LiF-Rich Interfaces and HF Elimination Achieved by a Multifunctional Additive Enable High-Performance Li/LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 Batteries

Enhancing stable and high-rate lithium ion storage through multifunctional molecular release in a phosphorus/carbon-bipyridine hybrid anode

Phosphorus has emerged as a promising anode material due to its high specific capacity of 2594 mA h g-1 and medium redox potential of about 0.7 V (vs. Li+/Li). However, large volume changes and low ion reaction kinetics are still the dominant challenges that affect the long-term cycle stability and high-rate performance of phosphorus anodes. Herein, bipyridine is introduced to modify phosphorus/carbon composites. The highly doped bipyridine can be slowly released into the electrolyte during cycling, utilizing its Lewis base properties to effectively neutralize HF acid byproducts, thereby protecting the electrode integrity. Meanwhile, it can reduce the binding energy of lithium ions and solvent molecules, and promote the desolvation of lithium ions, thus improving the high-rate performance. As a result, P/C-bpy still provides a specific capacity of 1043.44 mA h g-1 after 800 cycles at a current density of 1 A g-1, corresponding to a capacity retention of 97.30%. And even at a high-rate of 15 A g-1, it still provides a high specific capacity of 599.09 mA h g-1.

Counterion Lewis Acidity Determines the Rate of Hexafluorophosphate Hydrolysis in Nonaqueous Battery Electrolytes

The decomposition of LiPF6 in nonaqueous battery electrolytes is a well-studied, deleterious process that leads to hydrofluoric acid (HF) driven transition metal dissolution at the positive electrode and gas production (H2) at the anode, often attributed to the inherent moisture sensitivity of the hexafluorophosphate anion. In this work, we use in situ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to demonstrate that the rate of PF6- hydrolysis significantly decreases in Na and K systems, where the Lewis acidity of the cation dictates the rate of decomposition according to Li+ > Na+ > K+. Despite the remarkable stability of Na and K electrolytes, we show that they are still susceptible to hydrolysis in the presence of protons, which can catalyze the breakdown of PF6-, indicating that these chemistries are not immune from decomposition when paired with solvent/cathode combinations that generate H+ at high voltage. Quantitative in situ multinuclear and multidimensional NMR of decomposed electrolytes shows that after long-term degradation, these systems contain HF, HPO2F2, and H2PO3F as well as a variety of defluorinated byproducts, such as organophosphates and phosphonates, that are structurally similar to herbicides/insecticides and may pose health and environmental risks. Taken together, these results have important implications for Na- and K-ion batteries where hazardous and harmful byproducts like HF, soluble transition metals, organophosphates, and phosphonates can be greatly reduced through cell design. Our results also suggest that next-generation chemistries present a pathway to safer batteries that contain lower quantities of flammable gases, like H2, if properly engineered.

Mitigating Li-Rich Layered Cathode Capacity Loss by Using a Siloxane Electrolyte Additive

The instability of the electrode-electrolyte interface in high-voltage cathode materials significantly hinders the development of high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this study, 1,3-diphenyl-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane (DTS) is employed as an electrolyte additive to enhance the cycling stability and capacity retention for Li||LLO (Li-rich layered oxide) batteries operating at 4.8 V. Theoretical calculations show that DTS can preferentially oxidize on the surface of the cathode. The oxidation forms a robust cathode electrolyte interface (CEI) on the LLO surface, significantly mitigating cracking, regeneration, and irreversible phase transitions of the LLO cathode. As anticipated, the Li||LLO batteries with the DTS electrolyte exhibit a capacity retention of 85.4% after 100 cycles at 4.8 V compared to the baseline electrolyte (45.2%). Furthermore, these batteries demonstrate superior capacity retention after 100 cycles at 4.8 V, even with the presence of 1000 ppm of H2O.

Improving Oxygen-Redox-Active Layered Oxide Cathodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries Through Crystal Facet Modulation and Fluorinated Interfacial Engineering

Layered oxides with active oxygen redox are attractive cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to high capacity but suffer from rapid capacity/voltage deterioration and sluggish reaction kinetics stemming from lattice oxygen release, interfacial side reactions, and structural reconstruction. Herein, a synergistic strategy of crystal-facet modulation and fluorinated interfacial engineering is proposed to achieve high capacity, superior rate capability, and long cycle stability in Na0.67Li0.24Mn0.76O2. The synthesized single-crystal Na0.67Li0.24Mn0.76O2 (NLMO{010}) featuring increased {010} active facet exposure exhibits faster anionic redox kinetics and delivers a high capacity (272.4 mAh g-1 at 10 mA g-1) with superior energy density (713.9 Wh kg-1) and rate performance (116.4 mAh g-1 at 1 A g-1). Moreover, by incorporating N-Fluorobenzenesulfonimide (NFBS) as electrolyte additive, the NLMO{010} cathode retains 84.6% capacity after 400 cycles at 500 mA g-1 with alleviated voltage fade (0.27 mV per cycle). Combined in situ analysis and theoretical calculations unveil dual functionality of NFBS, which results in thin yet durable fluorinated interfaces on the NLMO{010} cathode and hard carbon anode and scavenges highly reactive oxygen species. The results indicate the importance of fast-ion-transfer facet engineering and fluorinated electrolyte formulation to enhance oxygen redox-active cathode materials for high-energy-density SIBs.

