Stable Li Metal Anode Enabled by Simultaneous Regulation of Electrolyte Solvation Chemistry and The Solid Electrolyte Interphase

Abstract

The application of Li metal batteries is hindered by the uncontrollable growth of Li dendrites due to the lack of control over Li ion transfer and the formation of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Herein, polypropylene (PP) separator modified with acyclic polyaminoborane (PAB, (NH ₂‐BH ₂) _n ) and polyiminoborane (PIB, (NH═BH) _n ) is developed to regulate electrolyte solvation chemistry and simultaneously facilitate the construction of robust SEI. The mediating effect of PAB and PIB promotes favorable formation of (O) ₂Li ⁺N to weaken the Li bonds between Li ion and solvent in the electrolyte, which homogenizes Li ion diffusion and reduces the desolvation barrier of Li ions. Additionally, the increase of anions content in the solvation sheath and the reaction between Li metal and PAB and PIB can induce the formation of [LiNBH] _n ‐enhanced SEI enriched with LiF and Li ₃N that have Li ion conductivity and mechanical strength to tolerate the volume change of Li metal anode. Therefore, the symmetric cell exhibits a cycling lifetime of over 4000 h.