Functional Ionic Liquid Modified Core-Shell Structured Fibrous Gel Polymer Electrolyte for Safe and Efficient Fast...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Fast charging is critical for power batteries, but current electrolytes suffer from low conductivity and lithium ion transference.
• These limitations hinder rate performance and can lead to safety issues like lithium dendrite growth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) for enhanced fast charging and safety in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).
• To address the limitations of conventional electrolytes by improving conductivity and lithium ion transference.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of a core-shell structured nanofibrous membrane by combining inorganic fillers and an ionic liquid plasticizer.
• Incorporation of the membrane with a carbonate-based electrolyte to form the composite GPE.
• Fabrication and testing of Li/electrolyte/LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 (NCM622) half-cells using the developed GPE.

Main Results:

• The composite GPE exhibited high conductivity and an outstanding lithium ion transference number.
• The Li/NCM622 half-cell demonstrated a reversible capacity of 65 mAh/g at 20C, significantly outperforming cells with conventional Celgard 2325 membranes.
• Enhanced long-term cycle stability was observed at 3C and 5C, with effective suppression of lithium dendrite formation.

Conclusions:

• The organic-inorganic co-modified GPE effectively enhances fast charging capability and safety in LIBs.
• This composite electrolyte design offers a promising approach for developing high-performance electrolytes for next-generation batteries.