A safe electrolyte for high-performance lithium-ion batteries containing lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate, gamma-butyrolactone and non-flammable hydrofluoroether

A safe electrolyte of lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate in the mixture of gamma-butyrolactone and 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl-2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropyl ether is initially proposed in this work. This electrolyte owns higher safety level and better wettability than a commercial electrolyte. Its conductivity reaches 7.12 mS cm(-1) at 25 degrees C. The remarkable electrochemical performances of graphite/LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 full cells with this safe electrolyte are confirmed. Its cycling and rate performances present well at room tem-perature (25 degrees C). Meanwhile, high-temperature and low-temperature performances of the full cells with this safe electrolyte also surpass those of the cell with a commercial electrolyte. The capacity retention of the full cell with this safe electrolyte reaches 82.2% after the prolonged cycle test (500 cycles at 1 C and 25 degrees C). And its capacity retention of 100 cycles at 1 C is up to 87.1% at elevated temperature (60 degrees C). In particular, the cell still has a capacity of about 100 mAh g(-1) at-40 degrees C. The potential of this safe elec-trolyte for practical application has been proved by the test results. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study introduces a safe lithium electrolyte in a mixture of gamma-butyrolactone and 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl-2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropyl ether, demonstrating higher safety and better performance compared to a commercial electrolyte. The electrolyte shows a conductivity of 7.12 mS cm(-1) at 25 degrees C and exhibits outstanding electrochemical performance and cycling stability.