Construction and Interfacial Modification of a β-PbSnF₄ Electrolyte with High Intrinsic Ionic Conductivity for a Room-Temperature Fluoride-Ion Battery

Solid-state fluoride-ion batteries (FIBs) attract significant attention worldwide because of their high theoretical volume, energy density, and high safety. However, the large interfacial resistance caused by the point-point contact between the electrolyte and the electrode seriously impedes their further development. Using liquid-phase therapy to construct a conformal interface is a good choice to eliminate the influence of inadequate contact between the electrode and the electrolyte. In this study, a β-PbSnF4 solid-state electrolyte with high room-temperature ionic conductivity is prepared, and a trace amount of the liquid electrolyte (LE) between the electrode and the electrolyte is introduced in order to minimize the interfacial resistance and enhance the cycle life. The Allen-Hickling simulations show that the introduction of an interfacial wetting agent (LE) can significantly reduce the energy barrier of charge transfer and mass transfer processes at the interface and reciprocate FIBs an enhanced interfacial reaction kinetics. As a result, the initial discharge capacity of the fabricated FIBs is 210.5 mAh g-1 and the capacity retention rate is 82.6% after 50 cycles at room temperature, while the initial discharge capacity of the unmodified battery is only 170.9 mAh g-1 and the capacity retention rate is 22.1% after 50 cycles. Therefore, interfacial modification with a trace amount of LE provides a significant exploration for the improvement of FIB performances.