Electrolytes for lithium-ion battery cells with volume-changing anode particles

1 . A lithium-ion battery electrolyte, comprising:

LiPF 6 ; and

an organic compound composition comprising (1) vinylene carbonate (VC), (2) fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC), and (3) at least one ester (ES);

wherein:

a mole fraction of the LiPF 6 in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is approximately c(LiPF 6 ) mol. %;

a mole fraction of the VC in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is approximately c(VC) mol. %;

a mole fraction of the FEC in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is approximately c(FEC) mol. %;

a mole fraction of the ES in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is approximately c(ES) mol. %; and

c(LiPF 6 ), c(VC), c(FEC), and c(ES) satisfy Relations A1, A2, A3, and A5:

8≤ c (LiPF 6 )≤16  (Relation A1);

0.5 ≤c (VC)≤5  (Relation A2);

10 ≤c (FEC)≤26  (Relation A3); and

50 ≤c (ES)≤75  (Relation A5).

2 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein: c(ES) satisfies Relation A6:

60 ≤c (ES)≤75  (Relation A6).

3 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein:

the ES comprises one or more of methyl acetate (MA), methyl propionate (MP), ethyl acetate (EA), ethyl propionate (EP), propyl propionate (PP), ethyl isobutyrate (EI), methyl isobutyrate (MI), and methyl butyrate (MB).

4 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 3 , wherein:

the ES comprises the EA and the EP; and

a molar ratio of the EA to the EP is in a range of 1:4 to 4:1.

5 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 4 , wherein:

the molar ratio of the EA to the EP is in a range of 1:2 to 2:1.

6 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 5 , wherein:

the molar ratio of the EA to the EP is in a range of 1:1.2 to 1.2:1.

7 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 3 , wherein:

the ES comprises the EP and the EI; and

a molar ratio of the EP to the EI is in a range of 1:4 to 4:1.

8 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 7 , wherein:

the molar ratio of the EP to the EI is in a range of 1:2 to 2:1.

9 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 8 , wherein:

the molar ratio of the EP to the EI is in a range of 1:1.2 to 1.2:1.

10 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 3 , wherein:

the ES comprises the ethyl propionate (EP); and

a mole fraction of the EP in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is in a range of approximately 26 mol. % to 75 mol. %.

11 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 3 , wherein:

the ES comprises the ethyl isobutyrate (EI); and

a mole fraction of the EI in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is in a range of approximately 26 mol. % to 75 mol. %.

12 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 3 , wherein:

the ES comprises the ethyl acetate (EA); and

a mole fraction of the EA in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is in a range of approximately 26 mol. % to approximately 60 mol. %.

13 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein:

the ES comprises a first ester compound and a second ester compound;

the first ester compound has a molecular weight of 90 or less;

the second ester compound has a molecular weight of greater than 90; and

a molar ratio of the first ester compound to the second ester compound is in a range of 1:2 to 2:1.

14 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 13 , wherein:

the molar ratio of the first ester compound to the second ester compound is in a range of 1:1.2 to 1.2:1.

15 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein: c(FEC) satisfies Relation A7:

14 ≤c (FEC)≤20  (Relation A7).

16 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein:

c(VC) satisfies Relation A8:

0.5 ≤c (VC)≤3  (Relation A8).

17 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein:

the lithium-ion battery electrolyte does not comprise any cyclic carbonate (CC) that is neither VC nor FEC.

18 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein:

the organic compound composition comprises a cyclic carbonate (CC) that is neither VC nor FEC;

a mole fraction of the CC in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is approximately c(CC) mol. %; and

c(CC) satisfies Relation A9:

c (CC)≤20  (Relation A9).

19 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 18 , wherein:

the CC comprises propylene carbonate (PC) and/or ethylene carbonate (EC).

20 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein:

the lithium-ion battery electrolyte does not comprise any linear carbonate (LC).

21 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein:

the organic compound composition comprises a linear carbonate (LC);

a mole fraction of the LC in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is approximately c (LC) mol. %; and

c(LC) satisfies Relation A10:

c (LC)≤15  (Relation A10).

22 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 21 , wherein:

c(LC) satisfies Relation A11:

c (LC)≤10  (Relation A11).

23 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 21 , wherein:

the LC comprises one or more of the following: dimethyl carbonate (DMC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), and diethyl carbonate (DEC).

24 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein:

the lithium-ion battery electrolyte comprises at least one lithium salt additive (LSA);

a mole fraction of the LSA in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is approximately c(LSA) mol. %; and

c(LSA) satisfies Relation A12:

0.3 ≤c (LSA)≤5.0  (Relation A12).

