Solvate electrolytes for Li and Na batteries: structures, transport properties, and electrochemistry

Transitioning from Regular Electrolytes to Solvate Ionic Liquids to High-Concentration Electrolytes: Changes in Transport Properties and Ionic Speciation

Glyme-based lithium-ion electrolytes have received considerable attention from the scientific community due to their improved safety, as well as electrochemical and thermal stability over carbonate-based electrolytes. However, these electrolytes suffer from major drawbacks such as high viscosities. To overcome the challenges that hinder their full potential, the molecular description of glyme-based lithium electrolytes in the high-concentration regime, particularly in the solvate ionic liquid (SIL) and high-concentration electrolyte (HCE) regimes, is needed. In this study, model glyme-based electrolytes based on a lithium thiocyanate and either tetraglyme (G4) or a mixture of monoglyme (G1) and diglyme (G2) were investigated as a function of the solvent-to-lithium ratio using linear and nonlinear IR spectroscopies, in combination with ab initio computations as well as electrochemical methods . The transport properties reveal enhanced ionicities in the HCE and SIL regimes ([O]/[Li] ≤ 5) compared to the regular electrolytes (REs, with [O]/[Li] > 5) in both pure (G4) and mixed (G1:G2) glymes. IR and ab initio computations relate these larger ionicities to the higher concentration of charged aggregates in the HCE and SIL electrolytes ([O]/[Li] ≤ 5). Moreover, it was observed that the use of mixed glymes appears to have a minimal effect on the transport properties of REs but exhibits deleterious effects on SILs. Overall, the results provide a molecular framework for describing the local structure of lithium glyme-based electrolytes and demonstrate the key role that the nature of glyme solvation plays in the molecular structure and consequently the macroscopic properties of the Li-glyme SILs, HCEs, and REs.

Unraveling the energy storage mechanism in graphene-based nonaqueous electrochemical capacitors by gap-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Graphene has been extensively utilized as an electrode material for nonaqueous electrochemical capacitors. However, a comprehensive understanding of the charging mechanism and ion arrangement at the graphene/electrolyte interface remain elusive. Herein, a gap-enhanced Raman spectroscopic strategy is designed to characterize the dynamic interfacial process of graphene with an adjustable number of layers, which is based on synergistic enhancement of localized surface plasmons from shell-isolated nanoparticles and a metal substrate. By employing such a strategy combined with complementary characterization techniques, we study the potential-dependent configuration of adsorbed ions and capacitance curves for graphene based on the number of layers. As the number of layers increases, the properties of graphene transform from a metalloid nature to graphite-like behavior. The charging mechanism shifts from co-ion desorption in single-layer graphene to ion exchange domination in few-layer graphene. The increase in area specific capacitance from 64 to 145 µF cm-2 is attributed to the influence on ion packing, thereby impacting the electrochemical performance. Furthermore, the potential-dependent coordination structure of lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl) imide in tetraglyme ([Li(G4)][FSI]) at graphene/electrolyte interface is revealed. This work adds to the understanding of graphene interfaces with distinct properties, offering insights for optimization of electrochemical capacitors.

Evolving better solvate electrolytes for lithium secondary batteries

The overall performance of lithium batteries remains unmatched to this date. Decades of optimisation have resulted in long-lasting batteries with high energy density suitable for mobile applications. However, the electrolytes used at present suffer from low lithium transference numbers, which induces concentration polarisation and reduces efficiency of charging and discharging. Here we show how targeted modifications can be used to systematically evolve anion structural motifs which can yield electrolytes with high transference numbers. Using a multidisciplinary combination of theoretical and experimental approaches, we screened a large number of anions. Thus, we identified anions which reach lithium transference numbers around 0.9, surpassing conventional electrolytes. Specifically, we find that nitrile groups have a coordination tendency similar to SO2 and are capable of inducing the formation of Li+ rich clusters. In the bigger picture, we identified a balanced anion/solvent coordination tendency as one of the key design parameters.

