Hybridizing carbonate and ether at molecular scales for high-energy and high-safety lithium metal batteries.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 38622141.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-47448-5 and PMC identifier 11018806.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Commonly-used ether and carbonate electrolytes show distinct advantages in active lithium-metal anode and high-voltage cathode, respectively. While these complementary characteristics hold promise for energy-dense lithium metal batteries, such synergy cannot be realized solely through physical blending. Herein, a linear functionalized solvent, bis(2-methoxyethyl) carbonate (BMC), is conceived by intramolecularly hybridizing ethers and carbonates. The integration of the electron-donating ether group with the electron-withdrawing carbonate group can rationalizes the charge distribution, imparting BMC with notable oxidative/reductive stability and relatively weak solvation ability. Furthermore, BMC also offers advantages including the ability to slightly dissolve LiNO<sub>3</sub>, excellent thermostability and nonflammability. Consequently, the optimized BMC-based electrolyte, even with typical concentrations in the single solvent, demonstrates high-voltage tolerance (4.4 V) and impressive Li plating/stripping Coulombic efficiency (99.4%). Moreover, it fulfills practical lithium metal batteries with satisfactory cycling performance and exceptional tolerance towards thermal/mechanical abuse, showcasing its suitability for safe high-energy lithium metal batteries.