In Situ Characterizations of the Dynamics of Cathode Electrolyte Interfaces at Different Current Densities

LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 with high nickel content plays a critical role in enabling lithium metal batteries (LMBs) to achieve high specific energy density, making them a prominent choice for electric vehicles (EVs). However, ensuring the long-term cycling stability of the cathode electrolyte interfaces (CEIs), particularly at fast-charge conditions, remains an unsolved challenge. The decay mechanism associated with CEIs and electrolytes in LMB at high current densities is still not fully understood. To address this issue, in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) is employed to observe the dynamic process of formation/disappearance/regeneration of CEIs during charge and discharge cycles. These dynamic processes further exacerbate the instability of CEIs as current density increases, leading to rupture and dissolution of CEIs and subsequent deterioration in battery performance because of continuous electrolyte reactions. Additionally, the dynamic changes occurring within individual components of CEIs at different cycling stages and various current densities are also discussed. The results demonstrate that excellent capacity retention at small current density is attributed to enrichment of inorganic compounds (Li2CO3, LiF, etc.) and rendering better stability and smaller expansion of CEIs. The key to achieving excellent electrochemical performance at high current densities lies on protecting CEIs, mainly inorganic components.

Stable and Fast Ion Transport Electrolyte Interfaces Modified with Novel Fluorine- and Nitrogen-Containing Solvents for Ni-Rich Cathode Materials

Ternary nickel-rich layered oxide LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) is recognized as a cathode material with a promising future, attributed to its high energy density. However, the pulverization of cathode particles, structural collapse, and electrolyte decomposition are closely associated with the fragile cathode-electrolyte interphases (CEI), which seriously affect the electrochemical performances of ternary high-nickel materials. In this paper, fluorine- and nitrogen-containing methyl-2-nitro-4-(trifluoromethyl)benzoate (MNTB) was selected, which was synergistically regulated with fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) to generate a robust CEI film. The preferential decomposition of MNTB/FEC results in the formation of an inorganic-rich (Li3N, LiF, and Li2O) CEI film with uniformly dense and stable characteristics, which is conducive to the migration of Li+ and the stability of the NCM811 structure and enhances the cycling stability of the battery system. Simultaneously, MNTB effectively suppresses the adverse reaction associated with increased polarization caused by higher interface impedance due to conventional single FEC additives, further improving the rate capability of the battery. Moreover, MNTB/FEC can effectively eliminate HF, preventing its corrosion on the NCM811 cathode. Under the synergistic effect of MNTB/FEC, after 300 discharge cycles at a high cutoff voltage of 4.3 V and a current density of 1 C (2 mA cm-2), the discharge capacity of the NCM811||Li battery was 150.12 mA h g-1 with a capacity retention of 81.10%, while it was only 32.8% for the standard electrolyte (STD). The discharged capacity of the MNTB/FEC-containing battery was about 115.43 mA h g-1 at the high rate of 7 C, which was considerably higher than that of the STD (93.34 mA h g-1). In this study, the designed MNTB as a novel solvent synergistically regulated with FEC will contribute to the enhanced stability of NCM811 materials at high cutoff voltages and at the same time provide an effective modified strategy to enhance the stability of commercial electrodes.

Borate-Functionalized Disiloxane as Effective Electrolyte Additive for 4.5 V LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2/Graphite Batteries

Ni-rich LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) is considered the most prominent cathode material to establish a practical high energy density of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for future electric vehicles. The energy density of LIBs is greatly determined by the capacity of electrode materials and the operating voltage of the cells. To further improve the cycle lifespan of NCM811 batteries to meet the requirement of driving range for the electric vehicle market, it is vital to design a novel electrolyte additive that can enhance the stability of the cathode/electrolyte interface at a wide range of voltage. Herein, a novel borate functionalized disiloxane compound, 1,1,1,3,3-pentamethyl-3-(3-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)propyl) disiloxane (PMBPDS), is synthesized as cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) film-forming additive to improve the cycling performance of NCM811 batteries. Systematic studies reveal that PMBPDS can construct a stable CEI film on the NCM811 surface and efficiently scavenge hydrofluoric acid (HF). The PMBPDS-derived CEI prevents the dissolution of transmission metals in the NCM811 cathode and enhances the capacity retention of NCM811/graphite cells from 68.3 to 70.6% after 200 cycles at 1 C in the voltage window of 3-4.5 V. This work provides more understanding on designing the molecular structure of additive compounds for improving the electrochemical performance of LIBs.

High Voltage Cycling Stability of LiF-Coated NMC811 Electrode

The development of LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811) as a cathode material for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) intends to address the driving limitations of electric vehicles. However, the commercialization of this technology has been hindered by poor cycling stability at high cutoff voltages. The potential instability and drastic capacity fade stem from irreversible parasitic side reactions at the electrode-electrolyte interface. To address these issues, a stable nanoscale lithium fluoride (LiF) coating is deposited on the NMC811 electrode via atomic layer deposition. The nanoscale LiF coating diminishes the direct contact between NMC811 and the electrolyte, suppressing the detrimental parasitic reactions. LiF-NMC811 delivers cycling stability superior to uncoated NMC811 with high cutoff voltage for half-cell (3.0-4.6 V vs Li/Li+) and full-cell (2.8-4.5 V vs graphite) configurations. The structural, morphological, and chemical analyses of the electrodes after cycling show that capacity decline fundamentally arises from the electrode-electrolyte interface growth, irreversible phase transformation, transition metal dissolution and crossover, and particle cracking. Overall, this work demonstrates that LiF is an effective electrode coating for high-voltage cycling without compromising rate performance, even at high discharge rates. The findings of this work highlight the need to stabilize the electrode-electrolyte interface to fully utilize the high-capacity performance of NMC811.