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Updated: Jan 1, 2026
11:04
Synthesis of Ionic Liquid Based Electrolytes, Assembly of Li-ion Batteries, and Measurements of Performance at High Temperature
Published on: December 20, 2016
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An Intrinsically Non-flammable Electrolyte for High-Performance Potassium Batteries
Sailin Liu1,2, Jianfeng Mao1,3, Qing Zhang1
1Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials, Australian Institute for Innovative Materials, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|December 17, 2019
Summary
Researchers developed a novel, safe electrolyte for potassium-ion batteries using triethyl phosphate and potassium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide. This breakthrough enables efficient energy storage with high Coulombic efficiency and reversible graphite anode performance.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) offer a low-cost alternative for large-scale energy storage.
- Developing safe and effective electrolytes remains a critical challenge for KIB commercialization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential of phosphate-based compounds as single-solvent electrolytes for KIBs.
- To optimize a novel electrolyte formulation for enhanced KIB performance and safety.
Main Methods:
- Formulation of a potassium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide electrolyte in triethyl phosphate solvent.
- Electrochemical testing including galvanostatic cycling, cyclic voltammetry, and impedance spectroscopy.
- Analysis of the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer using surface characterization techniques.
Main Results:
- A 2m potassium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide in triethyl phosphate electrolyte demonstrated low viscosity and high ionic conductivity.
- The electrolyte facilitated the formation of a uniform, robust salt-derived SEI layer.
- Non-dendritic potassium metal plating/stripping with 99.6% Coulombic efficiency and a highly reversible graphite anode were achieved.
Conclusions:
- Triethyl phosphate serves as an effective single-solvent electrolyte for KIBs, unlike in Li and Na systems.
- The optimized electrolyte offers a promising solution for safe and high-performance potassium-ion battery applications.
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