Ionic liquid (IL) electrolytes with concentrated Li salt can ensure safe, high‐performance Li metal batteries (LMBs) but suffer from high viscosity and poor ionic transport. A locally concentrated IL (LCIL) electrolyte with a non‐solvating, fire‐retardant hydrofluoroether (HFE) is presented. This rationally designed electrolyte employs lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI), 1‐methyl‐1‐propyl pyrrolidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (P13FSI) and 1,1,2,2‐tetrafluoroethyl 2,2,3,3‐tetrafluoropropyl ether (TTE) as the IL and HFE, respectively (1:2:2 by mol). Adding TTE enables a Li‐concentrated IL electrolyte with low viscosity and good separator wettability, facilitating Li‐ion transport to the Li metal anode. The non‐flammability of TTE contributes to excellent thermal stability. Furthermore, synergy between the dual (FSI/TFSI) anions in the LCIL electrolyte can help modify the solid electrolyte interphase, increasing Li Coulombic efficiency and decreasing dendritic Li deposition. LMBs (Li||LiCoO2) employing the LCIL electrolyte exhibit good rate capability (≈89 mAh g−1 at 1.8 mA cm−2, room temperature) and long‐term cycling (≈80% retention after 400 cycles).
In article number 2003132, Hochun Lee and co‐workers design a locally concentrated ionic liquid electrolyte with a non‐solvating, fire‐retardant hydrofluoroether that can resolve the chronic viscosity problems of ionic liquid electrolytes, while further strengthening their intrinsic benefits to establish safe, stable Li metal batteries.
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