive steps of composition (LiI-content increasing), time (long-time standing), and temperature (high-temperature melting) regulations, to essentially construct a small-molecule-based composite solid-state electrolyte with intensified amorphous degree, which realizes efficient conversion from an I⁻ to Li⁺ conductor and improved conductivity. As a proof, the stepped-optimized LiI-HPN is successfully operated in lithium metal batteries cooperated with Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ cathode to deliver considerable compatibility and stability over 250 cycles. This work not only clarifies the ionic conduction mechanisms of LiI-HPN inorganic–organic hybrid systems, but also provides a reasonable strategy to broaden the application scenarios of highly compatible small-molecule solid-state electrolytes.     

Challenges and Development of Composite Solid Electrolytes for All-solid-state Lithium Batteries

All-solid-state lithium batteries are considered to be a new battery system with great development potential and application prospects due to the advantages of high energy density and high security.As a key component of all-solid-state lithium batteries,the development of solid-state electrolytes has received extensive attention in recent years,but most solid electrolytes still exhibit problems,such as low ion conductivity and poor interface compatibility.The design of composite solid-state electrolyte materials with both excellent electrochemical and mechanical properties is an effective way to develop all-solid-state lithium batteries.This review introduces different types of pure component solid electrolytes and analyzes their respective advantages and characteristics firstly.Furthermore,the research progress of composite electrolytes in preparation method,ionic conduction,suppression of lithium dendrites,and the improvement of electrochemical performances are reviewed from the perspective of composite electrolyte structure design,which is to meet different performance requirements.And the future development direction and trend of composite electrolytes are prospected.     

Partially Ion-Paired Solvation Structure Design for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries under Extreme Operating Conditions

Achieving increased energy density under extreme operating conditions remains a major challenge in rechargeable batteries. Herein, we demonstrate an all-fluorinated ester-based electrolyte comprising partially fluorinated carboxylate and carbonate esters. This electrolyte exhibits temperature-resilient physicochemical properties and moderate ion-paired solvation, leading to a half solvent-separated and half contact-ion pair in a sole electrolyte. As a result, facile desolvation and preferential reduction of anions/fluorinated co-solvents for LiF-dominated interphases are achieved without compromising ionic conductivity (>1 mS cm⁻¹ even at −40 °C). These advantageous features were found to apply to both lithium metal and sulfur-based electrodes even under extreme operating conditions, allowing stable cycling of Li || sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) full cells with high SPAN loading (>3.5 mAh cm⁻²) and thin Li anode (50 μm) at −40, 23 and 50 °C. This work offers a promising path for designing temperature-resilient electrolytes to support high energy density Li metal batteries operating in extreme conditions.     

A Chemically Bonded Ultraconformal Layer between the Elastic Solid Electrolyte and Lithium Anode for High-performance Lithium Metal Batteries

Although high ionic conductivities have been achieved in most solid-state electrolytes used in lithium metal batteries (LMBs), rapid and stable lithium-ion transport between solid-state electrolytes and lithium anodes remains a great challenge due to the high interfacial impedances and infinite volume changes of metallic lithium. In this work, a chemical vapor-phase fluorination approach is developed to establish a lithiophilic surface on rubber-derived electrolytes, which results in the formation of a resilient, ultrathin, and mechanically integral LiF-rich layer after electrochemical cycling. The resulting ultraconformal layer chemically connects the electrolyte and lithium anode and maintains dynamic contact during operation, thus facilitating rapid and stable lithium-ion transport across interfaces, as well as promoting uniform lithium deposition and inhibiting side reactions between electrolyte components and metallic lithium. LMBs containing the novel electrolyte have an ultralong cycling life of 2500 h and deliver a high critical current density of 1.1 mA cm⁻² in lithium symmetric cells as well as showing good stability over 300 cycles in a full cell.     

