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Fast-charging capability of graphite-based lithium-ion batteries enabled by Li3P-based crystalline solid–electrolyte interphase

Nature Energy volume 8, pages 1365–1374 (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

Li+ desolvation in electrolytes and diffusion at the solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI) are two determining steps that restrict the fast charging of graphite-based lithium-ion batteries. Here we show that the low-solvent-coordination Li+ solvation structure could be induced near the inner Helmholtz plane on inorganic species. Specifically, Li3P could enable a lower Li+ desolvation barrier and faster Li+ diffusion capability through the SEI in comparison to the regular SEI components. We construct an ultrathin S-bridged phosphorus layer on a graphite surface, which in situ converts to crystalline Li3P-based SEI with high ionic conductivity. Our pouch cells with such a graphite anode show 10 min and 6 min (6C and 10C) charging for 91.2% and 80% of the capacity, respectively, as well as 82.9% capacity retention for over 2,000 cycles at a 6C charging rate. Our work reveals the importance of the SEI component and structure regulation for fast-charging LIBs.

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Fig. 1: Theoretical studies of Li+ solvation structure at the anode interphase.
Fig. 2: Fabrication of P-S-graphite.
Fig. 3: Characterization of Li3P-based SEI on P-S-graphite.
Fig. 4: Electrochemical performance of graphite anode with Li3P-based SEI.
Fig. 5: Fast-charging capability of a graphite anode with Li3P-based SEI in Ah-level pouch cells.

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Acknowledgements

This work is financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52072137). We would like to thank the Analytical and Testing Center of Huazhong University of Science and Technology for providing the facilities to conduct the transmission electron microscopy characterizations.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally to this work: Shuibin Tu, Bao Zhang.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China

    Shuibin Tu, Bao Zhang, Yan Zhang, Zihe Chen, Xiancheng Wang, Renming Zhan, Yangtao Ou, Wenyu Wang, Xuerui Liu, Xiangrui Duan & Yongming Sun

  2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China

    Shuibin Tu

  3. Institute of Nuclear & New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

    Li Wang

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Contributions

Y.S. and S.T. conceived the idea for this work. S.T. performed the material characterizations and electrochemical measurements with assistance from Y.Z., Z.C., X.W., R.Z., Y.O., W.W., X.L. and X.D. B.Z. performed the MD simulations and DFT calculations. L.W. discussed and edited the results. S.T. and B.Z. co-wrote the original paper. Y.S. reviewed and edited the paper.

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Correspondence to Yongming Sun.

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Tu, S., Zhang, B., Zhang, Y. et al. Fast-charging capability of graphite-based lithium-ion batteries enabled by Li3P-based crystalline solid–electrolyte interphase. Nat Energy 8, 1365–1374 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-023-01387-5

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