Electrolyte Composition

1 . An electrolyte composition for use with a battery comprising an anode and a cathode during a charging process, the anode comprising a base and a plurality of branches protruding from the base and spaced apart from one another along the base to form a gap, the electrolyte composition comprising:

an electrolyte; and

an additive composition comprising:

an inhibitor that reduces a topography variation resulting from material deposition on the anode of the battery during the charging process; and/or

a leveler that reduces an effect of ion concentration gradient between a plurality of tips of the plurality of branches and the base from material deposition on the anode of the battery during the charging process.

2 . The electrolyte composition of claim 1 , wherein the additive composition further comprises an accelerator that accelerates material deposition along the base of the anode of the battery during the charging process.

3 . The electrolyte composition of claim 2 , wherein in the additive composition:

the inhibitor is adapted to selectively arrange proximate the plurality of tips of the plurality of branches;

the leveler is adapted to selectively arrange in the gap along sidewalls of the plurality of branches; and/or

the accelerator is adapted to selectively arrange in the gap proximate the base.

4 . The electrolyte composition of claim 2 , wherein the accelerator comprises an ionic material, and the leveler and the inhibitor comprise a non-ionic material.

5 . The electrolyte composition of claim 1 , wherein the inhibitor has a higher molecular weight than the leveler.

6 . The electrolyte composition of claim 1 , wherein the leveler comprises a polarizing agent comprising at least one hybrid atom comprising an atom from group IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA, or any combination thereof.

7 . The electrolyte composition of claim 6 , wherein the at least one hybrid atom comprises at least one of the following atoms: B, Al, Si, N, P, O, S, Se, F, Cl, Br, I, or any combination thereof.

8 . The electrolyte composition of claim 7 , wherein the at least one hybrid atom comprises from 4-80 weight percent of the leveler.

9 . The electrolyte composition of claim 1 , wherein the leveler comprises an unsaturated bond.

10 . The electrolyte composition of claim 1 , wherein the leveler comprises an aromatic functional group.

11 . The electrolyte composition of claim 1 , wherein the leveler has a molecular weight of less than 500 g/mol.

12 . The electrolyte composition of claim 1 , wherein the inhibitor comprises a polarizing agent comprising at least one hybrid atom comprising an atom from group IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA, or any combination thereof.

13 . The electrolyte composition of claim 12 , wherein the at least one hybrid atom comprises at least one of the following atoms: B, Al, Si, N, P, O, S, Se, F, Cl, Br, I, or any combination thereof.

14 . The electrolyte composition of claim 13 , wherein the inhibitor comprises at least one functional group comprising at least one of a hydroxyl group, an ether group, an ester group, a thiol group, a thiol ester group, a thiol ether group, an epoxy group, or any combination thereof.

15 . The electrolyte composition of claim 13 , wherein the at least one hybrid atom comprises at least 3 weight percent of the inhibitor.

16 . The electrolyte composition of claim 1 , wherein the inhibitor comprises a polyglycol, a polyglycol ether, and/or a polyglycol ester.

17 . The electrolyte composition of claim 1 , wherein the inhibitor has a molecular weight of at least 200 g/mol.

18 . The electrolyte composition of claim 2 , wherein the accelerator comprises an anionic compound.

19 . The electrolyte composition of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises an inactive solvent.

20 . A battery comprising:

an anode;

a cathode; and

an electrolyte composition in contact with the anode and the cathode, the electrolyte composition of claim 1 .