Full Cell Understanding of Solvents in Battery Systems

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Lithium ion batteries are complex systems with multiple components that can be optimized to obtain desired performance capability. These components include electrolyte salts, solvents, and additives, as well as electrode active materials and coatings. Rational optimization of battery components requires an understanding of the fundamental science driving the observed performance. Silatronix® has developed a suite of analytical tools and methods using a combination of full format batteries, lab R&D cells, and model systems to construct a complete understanding of the battery from the cell level performance to the fundamental chemistry. This process includes the recovery and analysis of all parts of a full format pouch cell, including liquid electrolyte, generated gas, and electrode surface layers (Fig. 1).Using this process, Silatronix® has evaluated several battery components, including organosilicon solvents for Li-ion electrolytes, to acquire a comprehensive picture of how these components provide observed performance benefits. For example, OS3®, a novel organosilicon chemistry that merges a silane with a Li+ coordinating nitrile functionality, has provided multiple performance benefits in various advanced Li-ion chemistries. Key experimental results include improved high temperature cycling stability in full format graphite/NMC622 pouch cells with 1%, 2%, or 3% OS3® (Fig. 2a), and using a model system of electrolyte in NMR tubes, we show that enhanced thermal stability of the bulk electrolyte results from HF scavenging and LiPF6 salt stabilization when 2-16% OS3® is present (Fig. 2b). Reduction of gas generation during high temperature testing in pouch cells with a commercial Si-based anode is also shown with 2% OS3® (Fig. 2c), and gas product identification and quantification is determined by GC-TCD for mechanistic analyses. In addition, OS materials change the reactivity of other electrolyte components, particularly at the electrolyte/electrode interfaces that govern critical performance attributes in Li-ion cells such as gas generation and interfacial impedance. These key performance benefits serve to enable several next generation battery chemistries, including a strong synergy with Si-based anodes. Figure 1