Unveiling the Role of Fluorination in Hexacyclic Coordinated Ether Electrolytes for High-Voltage Lithium Metal Batteries

Fluorinated ethers have become promising electrolyte solvent candidates for lithium metal batteries (LMBs) because they are endowed with high oxidative stability and high Coulombic efficiencies of lithium metal stripping/plating. Up to now, most reported fluorinated ether electrolytes are -CF3-based, and the influence of ion solvation in modifying degree of fluorination has not been well-elucidated. In this work, we synthesize a hexacyclic coordinated ether (1-methoxy-3-ethoxypropane, EMP) and its fluorinated ether counterparts with -CH2F (F1EMP), -CHF2 (F2EMP), or -CF3 (F3EMP) as terminal group. With lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide as single salt, the solvation structure, Li-ion transport behavior, lithium deposition kinetics, and high-voltage stability of the electrolytes were systematically studied. Theoretical calculations and spectra reveal the gradually reduced solvating power from nonfluorinated EMP to fully fluorinated F3EMP, which leads to decreased ionic conductivity. In contrast, the weakly solvating fluorinated ethers possess higher Li+ transference number and exchange current density. Overall, partially fluorinated -CHF2 is demonstrated as the desired group. Further full cell testing using high-voltage (4.4 V) and high-loading (3.885 mAh cm-2) LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 cathode demonstrates that F2EMP electrolyte enables 80% capacity retention after 168 cycles under limited Li (50 μm) and lean electrolyte (5 mL Ah-1) conditions and 129 cycles under extremely lean electrolyte (1.8 mL Ah-1) and the anode-free conditions. This work deepens the fundamental understanding on the ion transport and interphase dynamics under various degrees of fluorination and provides a feasible approach toward the design of fluorinated ether electrolytes for practical high-voltage LMBs.

Ion Transport in (Localized) High Concentration Electrolytes for Li-Based Batteries

High concentration electrolytes (HCEs) and localized high concentration electrolytes (LHCEs) have emerged as promising candidates to enable higher energy density Li-ion batteries due to their advantageous interfacial properties that result from their unique solvent structures. Using electrophoretic NMR and electrochemical techniques, we characterize and report full transport properties, including the lithium transference numbers (t+) for electrolytes ranging from the conventional ∼1 M to HCE regimes as well as for LHCE systems. We find that compared to conventional electrolytes, t+ increases for HCEs; however the addition of diluents to LHCEs significantly decreases t+. Viscosity effects alone cannot explain this behavior. Using Onsager transport coefficients calculated from our experiments, we demonstrate that there is more positively correlated cation-cation motion in HCEs as well as fast cation-anion ligand exchange consistent with a concerted ion-hopping mechanism. The addition of diluents to LHCEs results in more anticorrelated motion indicating a disruption of concerted cation-hopping leading to low t+ in LHCEs.

High-concentration LiPF6/sulfone electrolytes: structure, transport properties, and battery application

Non-flammable and oxidatively stable sulfones are promising electrolyte solvents for thermally stable high-voltage Li batteries. In addition, sulfolane-based high-concentration electrolytes (HCEs) show high Li+ ion transference numbers. However, LiPF6 has not yet been investigated as the main salt in sulfone-based HCEs for Li batteries. In this study, we investigated the phase behaviors, solvate structures, and transport properties of binary and ternary mixtures of LiPF6 and the following sulfone solvents: sulfolane (SL), dimethyl sulfone (DMS), ethyl methyl sulfone (EMS), and 3-methyl sulfolane (MSL). The stable crystalline solvates Li(SL)4PF6 and Li(DMS)2.5PF6 with high melting points were formed in the LiPF6/SL and LiPF6/DMS mixtures, respectively. In contrast, LiPF6/EMS, LiPF6/MSL, and LiPF6/SL/another sulfone mixtures remained liquids over a wide temperature range. Raman spectroscopy revealed that SL and another sulfone are competitively coordinated to Li+ ions to dissociate LiPF6 in the ternary mixtures. Although the ionic conductivity decreased with increasing LiPF6 concentration due to an increase in viscosity, Li+ ions diffused faster than PF6-via exchanging ligands in the HCE [LiPF6]/[SL]/[DMS] = 1/2/2, resulting in a higher Li ion transference number than that in conventional Li battery electrolytes.

