High-voltage lithium-metal batteries enabled by ethylene glycol bis(propionitrile) ether-LiNO 3 synergetic additives

• Published in: Chemical science (Cambridge) 2023-10, Vol.14 (39), p.10786-10794
• Main Authors: Li, Shaopeng, Huang, Kangsheng, Wu, Langyuan, Xiao, Dewei, Long, Jiang, Wang, Chenhui, Dou, Hui, Chen, Pu, Zhang, Xiaogang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2041-6520; 2041-6539
• DOI: 10.1039/D3SC04263D

The employment of Li metal anodes is a key to realizing ultra-high energy batteries. However, the commercialization of lithium metal batteries (LMBs) remains challenging partially due to the thermodynamic instability and competitive oxidative decomposition of the solvent. Herein, a bi-functional electrolyte for stabilizing the interfaces of both the Li metal anode and LiCoO 2 (LCO) cathode is designed by introducing lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ) through Ethylene Glycol Bis(Propionitrile) Ether (DENE). For the anode, the C 8 H 12 N 2 O 2 –LiNO 3 coordination-solvation contributes to forming a stable Li 3 N-enhanced solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), which increases the average Li coulombic efficiency (CE) up to 98.5%. More importantly, in situ electrochemical dilatometry further reveals that the highly reversible behavior and a low volume expansion of lithium deposition are related to the stable Li 3 N-enhanced SEI. The designed electrolyte enables the Li‖LCO cell to achieve an average CE of 99.2% and a high capacity retention of 88.2% up to 4.6 V after 100 cycles. This work provides a strategic guidance in developing high-voltage Li‖LCO batteries with dual electrolyte additives.