4.2 V poly(ethylene oxide)-based all-solid-state lithium batteries with superior cycle and safety performance

Abstract All-solid-state batteries have been considered as the ultimate solution for energy storage systems with high energy density and high safety. However, the obvious solid-solid contact and the interface stability issues pose great challenges to the construction of all-solid-state batteries with practically usable performances. Here, we discover that the heat-initiated polymerization of vinylene carbonate (VC) and the simultaneous incorporation of cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) forming additive lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiDFOB) can synergistically promote the formation of a high-voltage stable and low resistant interface layer between the cathode and solid electrolyte. A poly(ethylene oxide) PEO-based all-solid-state lithium battery (ASSLB) employing the LiCoO2 cathode electrode modified through such an in-situ CEI strategy demonstrates superior 4.2 V cycle stability, with a discharge capacity retention of 71.5% after 500 cycles. Besides, the accelerating rate calorimetry (ARC) test reveals that the cell displays extraordinary safety performance with no distinct thermal runaway below 350 °C. This work demonstrates an effective interface engineering strategy that can promise the formation of electrochemically and thermally stable cathode/solid electrolyte interface which is essential for the stable and safe operation of ASSLBs. Moreover, the validation of stable cycling of PEO-based ASSLBs at high voltages may encourage the efforts on further optimizations of interface engineering processes as well as large-scale fabrication, as the improvement of the energy-densities of PEO-based ASSLBs will be of paramount significance for practical applications.