In Situ Constructing a Stable Solid Electrolyte Interface by Multifunctional Electrolyte Additive to Stabilize...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Lithium metal anodes offer high capacity but face safety risks due to dendritic growth.
• Dendritic lithium growth is a major obstacle for stable and safe lithium metal batteries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate cerium nitrate as an electrolyte additive for stabilizing lithium metal anodes.
• To improve the safety and cycle life of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries.

Main Methods:

• Utilized cerium nitrate as a multifunctional electrolyte additive in Li-S battery systems.
• Analyzed the formation of a stable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) on the lithium anode.
• Evaluated battery performance in symmetric Li||Li cells and complete Li-S cells.

Main Results:

• Cerium ions (Ce3+) modulated lithium electroplating/stripping, inhibiting dendrite formation.
• Symmetric Li||Li cells demonstrated over 1400 hours of cycle life at 1 mA cm-2.
• Li-S batteries with 0.03 M cerium nitrate additive achieved 553 mAh g-1 at 5 C and 70.4% retention at 1 C.

Conclusions:

• Cerium nitrate effectively forms a robust SEI layer containing cerium sulfide on the lithium anode.
• This SEI layer enhances lithium anode stability and regulates electrochemical reactions.
• The study presents a novel strategy for developing dendrite-free lithium anodes for practical Li-S batteries.