Formulating The Electrolyte Towards High-Energy And Safe Rechargeable Lithium-Metal Batteries

Rechargeable lithium-metal batteries with a cell-level specific energy of >400 Wh kg(-1) are highly desired for next-generation storage applications, yet the research has been retarded by poor electrolyte-electrode compatibility and rigorous safety concerns. We demonstrate that by simply formulating the composition of conventional electrolytes, a hybrid electrolyte was constructed to ensure high (electro)chemical and thermal stability with both the Li-metal anode and the nickel-rich layered oxide cathodes. By employing the new electrolyte, Li parallel to LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 cells show favorable cycling and rate performance, and a 10 Ah Li parallel to LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 pouch cell demonstrates a practical specific energy of >450 Wh kg(-1). Our findings shed light on reasonable design principles for electrolyte and electrode/electrolyte interfaces toward practical realization of high-energy rechargeable batteries.