LiNO3-Based Electrolyte with Fast Kinetics for Lithium Metal Batteries Under Practical Conditions

PC Li and ZW Zhao and Y Fei and H Zhang and G Li, ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS, 15 (2025).

DOI: 10.1002/aenm.202500882

To be commercially viable, the electrolyte for lithium metal batteries (LMBs) must enable both long cycle life and fast charging characteristics under extreme conditions (high cathode loading, low negative/positive ratio, and low electrolyte/cathode ratio). While LiFSI-based electrolytes typically provide LMBs with extended cycle life, they often fall short in terms of kinetics. This study, for the first time, demonstrates that the LiNO3-based electrolyte can simultaneously achieve excellent reversibility and rapid kinetics in LMBs, outperforming state-of-the-art LiFSI-based electrolytes. Notably, LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) || Li batteries exhibit 80% capacity retention after 430 cycles, along with outstanding rate performance (2.35 mAh cm(-)(2) at 12 mA cm(-2)) under practical conditions (20 mg cm(-2) NCM811, 50 mu m Li foil, and 5.6 mL Ah(-)(1) electrolyte). The rapid kinetics can be attributed to the efficient transport of lithium ions through both the bulk electrolyte and the electrode/electrolyte interphases. The work highlights the significance of low-cost LiNO3 salt and presents an alternative pathway to achieving superior performance for lithium metal batteries under extreme conditions.

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