25 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 24 , wherein:

c(LSA) satisfies Relation A13:

0.3 ≤c (LSA)≤2.5  (Relation A13).

26 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 24 , wherein:

the LSA comprises one or more of the following: lithium difluorophosphate (LFO), lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiDFOB), lithium tetrafluoroborate (LiBF 4 ), and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI).

27 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 26 , wherein:

the LSA comprises the LFO; and

a mole fraction of the LFO in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is in a range of approximately 0.3 mol. % to approximately 1.0 mol. %.

28 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 26 , wherein:

the LSA comprises the LiFSI; and

a mole fraction of the LiFSI in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is in a range of approximately 1.6 mol. % to approximately 2.0 mol. %.

29 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 26 , wherein:

the LSA comprises the LiDFOB; and

a mole fraction of the LiDFOB in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is in a range of approximately 0.8 mol. % to approximately 2.0 mol. %.

30 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein:

the lithium-ion battery electrolyte additionally comprises one or more nitrile additives (NA);

a mole fraction of the NA in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is approximately c(NA) mol. %; and

c(NA) satisfies Relation A14:

0.1 ≤c (NA)≤2.8  (Relation A14).

31 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 30 , wherein:

the NA comprises one or more of the following: adiponitrile (ADN), 1,3,6-hexanetricarbonitrile (HTCN), ethyleneglycol bis(propionitrile)ether (EGBE), and 3-{[1,3-bis(2-cyanoethoxy)propan-2-yl]oxy}propanenitrile (ETCN).

32 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 31 , wherein:

the NA comprises the ADN; and

a mole fraction of the ADN in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is in a range of approximately 0.3 mol. % to approximately 1.8 mol. %.

33 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 31 , wherein:

the NA comprises the HTCN; and

a mole fraction of the HTCN in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is in a range of approximately 0.1 mol. % to approximately 0.9 mol. %.

34 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein:

the lithium-ion battery electrolyte additionally comprises one or more sulfur-comprising additives (SA);

a mole fraction of the SA in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is approximately c (SA) mol. %; and

c(SA) satisfies Relation A15:

0.1 ≤c (SA)≤2.8  (Relation A15).

35 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 34 , wherein:

the SA comprises one or more of the following: sulfolane, 1,3,2-dioxathiolane 2,2-dioxide (DTD), methylene methanedisulfonate (MMDS), propane sultone (PS), and propene sultone (PES).

36 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 35 , wherein:

the SA comprises the PS; and

a mole fraction of the PS in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is in a range of approximately 0.1 mol. % to approximately 1.0 mol. %.

37 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 35 , wherein:

the SA comprises the PES; and

a mole fraction of the PES in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is in a range of approximately 0.1 mol. % to approximately 1.5 mol. %.

38 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 35 , wherein:

the SA comprises the sulfolane; and

a mole fraction of the sulfolane in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is in a range of approximately 0.1 mol. % to approximately 1.0 mol. %.

39 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 35 , wherein:

the SA comprises the DTD; and

a mole fraction of the DTD in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is in a range of approximately 0.1 mol. % to approximately 1.0 mol. %.

40 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein:

the lithium-ion battery electrolyte comprises tris(trimethylsilyl)phosphite (TMSPi); and

a mole fraction of the TMSPi in the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is in a range of approximately 0.1 mol. % to approximately 2.8 mol. %.

41 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein:

a density of the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is 1.1 g/cm 3 or less at 20° C.

42 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein:

a viscosity of the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is 2.6 cP or less at 25° C.

43 . The lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 1 , wherein:

an ionic conductivity of the lithium-ion battery electrolyte is 13 mS cm −1 or greater at 25° C.

44 . A lithium-ion battery, comprising:

an anode current collector;

a cathode current collector;

an anode disposed on or in the anode current collector;

a cathode disposed on or in the cathode current collector; and

the lithium-ion battery electrolyte of claim 1 ionically coupling the anode and the cathode.

45 . The lithium-ion battery of claim 44 , wherein:

the anode comprises silicon-carbon composite particles comprising silicon and carbon; and

a mass of the silicon is in a range of about 3 wt. % to about 80 wt. % of a total mass of the anode.

46 . The lithium-ion battery of claim 45 , wherein:

the anode additionally comprises graphitic carbon particles comprising carbon and being substantially free of silicon; and

the silicon-carbon composite particles and the graphitic carbon particles are present in the anode as a mixture.

47 . The lithium-ion battery of claim 45 , wherein:

at least some of the silicon is present in the silicon-carbon composite particles as nanosized silicon.