Recently, the research team led by Associate Professor Lei Tian from the College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering at Shenzhen University published a research paper titled "Fluorine-free gel polymer electrolyte for lithium oxide-rich solid electrolyte interphase and stable Li metal batteries" in the prestigious journal Nature Communications. Weijian Xu, a Master's student enrolled in 2022, is the first author of the paper, with Associate Professor Lei Tian as the corresponding author. Shenzhen University is the first affiliation and corresponding unit.

Constructing a stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) is crucial for enhancing the performance of lithium metal batteries. Currently, the mainstream strategy for improving cycling performance involves using fluorinated components to form an SEI rich in lithium fluoride (LiF). However, this approach faces challenges related to cost and environmental impact. This research proposes a fluorine-free quasi-solid-state polymer electrolyte, which generates an O/N-rich hybrid SEI that offers improved interfacial stability and Li⁺ transport kinetics. This unique SEI structure preferentially guides lithium deposition along the (200) crystal plane while enhancing charge transfer efficiency. When applied in Li|| NCM811 full cells, this fluorine-free gel polymer electrolyte demonstrated a high capacity retention rate of 84.7% after 800 cycles at a rate of 3 C. Compared to traditional fluorinated polymer electrolytes, this reported fluorine-free gel polymer electrolyte system exhibits superior high-rate performance. This work not only provides a high-performance and environmentally friendly electrolyte design but also offers new insights for the material engineering of next-generation solid-state lithium metal batteries.

Original link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-64345-7