Tetra-arm poly(ethylene glycol) gels with highly concentrated sulfolane-based electrolytes exhibiting high Li-ion transference numbers

We demonstrate that tetra-arm poly(ethylene glycol) gels containing highly concentrated sulfolane-based electrolytes exhibit high Li⁺ transference numbers. The low polymer concentration and homogeneous polymer network in the gel electrolyte are useful in achieving both mechanical reliability and high Li⁺ transport ability.

Does Li-ion transport occur rapidly in localized high-concentration electrolytes?

The ionic conductivity and lithium-ion transference number of electrolytes significantly influence the rate capability of Li-ion batteries. Highly concentrated Li-salt/sulfolane (SL) electrolytes exhibit elevated Li⁺ transference numbers due to lithium-ion hopping via a ligand exchange mechanism within their -Li⁺-SL-Li⁺- network. However, highly concentrated electrolytes (HCEs) are extremely viscous and have an ionic conductivity that is one order of magnitude less than that of conventional electrolytes. Dilution of HCEs with a non-coordinating hydrofluoroether (HFE) lowers the viscosity and produces localized high-concentration electrolytes (LHCE). However, the mechanism of Li⁺ transport in LHCEs is unclear. This study investigated the transport properties of LHCEs prepared by diluting a SL-based HCE with 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl-2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropyl ether. Electrolyte viscosity decreases dramatically upon dilution, whereas ionic conductivity increases only slightly. Ion diffusivity increases with increasing HFE content due to the decrease in electrolyte viscosity. However, the Li⁺ transference number declines, because the HFE interferes with conduction via the Li⁺ hopping mechanism. The resulting decrease in the product of ionic conductivity and Li⁺ transference number indicates superior lithium-ion transport in the parent HCE compared with LHCEs.

Crystal structures of polymerized lithium chloride and dimethyl sulfoxide in the form of {2LiCl·3DMSO} n and {LiCl·DMSO} n

Two novel LiCl·DMSO polymer structures were created by combining dry LiCl salt with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), namely, catena-poly[[chlorido-lithium(I)]-μ-(dimethyl sulfoxide)-κ2 O:O-[chlorido-lithium(I)]-di-μ-(dimethyl sulfoxide)-κ4 O:O], [Li2Cl2(C2H6OS)3] n , and catena-poly[lithium(I)-μ-chlorido-μ-(dimethyl sulfoxide)-κ2 O:O], [LiCl(C2H6OS)] n . The initial synthesized phase had very small block-shaped crystals (<0.08 mm) with monoclinic symmetry and a 2 LiCl: 3 DMSO ratio. As the solution evaporated, a second phase formed with a plate-shaped crystal morphology. After about 20 minutes, large (>0.20 mm) octa-hedron-shaped crystals formed. The plate crystals and the octa-hedron crystals are the same tetra-gonal structure with a 1 LiCl: 1 DMSO ratio. These structures are reported and compared to other known LiCl·solvent compounds.

Carbonaceous-Material-Induced Gelation of Concentrated Electrolyte Solutions for Application in Lithium-Sulfur Battery Cathodes

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries can theoretically deliver high energy densities exceeding 2500 Wh kg^-1. However, high sulfur loading and lean electrolyte conditions are two major requirements to enhance the actual energy density of the Li-S batteries. Herein, the use of carbon-dispersed highly concentrated electrolyte (HCE) gels with sparingly solvating characteristics as sulfur hosts in Li-S batteries is proposed as a unique approach to construct continuous electron-transport and ion-conduction paths in sulfur cathodes as well as achieve high energy density under lean-electrolyte conditions. The sol-gel behavior of carbon-dispersed sulfolane-based HCEs was investigated using phase diagrams. The sol-to-gel transition was mainly dependent on the amount of the carbonaceous material and the Li salt content. The gelation was caused by the carbonaceous-material-induced formation of an integrated network. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the strong cation-π interactions between Li⁺ and the induced dipole of graphitic carbon were responsible for facilitating the dispersion of the carbonaceous material into the HCEs, thereby permitting gel formation at high Li-salt concentrations. The as-prepared carbon-dispersed sulfolane-based composite gels were employed as efficient sulfur hosts in Li-S batteries. The use of gel-type sulfur hosts eliminates the requirement for excess electrolytes and thus facilitates the practical realization of Li-S batteries under lean-electrolyte conditions. A Li-S pouch cell that achieved a high cell-energy density (up to 253 Wh kg^-1) at a high sulfur loading (4.1 mg cm^-2) and low electrolyte/sulfur ratio (4.2 μL mg^-1) was developed. Furthermore, a Li-S polymer battery was fabricated by combining the composite gel cathode and a polymer gel electrolyte.

