Volume 21, Issue 24 2502682
Research Article

Achieving Ultra-Thin Solid Electrolyte Interphase for High-Performance Lithium Metal Anodes via Chloride-Assisted Electrochemical Corrosion

Xue Wang

Xue Wang

School of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China

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Qiao Zhang

Qiao Zhang

Department of Materials Science & Engineering, School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055 China

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Zengwu Wei

Zengwu Wei

School of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China

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Kaiwei Zhou

Kaiwei Zhou

School of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China

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Xianhui Chen

Xianhui Chen

School of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China

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Zhao Qian

Corresponding Author

Zhao Qian

Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials (Ministry of Education), Shandong University, Jinan, 250061 China

E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

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Jun Wang

Corresponding Author

Jun Wang

Department of Materials Science & Engineering, School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055 China

E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

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Xing Xin

Corresponding Author

Xing Xin

School of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China

Key Laboratory of Advanced Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Analysis of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Mass Spectrometry, School of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China

E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

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First published: 26 April 2025

Abstract

The thickness and composition of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on lithium (Li) metal are critical factors influencing dendrite growth. This study introduces a novel electrolyte selection strategy based on electrochemical corrosion principles. By employing LiCl and LiNO3 simultaneously, the electrolyte itself has a high donor number, low desolvation energy, high Li⁺ transference number and conductivity, and a moderate electrochemical stability window. In addition, it dynamically reduces the SEI thickness and reactivates dead Li, forming a ≈100 nm SEI enriched with LiF and Li2O on Li metal anode, which ensures the stable cycling of Li symmetric cells for 2000 h at a current density of 5 mA cm⁻2. Consequently, Li metal cells using LiFePO4 (LFP) as the cathode with the LiNO3-LiCl-added electrolyte exhibit excellent cycling performance for 1600 cycles at 680 mA g⁻1. Even with a thin Li metal anode, the Li (5 µm)|LFP cell retains 95% capacity after 70 cycles at 170 mA g⁻1. The universality and feasibility of this electrolyte design are also validated in diverse battery chemistries such as anode-free Cu|LFP, Li|LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811), and Li|S cells, as well as in pouch cells with high-loading LFP and NMC811 cathodes, showcasing the promising electrolyte design strategy for Li metal batteries.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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