Correlations Between Electrolyte Concentration and Solid Electrolyte Interphase Composition in Electrodeposited Lithium

Abstract

This study examined the electrochemical deposition and dissolution of lithium on nickel electrodes in propylene carbonate (PC) electrolytes containing different concentrations of lithium salts, including LiN(SO2C2F5)(2) or LiPF6. The electrode reactions were significantly affected by the electrolyte concentration. The cyclability of the electrodes was considerably improved by increasing the electrolyte concentration. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that the composition of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) was also affected by the electrolyte concentration. The SEI formed in the 1st cycle consisted mainly of LiF in 1 and 2.15 M LiN(SO2C2F5)(2)/PC solutions. After the 30th cycle in the former solution, there was a large decrease in the amount of LiF and a large increase in the amount of LiOH. On the other hand, in the latter solution there was a smaller decrease and a smaller increase in the amount of LiF and LiOH, respectively, as compared to the former solution after the 30th cycle.