Toward Bottom-Up Understanding of Transport in Concentrated Battery Electrolytes

Bottom-up understanding of transport describes how molecular changes alter species concentrations and electrolyte voltage drops in operating batteries. Such an understanding is essential to predictively design electrolytes for desired transport behavior. We herein advocate building a structure-property-performance relationship as a systematic approach to accurate bottom-up understanding. To ensure generalization across salt concentrations as well as different electrolyte types and cell configurations, the property-performance relation must be described using Newman's concentrated solution theory. It uses Stefan-Maxwell diffusivity, ij , to describe the role of molecular motions at the continuum scale. The key challenge is to connect ij to the structure. We discuss existing methods for making such a connection, their peculiarities, and future directions to advance our understanding of electrolyte transport.

LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4-Hybridized Gel Polymer Cathode and Gel Polymer Electrolyte Containing a Sulfolane-Based Highly Concentrated Electrolyte for the Fabrication of a 5 V Class of Flexible Lithium Batteries

The design and fabrication of lithium secondary batteries with a high energy density and shape flexibility are essential for flexible and wearable electronics. In this study, we fabricated a high-voltage (5 V class) flexible lithium polymer battery using a lithium nickel manganese oxide (LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4) cathode. A LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4-hybridized gel polymer cathode (GPC) and a gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) membrane, both containing a sulfolane (SL)-based highly concentrated electrolyte (HCE), enabled the fabrication of a polymer battery by simple lamination with a metallic lithium anode, where the injection of the electrolyte solution was not required. GPC with high flexibility has a hierarchically continuous three-dimensional porous architecture, which is advantageous for forming continuous ion-conduction paths. The GPE membrane has significant ionic conductivity enough for reliable capacity delivery. Therefore, the fabricated lithium polymer pouch cells demonstrated excellent capacity retention under continuous deformation conditions. This study provides a promising strategy for the fabrication of scalable and flexible 5 V class batteries using GPC and GPE containing SL-based HCE.

Novel high-performance anodic materials for lithium ion batteries: two-dimensional Sn-X (X = C, Si, and Ge) alloy monolayers

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have always been the focus of researchers for energy storage applications. Here, the first-principles density functional theory method was used to explore the possibility of using stanene derived structures as LIB anodes. And such two-dimensional structures are similar to graphene or stanene, but half of the Sn atoms are replaced by group-IV atoms to form new structures, which are called Sn-X (X = C, Si, and Ge). Our calculation results showed that the optimized structure, lattice constant and other parameters are consistent with those reported in previous studies. Meanwhile, we found out that the semiconductor properties of pristine Sn-X transform into metal properties after the adsorption of Li. Then, by calculating the adsorption concentration of Li ions on the Sn-X monolayers, we found that these kinds of materials can meet the requirements of battery anodes very well, not only in terms of their open-circuit voltage, but also storage capacity. For Sn-Si and Sn-Ge, their theoretical capacities can be as high as 1095.78 mA h g^-1 (Li₆Sn-Si) and 840.88 mA h g^-1 (Li₆Sn-Ge). At last, based on the investigation of their diffusion path, Sn-X has been found to have high charge and discharge rates because of its low barrier. By reason of the foregoing, 2D Sn-X monolayers will be excellent battery anodes.