有机硫化合物在锂硫电池中的应用

锂硫电池具有理论能量密度高、环境友好和成本低等优点,有望成为替代锂离子电池的新一代储能系统。然而,锂硫电池充放电产物的绝缘性、可溶性多硫化锂的穿梭效应、硫正极体积膨胀及锂枝晶的不可控生长,严重影响了锂硫电池的实际容量发挥和循环稳定性。为解决上述问题,采用有机硫化合物来替代单质硫作为正极材料是有前途的策略。调控有机硫化合物的硫链、碳链及其相互作用,可改变其电化学反应过程,提高离子/电子电导,抑制穿梭效应。有机硫化合物作为电解液添加剂,可调控硫正极的反应过程并保护金属锂负极,作为聚合物电解质的改性链段可加速锂离子传导。本综述对有机硫化合物在锂硫电池的正极、电解液添加剂和固态电解质中的应用研究进展进行详细的阐述。将有机硫化合物的结构、反应机理和电化学性质联系起来,为解决锂硫电池存在的问题提供见解。最后,提出高性能有机硫化合物的设计合成和机理研究思路,以期实现可实用化的锂硫电池。     

Unraveling the Solvent Effect on Solid-Electrolyte Interphase Formation for Sodium Metal Batteries

Ether-based electrolytes are considered as an ideal electrolyte system for sodium metal batteries (SMBs) due to their superior compatibility with the sodium metal anode (SMA). However, the selection principle of ether solvents and the impact on solid electrolyte interphase formation are still unclear. Herein, we systematically compare the chain ether-based electrolyte and understand the relationship between the solvation structure and the interphasial properties. The linear ether solvent molecules with different terminal group lengths demonstrate remarkably distinct solvation effects, thus leading to different electrochemical performance as well as deposition morphologies for SMBs. Computational calculations and comprehensive characterizations indicate that the terminal group length significantly regulates the electrolyte solvation structure and consequently influences the interfacial reaction mechanism of electrolytes on SMA. Cryogenic electron microscopy clearly reveals the difference in solid electrolyte interphase in various ether-based electrolytes. As a result, the 1,2-diethoxyethane-based electrolyte enables a high Coulombic efficiency of 99.9 %, which also realizes the stable cycling of Na||Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃ full cell with a mass loading of ≈9 mg cm⁻² over 500 cycles.     

Lithium Salt Dissociation Promoted by 18-Crown-6 Ether Additive toward Dilute Electrolytes for High Performance Lithium Oxygen Batteries

Lithium-oxygen batteries (LOBs) are well known for their high energy density. However, their reversibility and rate performance are challenged due to the sluggish oxygen reduction/evolution reactions (ORR/OER) kinetics, serious side reactions and uncontrollable Li dendrite growth. The electrolyte plays a key role in transport of Li⁺ and reactive oxygen species in LOBs. Here, we tailored a dilute electrolyte by screening suitable crown ether additives to promote lithium salt dissociation and Li⁺ solvation through electrostatic interaction. The electrolyte containing 100 mM 18-crown-6 ether (100-18C6) exhibits enhanced electrochemical stability and triggers a solution-mediated Li₂O₂ growth pathway in LOBs, showing high discharge capacity of 10 828.8 mAh g_carbon⁻¹. Moreover, optimized electrode/electrolyte interfaces promote ORR/OER kinetics on cathode and achieve dendrite-free Li anode, which enhances the cycle life. This work casts new lights on the design of low-cost dilute electrolytes for high performance LOBs.     

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.     

Eutectic-Based Polymer Electrolyte with the Enhanced Lithium Salt Dissociation for High-Performance Lithium Metal Batteries

The deployment of lithium metal anode in solid-state batteries with polymer electrolytes has been recognized as a promising approach to achieving high-energy-density technologies. However, the practical application of the polymer electrolytes is currently constrained by various challenges, including low ionic conductivity, inadequate electrochemical window, and poor interface stability. To address these issues, a novel eutectic-based polymer electrolyte consisting of succinonitrile (SN) and poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate (PEGMEA) is developed. The research results demonstrate that the interactions between SN and PEGMEA promote the dissociation of the lithium difluoro(oxalato) borate (LiDFOB) salt and increase the concentration of free Li⁺. The well-designed eutectic-based PAN_1.2-SPE (PEGMEA: SN=1: 1.2 mass ratio) exhibits high ionic conductivity of 1.30 mS cm⁻¹ at 30 °C and superior interface stability with Li anode. The Li/Li symmetric cell based on PAN_1.2-SPE enables long-term plating/stripping at 0.3 and 0.5 mA cm⁻², and the Li/LiFePO₄ cell achieves superior long-term cycling stability (capacity retention of 80.3 % after 1500 cycles). Moreover, Li/LiFePO₄ and Li/LiNi_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2O₂ pouch cells employing PAN_1.2-SPE demonstrate excellent cycling and safety characteristics. This study presents a new pathway for designing high-performance polymer electrolytes and promotes the practical application of high-stable lithium metal 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。     

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.     

