Promising Routes to a High Li + Transference Number Electrolyte for Lithium Ion Batteries

The continued search for routes to improve the power and energy density of lithium ion batteries for electric vehicles and consumer electronics has resulted in significant innovation in all cell components, particularly in electrode materials design. In this Review, we highlight an often less noted route to improving energy density: increasing the Li+ transference number of the electrolyte. Turning to Newman’s original lithium ion battery models, we demonstrate that electrolytes with modestly higher Li+ transference numbers compared to traditional carbonate-based liquid electrolytes would allow higher power densities and enable faster charging (e.g., >2C), even if their conductivity was substantially lower…

• VT
  Vehicle Technologies Program

  Award: DE-AC02-05CH11231
• DO
  Division of Graduate Education

  Award: DGE-1106400