Non-Fluorinated salts for Li-Metal battery Electrolytes

In the pursuit of the EU Green Deals carbon neutrality goals, there's an immediate need for advanced energy storage systems.

Lithium-metal batteries (LMBs) present a promising solution, offering nearly double the energy density of current Li-ion batteries, although they currently suffer from a reduced cycle life.

This is due to the inefficient lithium plating/stripping and the eventual formation of Li dendrites.Current trends in electrolyte engineering for LMBs focus on fluorinated salts and additives, which produce a LiF-rich solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI). However, recent studies suggest that Li2O might be a more desirable SEI component.

The NoF-LiME project builds on this change of paradigm by focusing on fluorine-free salts for LMB electrolytes, with the aim of producing a Li2O-rich SEI.

The project involves the synthesis and evaluation of novel sulfonimide salts, including the study of the cation-anion interactions in solution and their electrochemical performance.

Success in this venture will mark a substantial leap away from the conventional reliance on F-rich compounds, showcasing the potential to formulate more sustainable and environmentally friendly electrolytes for next-generation batteries. Additionally, beyond its scientific contributions, the project will equip the researcher, Dr.

Juan Forero-Saboya, with a distinctive skill set in battery electrolyte research and development, complementary to his current expertise. Guiding the NoF-LiME project is a team of recognized experts in the field with complementary knowledge: Dr. Montserrat Casas-Cabanas at CIC energiGUNE in Spain (specializing in cathode materials), Prof.

Betar Gallant at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (experienced in SEI analysis and quantification), and Prof. Alexis Grimaud at Boston College (expert in battery electrolyte formulation and assessment).