Locally Concentrated Ionic Liquid Electrolyte with Partially Solvating Diluent for Lithium/Sulfurized Polyacrylonitrile Batteries

The development of Li/sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) batteries requires electrolytes that can form stable electrolyte/electrode interphases simultaneously on lithium-metal anodes (LMAs) and SPAN cathodes. Herein, a low-flammability locally concentrated ionic liquid electrolyte (LCILE) employing monofluorobenzene (mFBn) as the diluent is proposed for Li/SPAN cells. Unlike non-solvating diluents in other LCILEs, mFBn partially solvates Li+, decreasing the coordination between Li+ and bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (FSI-). In turn, this triggers a more substantial decomposition of FSI- and consequently results in the formation of a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) rich in inorganic compounds, which enables a remarkable Coulombic efficiency (99.72%) of LMAs. Meanwhile, a protective cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI), derived mainly from FSI- and organic cations, is generated on the SPAN cathodes, preventing the dissolution of polysulfides. Benefiting from the robust interphases simultaneously formed on both the electrodes, a highly stable cycling of Li/SPAN cells for 250 cycles with a capacity retention of 71% is achieved employing the LCILE and only 80% lithium-metal excess.

Automated summary

This article proposes a new low-flammability locally concentrated ionic liquid electrolyte (LCILE) for Li/sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) batteries. The LCILE forms stable electrolyte/electrode interfaces on both the lithium-metal anodes (LMAs) and SPAN cathodes, leading to improved battery performance and cycling stability.