Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and McGill University developed a solvent screening method to stabilize high-temperature, high-voltage lithium metal batteries, according to a study published in Nature Communications.
Operating high-voltage lithium metal batteries at elevated temperatures presents operational hurdles due to reduced electrolyte oxidation stability and intensified interfacial side reactions. To examine these processes, the research team used a multimodal 19F nuclear magnetic resonance technique. The method tracked the temperature-mediated evolution of electrolyte anion solvation chemistry to determine how anion behavior influences positive electrode stabilization.
Using these findings, the team formulated a universal solvent screening strategy to assemble an anion-anchored compact solvation structure. The resulting large-size, anion-compressed structure raises anti-oxidation capabilities, protects the electrode-electrolyte interphase, and preserves the structural integrity of positive electrodes during high-voltage operation.
Testing demonstrated that a lithium metal pouch cell configured with the customized electrolyte delivered an energy density of 317 Wh kg–1 based on total cell mass. The cell maintained cycling stability and thermal safety during testing conducted at 55 °C.
The study was authored by Zixiong Shi, Simil Thomas, Georgian Melinte, Dong Guo, Yongjiu Lei, Jehad K. El-Demellawi, Christian G. Canlas, Osman M. Bakr, Omar F. Mohammed, and Husam N. Alshareef. Computational work relied on the Shaheen III system managed by the Supercomputing Core Laboratory at KAUST, with research funding provided under award 5937 from the KAUST Center of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Storage Technologies.
