Phosphoranimine Electrolyte for Stable High-Voltage Lithium-Ion Batteries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium-ion batteries face limitations such as insufficient energy storage, poor safety, high cost, inadequate lifetime, and poor low-temperature performance due to unstable electrolyte solutions that become tar-like at high temperatures and high voltages, hindering their widespread adoption in applications like electric vehicles.
Innovation Solution
The development of an electrolyte solution comprising a phosphoranimine compound with specific chemical structures, which acts as an additive or co-solvent, improving safety and enabling operation at higher energies and voltages by providing stability, metal salt solubility, and viscosity, while minimizing flammability and volatility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If carbonate-based solvents (DMC, EC, EMC) are used in electrolyte solutions, then the electrolyte solution provides good ionic conductivity and electrochemical performance, but the electrolyte solution becomes unstable at high temperatures and high voltages, turning into tar-like material and exhibiting high flammability and volatility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the electrolyte by introducing phosphoranimine compounds with specific molecular structures (containing P=N bonds and various functional groups like alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, or aryloxy groups). This chemical parameter change transforms the electrolyte from highly flammable carbonate-based solutions to compounds with flash points exceeding 100°C, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining electrochemical performance and reducing flammability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite electrolyte system by combining phosphoranimine compounds with metal salts (such as lithium salts). This composite material approach integrates the beneficial properties of both components: the phosphoranimine provides thermal stability and flame retardancy, while the metal salt enables ionic conductivity. The resulting composite electrolyte achieves both reliability and functional performance.
2Productivity
If the electrolyte solution operates at high temperatures and high voltages, then higher energy storage and power output can be achieved, but the electrolyte solution decomposes and forms tar-like material, reducing battery lifetime
Solution Approach 1:
The phosphoranimine compounds act as protective agents that preemptively prevent decomposition at high temperatures and voltages. The stable P=N bond structure and various functional groups create a chemically robust electrolyte environment that cushions against thermal and electrochemical stress before degradation can occur, thereby extending battery lifetime while maintaining high energy storage capacity.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional electrolyte solutions are used, then the batteries can be manufactured with existing processes, but the batteries exhibit poor safety and inadequate lifetime due to electrolyte instability
Solution Approach 1:
The phosphoranimine compounds are designed as stable, non-volatile electrolyte components that replace the problematic volatile carbonate solvents. These compounds maintain ease of manufacture through standard battery assembly processes while providing superior safety and reliability. The compounds' inherent stability prevents the formation of harmful decomposition products, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and safety.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrolyte solution comprising at least one phosphoranimine compound and a metal salt. The at least one phosphoranimine compound comprises a compound of the chemical structurewhere X is an organosilyl group or a tert-butyl group and each of R1, R2, and R3 is independently selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, or an aryloxy group. An energy storage device including the electrolyte solution is also disclosed.