Sacrificial Poly(propylene carbonate) Membrane for Dispersing Nanoparticles and Preparing Artificial Solid Electrolyte Interphase on Li Metal Anode

Lithium-metal batteries have been regarded as next-generation high-energy-density candidates beyond lithium-ion batteries. However, the lithium-morphology instabilities accompanied by continuous side reactions with electrolytes inevitably leads to dissatisfactory performances and even safety issues, where the unstable interface between lithium-metal anode and electrolytes has been regarded as the root cause. Artificial solid electrolyte interphase engineering has attracted a lot of attention to stabilize lithium-metal anodes. Here, a novel method with universality is reported to produce the organic-inorganic artificial solid electrolyte interphase. Using poly(propylene carbonate) as a sacrificial matrix, nanoparticles are dispersed on lithium-metal anodes surface uniformly to prepare artificial solid electrolyte interphase, where poly(propylene carbonate) turns into liquid propylene carbonate upon contact with lithium-metal anode. Silicon, Li1.5Al0.5Ge1.5(PO4)3, or Li1.4Al0.4Ti1.6(PO4)3 nanoparticles are coated to suppress lithium-morphology instabilities and demonstrated ∼4 times longer cycle life. Preparing various organic/inorganic artificial solid electrolyte interphase is feasible by introducing various components in the fabrication process of poly(propylene carbonate) membrane, endowing this approach with huge potential in the research of artificial solid electrolyte interphase.