Concept of hydrophobic Li⁺-solvated structure for high performances lithium metal batteries

The large-scale application of lithium metal batteries remains a challenge due to the hydrolysis of LiPF₆, which can induce capacity fade and series of safety issues. Prof. Ma and his co-workers have designed a hydrophobic Li⁺-solvated structure to obtain high performances lithium metal batteries. The specific functional groups of the additive, hexafluoroisopropyl acrylate, can promote the formation of a hydrophobic surface, which can protect the LiPF₆ from trace H₂O. The hexafluoroisopropyl acrylate can also promote the formation of a robust and stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) with rich polar C–F bonds, which can suppress the dendrite growth and improve battery performances by capturing lithium ions. This work reveals the mechanism that the introduction of hexafluoroisopropyl acrylate can improve lithium anode performances and further feature the innovative design of advanced materials for energy devices beyond lithium.