Abstract
Lithium-ion batteries are a key technology in today’s world and improving their performances requires, in many cases, the use of cathodes operating above the anodic stability of state-of-the-art electrolytes based on ethylene carbonate (EC) mixtures. EC, however, is a crucial component of electrolytes, due to its excellent ability to allow graphite anode operation—also required for high energy density batteries—by stabilizing the electrode/electrolyte interface. In the last years, many alternative electrolytes, aiming at allowing high voltage battery operation, have been proposed. However, often, graphite electrode operation is not well demonstrated in these electrolytes. Thus, we review here the high voltage, EC-free alternative electrolytes, focusing on those allowing the steady operation of graphite anodes. This review covers electrolyte compositions, with the widespread use of additives, the change in main lithium salt, the effect of anion (or Li salt) concentration, but also reports on graphite protection strategies, by coatings or artificial solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) or by use of water-soluble binder for electrode processing as these can also enable the use of graphite in electrolytes with suboptimal intrinsic SEI formation ability.
Highlights
According to the US Energy Information Administration’s data, the world energy consumption will grow by 300% in 2040 with respect to 1980 [1]
In the search for practical electrolytes, various approaches are often combined to allow for solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation onto graphite, while keeping the ‘high voltage’ capability, linked to the use of alternative solvents or solvent mixtures, the choice of which depends on the final target voltage
The SEI formation on graphite depends on many factors, among which, the reactivity of the individual electrolytes species, including Li salt and additives, the change in reactivity following their interaction within the electrolytes, their concentration, the surface groups on the graphite electrode, possible graphite pretreatment and binder influence
Summary
According to the US Energy Information Administration’s data, the world energy consumption will grow by 300% in 2040 with respect to 1980 [1]. The most energy dense rechargeable batteries available, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are the most popular types of rechargeable batteries for portable electronic devices such as laptops and cell phones Their use is extending to electric vehicles and stationary storage, which motivates intense research efforts. The dendritic lithium formation on the anode during cycling, which can result in internal shortcircuits, has limited the development of secondary lithium metal batteries using liquid electrolytes To solve this issue, Armand proposed the innovative concept of lithium ‘rocking-chair cells’ which consists in substituting the lithium metal anode by an insertion material, the lithium ions being transferred from one side to the other during charge and discharge [9]. The name “lithium-ion” battery (LIB) was introduced and has been used ever since
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