Evolving better solvate electrolytes for lithium secondary batteries

The overall performance of lithium batteries remains unmatched to this date. Decades of optimisation have resulted in long-lasting batteries with high energy density suitable for mobile applications. However, the electrolytes used at present suffer from low lithium transference numbers, which induces concentration polarisation and reduces efficiency of charging and discharging. Here we show how targeted modifications can be used to systematically evolve anion structural motifs which can yield electrolytes with high transference numbers. Using a multidisciplinary combination of theoretical and experimental approaches, we screened a large number of anions. Thus, we identified anions which reach lithium transference numbers around 0.9, surpassing conventional electrolytes. Specifically, we find that nitrile groups have a coordination tendency similar to SO2 and are capable of inducing the formation of Li+ rich clusters. In the bigger picture, we identified a balanced anion/solvent coordination tendency as one of the key design parameters. Electrolytes are a key component of lithium batteries with significant potential for improvement. Here we present strategies to navigate the large chemical space of electrolytes by combining the strengths of theoretical and experimental approaches.