Effects of novel benzotriazole based zwitterionic salt as electrolyte additive for lithium ion batteries

A novel zwitterionic lithium-benzotriazole sulfobetaine is fabricated by grafting 1,3– propanesultone onto benzotriazole and then lithiating it. The resultant lithium-benzotriazole-sulfobetaine additive is used as an electrolyte additive in lithium ion batteries in 1 M LiPF₆ (ethylene carbonate/dimethyl carbonate = 1:1). The electrolytes with the lithium-benzotriazole sulfobetaine shows higher ionic conductivities (2.18 $\times$ 10⁻² S cm⁻¹) compared to the bare electrolyte (1.07 $\times$ 10⁻² S cm⁻¹) and greater electrochemical stability (anodic limit at ~5.5 V vs. Li/Li⁺) than the pure electrolyte (anodic limit at ~4.6 V vs. Li/Li⁺). The discharge capacity of the lithium cobalt oxide/graphite cells is improved at higher C-rates with the addition of lithium-benzotriazole sulfobetaine due to increased ionic conductivity. The lithium cobalt oxide/graphite cells with the lithium-benzotriazole sulfobetaine additive also show stable cycling performance. These findings warrant the use of lithium-benzotriazole sulfobetaine as an electrolyte additive in lithium ion batteries.