Effects of Structural Substituents on the Electrochemical Decomposition of Carbonyl Derivatives and Formation of the Solid-Electrolyte Interphase in Lithium-Ion Batteries

The solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI), the passivation layer formed on anode particles during the initial cycles, affects the performance of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in terms of capacity, power output, and cycle life. SEI features are dependent on the electrolyte content, as this complex layer originates from electrolyte decomposition products. Despite a variety of studies devoted to understanding SEI formation, the complexity of this process has caused uncertainty in its chemistry. In order to clarify the role of the substituted functional groups of the SEI-forming compounds in their efficiency and the features of the resulting interphase, the performance of six different carbonyl-based molecules has been investigated by computational modeling and electrochemical experiments with a comparative approach. The performance of the electrolytes and stability of the generated SEI are evaluated in both half-cell and full-cell configurations. Added to the room-temperature studies, the cyclability of the NMC/graphite cells is assessed at elevated temperatures as an intensified aging condition. The results show that structural adjustments within the SEI-forming molecule can ameliorate the cyclability of the electrolyte, leading to a higher capacity retention of the LIB cell, where cinnamoyl chloride is introduced as a novel and more sustainable SEI forming agent with the potential of improving the LIB capacity retention.