1 research outputs found
Ionic Liquid Hybrid Electrolytes for Lithium-Ion Batteries: A Key Role of the Separator–Electrolyte Interface in Battery Electrochemistry
Batteries are multicomponent systems
where the theoretical voltage and stoichiometric electron transfer
are defined by the electrochemically active anode and cathode materials.
While the electrolyte may not be considered in stoichiometric electron-transfer
calculations, it can be a critical factor determining the deliverable
energy content of a battery, depending also on the use conditions.
The development of ionic liquid (IL)-based electrolytes has been a
research area of recent reports by other researchers, due, in part,
to opportunities for an expanded high-voltage operating window and
improved safety through the reduction of flammable solvent content.
The study reported here encompasses a systematic investigation of
the physical properties of IL-based hybrid electrolytes including
quantitative characterization of the electrolyte–separator
interface via contact-angle measurements. An inverse trend in the
conductivity and wetting properties was observed for a series of IL-based
electrolyte candidates. Test-cell measurements were undertaken to
evaluate the electrolyte performance in the presence of functioning
anode and cathode materials, where several promising IL-based hybrid
electrolytes with performance comparable to that of conventional carbonate
electrolytes were identified. The study revealed that the contact
angle influenced the performance more significantly than the conductivity
because the cells containing IL–tetrafluoroborate-based electrolytes
with higher conductivity but poorer wetting showed significantly decreased
performance relative to the cells containing IL–bisÂ(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)Âimide
electrolytes with lower conductivity but improved wetting properties.
This work contributes to the development of new IL battery-based electrolyte
systems with the potential to improve the deliverable energy content
as well as safety of lithium-ion battery systems