A Dielectric MXene-Induced Self-Built Electric Field in Polymer Electrolyte Triggering Fast Lithium-Ion Transport and High-Voltage Cycling Stability.

Abstract

Quasi-solid polymer electrolyte (QPE) lithium (Li)-metal battery holds significant promise in the application of high-energy-density batteries, yet it suffers from low ionic conductivity and poor oxidation stability. Herein, a novel self-built electric field (SBEF) strategy is proposed to enhance Li+ transportation and accelerate the degradation dynamics of carbon-fluorine bond cleavage in LiTFSI by optimizing the termination of MXene. Among them, the SBEF induced by dielectric Nb4C3F2 MXene effectively constructs highly conductive LiF-enriched SEI and CEI stable interfaces, moreover, enhances the electrochemical performance of the QPE. The related Li-ion transfer mechanism and dual-reinforced stable interface are thoroughly investigated using ab initio molecular dynamics, COMSOL, XPS depth profiling, and ToF-SIMS. This comprehensive approach results in a high conductivity of 1.34 mS cm-1, leading to a small polarization of approximately 25 mV for Li//Li symmetric cell after 6000 h. Furthermore, it enables a prolonged cycle life at a high voltage of up to 4.6 V. Overall, this work not only broadens the application of MXene for QPE but also inspires the great potential of the self-built electric field in QPE-based high-voltage batteries.