Electrolyte composition for lithium-ion battery electrodes: progress and perspectives

Nowadays, finding more effective electrolytes is a key point in LIBs development. Researchers have considered the sulfone solvent as a potential electrolyte, but there are still some problems with the sulfone solvent that need to be addressed. Thus, this article emphasizes the effects of electrolytes on LIBs and focuses on the sulfone solvent effects. The author summarizes recent researchers’ studies on sulfone solvent, analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of it. The sulfone solvent has better oxidation stability, high flash point, and a high dielectric constant. However, its high viscosity, melting point, and incompatibility with graphite anode hinder its application. The author studies on relevant research and finds several possible solutions to these problems. It is shown that modifying molecules is a good way to enhance sulfone performances, so the author suggests that future researchers can study other kinds of solvents and use their effective structures as references to modify sulfone molecules, which can blend different advantages to create more effective electrolytes.