Localized high-concentration electrolytes for lithium metal batteries: progress and prospect

With the increasing development of digital devices and electric vehicles, high energy-density rechargeable batteries are strongly required. As one of the most promising anode materials with an ultrahigh specific capacity and extremely low electrode potential, lithium metal is greatly considered an ideal candidate for next-generation battery systems. Nevertheless, limited Coulombic efficiency and potential safety risks severely hinder the practical applications of lithium metal batteries due to the inevitable growth of lithium dendrites and poor interface stability. Tremendous efforts have been explored to address these challenges, mainly focusing on the design of novel electrolytes. Here, we provide an overview of the recent developments of localized high-concentration electrolytes in lithium metal batteries. Firstly, the solvation structures and physicochemical properties of localized high-concentration electrolytes are analyzed. Then, the developments of localized high-concentration electrolytes to suppress the formation of dendritic lithium, broaden the voltage window of electrolytes, enhance safety, and render low-temperature operation for robust lithium metal batteries are discussed. Lastly, the remaining challenges and further possible research directions for localized high-concentration electrolytes are outlined, which can promisingly render the practical applications of lithium metal batteries.