@article{Li2027, 
author = {Qing Li and Wanbao Wu and Hao Wu and Huijie Tian and Kai Lu and Yiyang Bo and Jialin Wang and Erlei Zhang and Jichuan Zhang and Yuzhe Zhang and Jiaheng Zhang},
title = {Flame-retardant and inactive hydrogen deep eutectic electrolytes for fast-charging and high-voltage lithium metal batteries},
year = {2027},
journal = {Nano Research Energy},
volume = {6},
pages = {e9120250},
keywords = {lithium metal battery, deep eutectic electrolytes, solid electrolyte interphase, sulfone compounds, high safety},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/NRE.2026.9120250},
doi = {10.26599/NRE.2026.9120250},
abstract = {ABSTRACT The development of safe and high-performance electrolytes is essential for realizing high-energy-density lithium-metal batteries (LMBs). Herein, we report a sulfone-based deep eutectic electrolyte incorporating dimethyl sulfone with inactive hydrogen (S-DEE) that overcomes key limitations of conventional deep eutectic electrolytes. The S-DEE exhibits exceptional non-flammability, a high Li+ transference number (0.78), and an electrochemical stability window >5.5 V. Tailored solvation structures promote inorganic-rich, uniform solid-electrolyte interphase formation, enabling dendrite-free Li plating/stripping. The LiFePO4||Li cells with S-DEE achieve 93.0% capacity retention after 3000 cycles (1C) and 96.1% after 1000 cycles (5C). Notably, high-voltage cathodes (LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 and LiCoO2) exhibited excellent performance in the S-DEE under 3.0‒4.6 V. Practical viability is demonstrated in LiFePO4||graphite (94.3%, 1000 cycles) and LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2||graphite (94.1%, 400 cycles) pouch cells. The S-DEE also exhibits outstanding thermal stability, as confirmed by nail penetration tests in 2 Ah LiFePO4||Li pouch cells. The redox-inert S=O groups and absence of reactive hydrogens in dimethyl sulfone eliminate decomposition pathways, resolving interfacial instability inherent to eutectic electrolytes. This molecular design strategy establishes a scalable platform for high-energy LMBs.}
}