As the world increasingly relies on portable electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy storage, the demand for high-performance, reliable, and durable rechargeable batteries continues to grow. However, current lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) face significant challenges under extreme operating conditions, such as subzero temperatures, high charging rates, and high-voltage applications.
Traditional electrolytes struggle with limited oxidative stability, low ionic conductivity, and inadequate electrode-electrolyte interphase formation, leading to reduced performance, shorter lifespans, and safety concerns. For instance, standard LIBs with graphite anodes experience rapid capacity loss and efficiency drops when exposed to fast charging or low temperatures. These issues present a significant barrier to the broader adoption and effectiveness of rechargeable batteries in regions with extreme climates or in industries requiring rapid charging capabilities.
To meet these growing demands and overcome existing limitations, it is imperative to innovate electrolytes that can maintain high performance, stability, and safety across a wide range of operating conditions.
This invention presents novel electrolytes designed for rechargeable batteries that operate efficiently under extreme conditions. These advanced electrolytes feature high oxidative stability, exceptional ionic conductivity, and favorable electrode-electrolyte interphase formation, enabling superior performance in both high-voltage and fast-charging lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Unlike traditional electrolytes that fail at subzero operating temperatures these novel electrolytes maintain robust performance at –20°C, highlighting their practicality in extreme operating temperatures.
Another key feature of these electrolytes is their ability to form a robust inorganic-rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on graphite anodes. The efficacy of the SEI was demonstrated in graphite||high-nickel layered oxide cathodes, simultaneously achieving cycling stability under high operating voltage (4.4V) and 4C charging (15-minute charge time). In addition to exceptional graphite compatibility, these electrolytes can be utilized in a variety of electrochemical systems, including silicon or silicon-graphite composite anodes, sodium-ion batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, and other alkali metal-based rechargeable batteries.
By providing a tunable solution to enabling stable battery cycling during extreme operating conditions, this technology shows great promise for the development of next-generation rechargeable batteries.