Research Progress of Shear Thickening Electrolyte Based on Liquid–Solid Conversion Mechanism

Abstract

As an essential component of the lithium-ion battery system, electrolyte plays a crucial role in ion transport between the electrodes. In the event of thermal runaway, commercial organic electrolytes are prone to internal disturbances and fires; hence, research on safe electrolytes has gradually become a hot topic during recent years. Shear thickening electrolyte, as a new type of smart electrolyte, can exhibit a liquid state in the absence of external force and rapidly converts to a quasi-solid state once the battery is subjected to drastic impact loading. In this paper, the recent progress of shear thickening electrolytes with liquid–solid switching performance is presented, including its working principles, synthesis and preparation procedure, and battery performance. Additionally, the perspective and challenges for practical application are discussed.