High-Energy Aqueous Lithium Batteries

Owing to the high voltage of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the dominating electrolyte is non-aqueous. The idea of an aqueous rechargeable lithium battery (ARLB) dates back to 1994, but it had attracted little attention due to the narrow stable potential window of aqueous electrolytes, which results in low energy density. However, aqueous electrolytes were employed during the 2000s for the fundamental studies of electrode materials in the absence of side reactions such as the decomposition of organic species. The high solubility of lithium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) in water has introduced new opportunities for high-voltage ARLBs. Nonetheless, these ideas are somehow overshadowed by the common perception about the essential limitation of the aqueous electrolyte. The electrochemical behaviour of conventional electrode materials can be substantially tuned in the water-in-salt electrolytes. The latest idea of utilising a graphite anode in the aqueous water-in-salt electrolytes has paved the way towards not only 4-V ARLB but also a new generation of Li-S batteries with a higher operating voltage and energy efficiency. Furthermore, aqueous electrolytes can provide a cathodically stable environment for Li-O-2 batteries. The present paper aims to highlight these emerging opportunities possibly leading to a new generation of LIBs, which can be substantially cheaper and safer.