A Case of Inverted Crosstalk in High-Voltage Lithium-Ion Batteries with Carbonate-Based Electrolytes and LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 Cathodes

Abstract

The deployment of spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) cathodes can be key to develop lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with higher energy density and lower costs. However, the most common carbonate-based electrolytes for LIBs suffer from severe degradation at high potentials, potentially causing cell failure and safety hazards.[1,2] Therefore, investigating the degradation mechanisms in battery cells employing high-voltage battery cathodes such as LNMO is paramount. In this work [3], we studied the influence of linear carbonates on cycling and interfacial stability. Electrolytes consisting of LiPF6 dissolved in a mixture of cyclic (ethylene carbonate, EC), and linear carbonates (diethyl carbonate, DEC, or dimethyl carbonate, DMC), in a 3:7 EC:DEC/DMC weight ratio, were compared. Galvanostatic cycling and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy data of LNMO||Li cells indicate that the linear carbonate plays a fundamental role in cell failure. Specifically, cells with DEC-based electrolyte show early rollover failure, reaching 80% and 20% state of health at cycle 31 and 55, respectively. In contrast, cells with DMC-containing electrolyte have better stability, keeping 80% state of health until cycle 92, as shown in Figure 1. Three-electrode measurements and further characterizations, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), unveil that cell failure occurs due to instability of the cathode-electrolyte interface; when DEC-based electrolytes are used, a huge impedance build-up is correlated with the formation of a spotty deposit on LNMO particles. In contrast, these deposits are absent in cathodes cycled in the DMC-based electrolyte. These deposits can be explained as originating from electrolyte reduction products forming on the anode side as shown previously for layered oxide||Li cells.[4] Overall, this study provides an insightful discussion on an "inverted crosstalk", i.e., from anode to cathode, degradation mechanism. Importantly, improved cycling stability with DMC compared to DEC is also found for LNMO||graphite cells.[1] V. Nilsson, S. Liu, C. Battaglia, R.-S. Kühnel, Electrochim. Acta 427, 2022, 140867.[2] S. Liu, M. Becker, Y. Huang-Joos, H. Lai, G. Homann, R. Grissa, K. Egorov, F. Fu, C. Battaglia, R.-S. Kühnel, Batteries Supercaps 6, 2023, e202300220.[3] A. Curcio, W. Dachraoui, Ø. Dahl, N. P. Wagner, C. Battaglia, R.-S. Kühnel, submitted.[4] H.-J. Peng, C. Villevieille, S. Trabesinger, H. Wolf, K. Leitner, P. Novák, J. Power Sources 335, 2016, 91-97. Figure 1