Non-flammable electrolytes for safer lithium-ion batteries

The development of high energy, high power lithium-ion batteries is enabling full electric battery-powered vehicles to replace those which burn fossil fuels. The use of highly flammable organic solvents in the electrolyte means that the battery is easily combustible. This can be catastrophic, for example, upon short-circuit or mechanical abuse.

Solid-state electrolytes offer an alternative solution, but these remain at least a decade away from widespread commercialisation. Therefore, this project aims to further the knowledge of non-flammable liquid electrolytes.

This will be achieved by benchmarking existing flame-retarding chemistries against state-of-the-art electrolytes and generating a detailed picture of electrode-electrolyte interfaces. This will inform routes for novel non-flammable electrolytes to be proposed.

The results from this project will lead to innovative new electrolyte chemistries, greater research interest in this field and safer batteries.