Developing safe, efficient, low-cost,
and high-voltage rechargeable
alkali metal (Li, Na, and K) ion batteries (AMIBs) is a research topic
of great interest. One of the major challenges in this regard is the
design of halogen-free solid-state electrolytes with fast ion conductivity
and large electrochemical stability window. Using density functional
theory, we have systematically studied the structure and properties
of electrolytes based on modified boranes, YB
n–1H
n
– (Y
= C, Si; n = 5–14) anions, and their respective
alkali metal salts, that is, MYB
n–1H
n
(M = Li, Na, K) as potential candidates.
Among all the materials studied, the alkali metal salt composed of
SiB11H12
– anion is found to
be the best candidate. With the vertical detachment energy (VDE =
6.34 eV) and anionic size (1623.62 Bohr3), SiB11H12
– anion surpasses the properties of CB11H12
– anion (VDE = 6.02 eV, and anionic
size = 1547.93 Bohr3), which was earlier found to be a
superior electrolyte for Li-, Na-, and Mg-ion batteries. Deeper insights
into the stability, bonding, and electronic structure of these systems
are obtained by analyzing the natural bond charge, anion volume, and
binding energies of the MYB
n–1H
n
(M = Li, Na, K) salts. In moving from Li
→ Na → K salts, νM+–B frequency mode shows a red shift for the corresponding M+–B bond and an increase in the average d
M+–B bond length, resulting a reduction in
the binding energy. Furthermore, charge analysis shows that the charge
on C in MCB11H12 is negative (∼−0.66),
while that on Si in MSiB11H12 is positive (∼+1.05),
altering the charge distribution on B atoms. In short, this study
suggests that MYB11H12-type compounds have the
potential for being safe, nontoxic, and halogen-free high-voltage
electrolytes for AMIBs.