A non-Newtonian fluid quasi-solid electrolyte designed for long life and high safety Li-O₂ batteries

The Li dendrite growth and the liquid electrolyte volatilization under semi-open architecture are intrinsic issues for Li-O₂ battery. In this work, we propose a non-Newtonian fluid quasi-solid electrolyte (NNFQSE) SiO₂-SO₃Li/PVDF-HFP, which has both shear-thinning and shear-thickening properties. The component interactions among the sulfonated silica nanoparticles, liquid electrolyte, and polymer network are beneficial for decent Li⁺ conductivity and high liquid electrolyte retention without volatilization. Furthermore, NNFQSE exhibits shear-thinning property to eliminate the stress of dendrite growth during repeated cycling. Meanwhile, when the force suddenly increases, such as a high current rate, the NNFQSE may dynamically turn shear-thickening to respond and mechanically stiffen to inhibit the lithium dendrite penetration. By coupling with the NNFQSE, the lithium symmetrical battery can run over 2000 h under 1 mA cm^-2 at room temperature, and the quasi-solid Li-O₂ battery actualizes long life above 5000 h at 100 mA g^-1.