Volume 64, Issue 30 e202502048
Research Article

Lewis-Base Electrolyte Additive Mediates Interfacial Chemistry for Stable Lithium Metal Batteries

Rong Fang

Rong Fang

College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, the MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, College of Energy, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005 China

Both authors contributed equally to this work.

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Dr. Siyuan Ma

Dr. Siyuan Ma

Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen, 361005 China

Both authors contributed equally to this work.

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Lian Ding

Lian Ding

College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, the MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, College of Energy, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005 China

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Dr. Yu Gu

Corresponding Author

Dr. Yu Gu

College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, the MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, College of Energy, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005 China

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

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Xin Dong

Xin Dong

College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, the MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, College of Energy, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005 China

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Dr. Duan-Hui Si

Dr. Duan-Hui Si

State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, 350002 China

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Prof. Jing-Hua Tian

Corresponding Author

Prof. Jing-Hua Tian

Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen, 361005 China

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

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Dr. Xiu-Mei Lin

Corresponding Author

Dr. Xiu-Mei Lin

College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Environment, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou, 363000 China

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

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Prof. Bing-Wei Mao

Prof. Bing-Wei Mao

College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, the MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, College of Energy, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005 China

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Prof. Jian-Feng Li

Corresponding Author

Prof. Jian-Feng Li

College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, the MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, College of Energy, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005 China

Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen, 361005 China

College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Environment, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou, 363000 China

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

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First published: 22 May 2025

Graphical Abstract

A feasible ether-based electrolyte incorporating methylmagnesium chloride as a Lewis-basic additive is proposed to regulate interfacial chemistry. This electrolyte plays a crucial role in promoting a robust solid-electrolyte interphase formation and enhancing Li deposition, achieved through the bifunctional effects of anion-additive interactions. The designed electrolyte contributes to the superior cycling stability of Li metal anodes.

Abstract

Electrolytes play a crucial role in regulating interfacial chemistry, which is essential for the development of high-energy-density lithium metal batteries. Herein, we present an ether-based electrolyte system incorporating the simplest Grignard reagent, CH3MgCl, as an additive. This additive, endowed with Lewis-base characteristics, enhances the stability of the anode-electrolyte interface through bifunctional effects. During Li deposition, CH3Mg+ preferentially adsorbs onto the electrode surface, attracting more anions into the Helmholtz layer. Concurrently, CH3 creates an electron-rich environment, facilitating nucleophilic attacks on anions and promoting its reduction to form an inorganic-rich solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI). Additionally, Mg2+ undergoes electrodeposition prior to Li+, forming a Li-Mg alloy with subsequently deposited Li. This process lowers the nucleation barrier for Li deposition, resulting in improved deposition uniformity. Accordingly, the designed electrolyte demonstrates excellent cycling stability for Li anodes in both Li||Cu half-cells and full-cells paired with LiFePO4 cathodes. Notably, Li||LiFePO4 batteries using a thin-film Li anode pre-deposited on Cu retain ∼92.84% of their initial capacity after 300 cycles with an average Coulombic efficiency of ∼99.74%. These findings highlight the critical role of additives in engineering interfacial chemistry and provide a promising strategy for designing advanced electrolytes to improve the cycling performance of Li metal batteries.

Conflict of Interests

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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