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。     

Understanding Structural and Transport Properties of Dissolved Li2S8 in Ionic Liquid Electrolytes through Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Lithium-sulfur batteries with high energy density are considered as one of the most promising future energy storage devices. However, the parasitic lithium polysulfides shuttle phenomenon severely hinders the commercialization of such batteries. Ionic liquids have been found to suppress the lithium polysulfides solubility, diminishing the shuttle effect effectively. Herein, we performed classical molecular dynamics simulations to explore the microscopic mechanism and transport behaviors of typical Li₂S₈ species in ionic liquids and ionic liquid-based electrolyte systems. We found that the trifluoromethanesulfonate anions ([OTf]⁻) exhibit higher coordination strength with lithium ions compared with bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide anions ([TFSI]⁻) in static microstructures. However, the dynamical characteristics indicate that the presence of the [OTf]⁻ anions in ionic liquid electrolytes bring faster Li⁺ exchange rate and easier dissociation of Li⁺ solvation structures. Our simulation models offer a significant guidance to future studies on designing ionic liquid electrolytes for lithium-sulfur batteries.     

Reforming the Uniformity of Solid Electrolyte Interphase by Nanoscale Structure Regulation for Stable Lithium Metal Batteries

The stability of high-energy-density lithium metal batteries depends on the uniformity of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on lithium metal anodes. Rationally improving SEI uniformity is hindered by poorly understanding the effect of structure and components of SEI on its uniformity. Herein, a bilayer structure of SEI formed by isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) additives in localized high-concentration electrolytes was demonstrated to improve SEI uniformity. In the bilayer SEI, LiN_xO_y generated by ISDN occupies top layer and LiF dominates bottom layer next to anode. The uniformity of lithium deposition is remarkably improved with the bilayer SEI, mitigating the consumption rate of active lithium and electrolytes. The cycle life of lithium metal batteries with bilayer SEI is three times as that with common anion-derived SEI under practical conditions. A prototype lithium metal pouch cell of 430 Wh kg⁻¹ undergoes 173 cycles. This work demonstrates the effect of a reasonable structure of SEI on reforming SEI uniformity.     

全固态电池界面的研究进展

Owing to the serious energy crisis and environmental problems caused by fossil energy consumption, development of high-energy-density batteries is becoming increasingly significant to satisfy the rapidly growing social demands. Lithium-ion batteries have received widespread attention because of their high energy densities and environmental friendliness. At present, they are widely used in portable electronic devices and electric vehicles. However, security aspects need to be addressed urgently. Substantial advances in liquid electrolyte-based lithium-ion batteries have become a performance bottleneck in the recent years. Traditional lithium-ion batteries use organic liquids as electrolytes, but the flammability and corrosion of these electrolytes considerably limit their development. Continuous growth of lithium dendrites can pierce the separator, leading to electrolyte leakage and combustion, which is a serious safety hazard. Replacement of organic electrolytes with solid-state electrolytes is one of the promising solutions for the development of next-generation energy storage devices, because they have high energy densities and are safe. Solid electrolytes can remarkably alleviate the safety hazards involved in the use of traditional liquid-based lithium-ion batteries. In addition, the composite of solid-state electrolytes and lithium metal is expected to result in a higher energy density. However, due to the lack of fluidity of the solid electrolytes, problems such as limited solid-solid contact area and increased impedance at the interface when solid-state electrolytes are in contact with electrodes must be solved. The localized and buried interface is a major drawback that restricts the electrochemical performance and practical applications of the solid-state batteries. Fabrication of a stable interface between the electrodes and solid-state electrolyte is the main challenge in the development of solid-state lithium metal batteries. All these aspects are critical to the electrochemical performance and safety of the solid-state batteries. Current research mainly focuses on addressing the problems related to the solid-solid interface in solid-state batteries and improving the electrochemical performance of such batteries. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the challenges in the fabrication of solid-state batteries, including poor chemical and electrochemical compatibilities and mechanical instability. Research progress on the improvement strategies for interface problems and the advanced characterization methods for the interface problems are discussed in detail. Meanwhile, we also propose a prospect for the future development of solid-state batteries to guide the rational designing of next-generation high-energy solid-state batteries. There are many critical problems in solid-state batteries that must be fully understood. With further research, all-solid-state batteries are expected to replace the traditional liquid-based lithium-ion batteries and become an important system for a safe and reliable energy storage.