Highly Stable Lithium Metal Batteries Enabled by Tuning the Molecular Polarity of Diluents in Localized High‐Concentration Electrolytes

Abstract

AbstractElectrolyte plays a crucial role in ensuring stable operation of lithium metal batteries (LMBs). Localized high‐concentration electrolytes (LHCEs) have the potential to form a robust solid‐electrolyte interphase (SEI) and mitigate Li dendrite growth, making them a highly promising electrolyte option. However, the principles governing the selection of diluents, a crucial component in LHCE, have not been clearly determined, hampering the advancement of such a type of electrolyte systems. Herein, the diluents from the perspective of molecular polarity are rationally designed and developed. A moderately fluorinated solvent, 1‐(1,1,2,2‐tetrafluoroethoxy)propane (TNE), is employed as a diluent to create a novel LHCE. The unique molecular structure of TNE enhances the intrinsic dipole moment, thereby altering solvent interactions and the coordination environment of Li‐ions in LHCE. The achieved solvation structure not only enhances the bulk properties of LHCE, but also facilitates the formation of more stable anion‐derived SEIs featured with a higher proportion of inorganic species. Consequently, the corresponding full cells of both Li||LiFePO4 and Li||LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 cells utilizing Li thin‐film anodes exhibit extended long‐term stability with significantly improved average Coulombic efficiency. This work offers new insights into the functions of diluents in LHCEs and provides direction for further optimizing the LHCEs for LMBs.