Highly fluorinated co-solvent enabling ether electrolyte for high-voltage lithium ion batteries with graphite anode

Conventional ether electrolytes are generally considered unsuitable for use with graphite anodes and high-voltage cathodes due to their co-intercalation with graphite and poor oxidation stability, respectively. In this work, a highly fluorinated ether molecule, 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-[(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy) methoxy] ethane (TTME), is introduced as a co-solvent into the conventional ether system to construct a fluorinated ether electrolyte, which not only avoids the co-intercalation with graphite but also is compatible with high-voltage cathodes. Li||graphite half-cells using the fluorinated ether electrolyte deliver stable cycling with a capacity retention of 91.7% for 300 cycles. Moreover, LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811)||graphite and LiCoO2 (LCO)||graphite full-cells (cathode loadings are ≈3 mAh/cm2) with the fluorinated ether electrolyte show capacity retentions of > 90% over 200 cycles with a charge cut-off voltage of 4.4 V and > 97% for 100 cycles with a charge cut-off voltage of 4.5 V, respectively. The dense and firm solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) formed by the fluorinated ether electrolyte on the anode and cathode, respectively, are key to excellent cell performance. These results have significance for the subsequent application of ether electrolytes for high-voltage lithium ion batteries (up to 4.5 V) with graphite anodes.