A Temperature-Responsive Electrolyte Endowing Superior Safety Characteristic of Lithium Metal Batteries

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) have attracted wide attention due to their high energy density. However, flammable organic carbonate electrolytes are associated with severe parasitic reactions and huge safety hazards for LMBs. Herein, a smart temperature-responsive electrolyte is presented that demonstrates two distinct polymerization behaviors in LMBs. Through an anionic polymerization triggered by lithium metal, this electrolyte forms a favorable polymer protection layer on lithium anodes at ambient temperature, leading to a reversible Li plating/stripping behavior over 2000 h, and dendrite-free morphology even under a current density of 10 mA cm(-2). On suffering from thermal abuse, this electrolyte can be rapidly transformed from liquid into solid by a thermal free radical polymerization, thus realizing significant improvements in safety performance without internal short-circuit failures thus achieving safe operation even at a temperature of 150 degrees C. It is noted that no thermal runway occurs even at an extremely high temperature of 280 degrees C. It is believed that this study not only offers new valuable insights in interfacial chemistry of electrolytes, but also opens up new avenue to develop safe LMBs.