Promises and Challenges of the Practical Implementation of Prelithiation in Lithium-Ion Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have changed lives since their invention in the early 1990s. Further improvement of their energy density is highly desirable to meet the increasing demands of energy storage applications. Active lithium loss in the initial charge process appreciably reduces the capacity and energy density of LIBs due to the formation of a solid electrolyte interface (SEI) on the anode surface, especially for Si based anodes in high-energy-density batteries. To solve this issue, prelithiation to provide additional active lithium into the battery has been widely accepted as one of the most promising strategies. Here, key parameters/issues for the practical implementation of prelithiation approaches in LIBs are discussed, including donable lithium-ion capacity/prelithiation efficiency, chemical and ambient stability of the prelithiation materials/reagents, safety hazards of prelithiation, residues and side reactions during prelithiation, potential effect on electrochemical performance, industrial compatibility, and scalability of the prelithiation, many of which are often overlooked in academic literature. Moreover, insights are offered regarding the potential future directions in the development of this burgeoning field. Continuous progress in prelithiation is essential and urgent to enable next-generation high-energy-density LIBs in the near future.

Automated summary

This study discusses the key parameters and issues involved in implementing prelithiation methods in lithium-ion batteries, as well as potential future directions in this emerging field. Further development in prelithiation technology is crucial to enable next-generation high-energy-density LIBs in the near future.