Functionalized ionic liquid combinations

1. A nonflammable electrolyte formulation for secondary batteries comprising a graphite-based anode, wherein the electrolyte formulation comprises at least three of the following:

a. a functionalized ionic liquid described by the formula C+ A−, wherein

i. A− is an anion selected from a group consisting of halides, nitrates, phosphates, imides, borates, phosphazines, acetates, sulfonates; and

ii. C+ is an organic cation selected from the group consisting of oniums, sulfoniums, and any 5 or 6 membered heterocyclic ring having 1 to 3 heteroatoms as ring members selected from nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur, excluding pyridiniums, pyridaziniums, pyrimidiniums, pyraziniums, imidazoliums, pyrazoliums, thiazoliums, oxazoliums, triazoliums, ammoniums, oxazoliniums, and pyrrolidniums, wherein one of the atoms in the heterocyclic ring of the cation are substituted with one or more moieties selected from the group consisting of halides, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, esters, ketones, carbonyls, alkoxyalkanes, alkenes, aryls, nitriles, silanes, sulfones, thiols, phenols, amines, imides, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, alkynes, carbonates, and anhydrides, wherein any of the carbon or hydrogen atoms in the moieties are further substituted with halides, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, esters, ketones, carbonyls, alkoxyalkanes, alkenes, aryls, nitriles, silanes, sulfones, thiols, phenols, amines, imides, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, alkynes, carbonates, and anhydrides;

b. an organic hybrid material that comprises a nanoparticle covalently bonded to an ionic liquid;

c. an alkali metal salt; and

d. an organic co-solvent, wherein the functionalized ionic liquid comprises 10 to 40 wt % of the total electrolyte mass.

2. The electrolyte formulation of claim 1 wherein the corresponding anion is selected from the group consisting of halides, nitrates, phosphates, imides, borates, and phosphazines.

3. The electrolyte formulation of claim 1 wherein the cation of the alkali metal salt is lithium.

4. The electrolyte formulation of claim 1 wherein the total molar concentration of the alkali metal salt in the electrolyte formulation ranges from 0.1 to 2.

5. The electrolyte formulation of claim 1 , wherein the organic co-solvent is one or more species selected from the group consisting of open-chain carbonates, a cyclic carbonates, carboxylic acid esters, nitrites, ethers, sulfones, ketones, lactones, dioxolanes, glymes, crown ethers, and mixtures thereof.

6. The electrolyte formulation of claim 1 , wherein the co-solvent comprises 5 to 85 wt % of the total electrolyte mass.

7. The electrolyte formulation of claim 1 wherein the organic hybrid material comprises 0.1 to 10 wt % of the total electrolyte mass.

8. An electrochemical cell comprising

a. a positive electrode;

b. a negative electrode comprising graphite; and

c. an electrolyte with the formulation comprising a graphite-based anode, wherein the electrolyte formulation comprises at least three of the following:

i. a functionalized ionic liquid described by the formula C+ A−, wherein

a) A− is an anion selected from a group consisting of halides, nitrates, phosphates, imides, borates, phosphazines, acetates, sulfonates; and

b) C+ is an organic cation selected from the group consisting of oniums, sulfoniums, and any 5 or 6 membered heterocyclic ring having 1 to 3 heteroatoms as ring members selected from nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur, excluding pyridiniums, pyridaziniums, pyrimidiniums, pyraziniums, imidazoliums, pyrazoliums, thiazoliums, oxazoliums, triazoliums, ammoniums, oxazoliniums, and pyrrolidniums, wherein one of the atoms in the heterocyclic ring of the cation are substituted with one or more moieties selected from the group consisting of halides, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, esters, ketones, carbonyls, alkoxyalkanes, alkenes, aryls, nitriles, silanes, sulfones, thiols, phenols, amines, imides, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, alkynes, carbonates, and anhydrides, wherein any of the carbon or hydrogen atoms in the moieties are further substituted with halides, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, esters, ketones, carbonyls, alkoxyalkanes, alkenes, aryls, nitriles, silanes, sulfones, thiols, phenols, amines, imides, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, alkynes, carbonates, and anhydrides;

ii. an organic hybrid material that comprises a nanoparticle covalently bonded to an ionic liquid;

iii. an alkali metal salt; and

iv. an organic co-solvent, wherein the functionalized ionic liquid comprises 10 to 40 wt % of the total electrolyte mass.

9. The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein the positive electrode comprises a lithium metal oxide or phosphate with an electrochemical window of 3 to 6 volts relative to the lithium metal.

10. The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein the positive electrode comprises graphite.

11. The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein the corresponding anion is selected from the group consisting of halides, nitrates, phosphates, imides, borates, and phosphazines.

12. The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein the cation of the alkali metal salt is lithium.

13. The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein the total molar concentration of the alkali metal salt in the electrolyte formulation ranges from 0.1 to 2.

14. The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein the organic co-solvent is one or more species selected from the group consisting of open-chain carbonates, a cyclic carbonates, carboxylic acid esters, nitrites, ethers, sulfones, ketones, lactones, dioxolanes, glymes, crown ethers, and mixtures thereof.

15. The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein the co-solvent comprises 5 to 85 wt % of the total electrolyte mass.

16. The electrochemical cell of claim 8 wherein the organic hybrid material comprises 0.1 to 10 wt % of the total electrolyte mass.

17. A method for preventing the exfoliation of graphite in a battery, the method comprises incorporating into the battery a nonflammable electrolyte formulation that comprises a graphite-based anode, wherein the electrolyte formulation comprises at least three of the following:

a. a functionalized ionic liquid described by the formula C+ A−, wherein

i. A− is an anion selected from a group consisting of halides, nitrates, phosphates, imides, borates, phosphazines, acetates, sulfonates; and

ii. C+ is an organic cation selected from the group consisting of oniums, sulfoniums, and any 5 or 6 membered heterocyclic ring having 1 to 3 heteroatoms as ring members selected from nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur, wherein one of the atoms in the heterocyclic ring of the cation are substituted with one or more moieties selected from the group consisting of halides, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, esters, ketones, carbonyls, alkoxyalkanes, alkenes, aryls, nitriles, silanes, sulfones, thiols, phenols, hydroxyls, amines, imides, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, alkynes, carbonates, and anhydrides, wherein any of the carbon or hydrogen atoms in the moieties are further substituted with halides, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, esters, ketones, carbonyls, alkoxyalkanes, alkenes, aryls, nitriles, silanes, sulfones, thiols, phenols, hydroxyls, amines, imides, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, alkynes, carbonates, and anhydrides;

b. an organic hybrid material that comprises a nanoparticle covalently bonded to an ionic liquid;

c. an alkali metal salt; and

d. an organic co-solvent, wherein the functionalized ionic liquid comprises 10 to 40 wt % of the total electrolyte mass.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the cation of the alkali metal salt is lithium.

19. The electrolyte formulation of claim 1 , wherein the co-solvent comprises 50 to 90 wt % of the total electrolyte mass.

20. The electrochemical cell of claim 8 , wherein the co-solvent comprises 50 to 90 wt % of the total electrolyte mass.