High energy electron beam irradiation on the electrolyte enables fast-charging of lithium metal batteries with long-term cycling stability

Abstract

Electron beam (E-beam) irradiation serves as a pivotal tool within the realms of materials science, nanotechnology, and microelectronics. Its application is instrumental in altering the physical and chemical properties of materials, thereby enabling the exploration of material characteristics and fostering the advent of novel technological advancements. In this study, we irradiated the commercially available carbonate-based electrolyte LB-085 using a 10 MeV electron beam to examine the effects of electron beam (E-beam) irradiation on the electrolyte of lithium–metal batteries and explore the quantitative relationship between the absorbed radiation dose and battery's electrochemical performance. The applied absorbed radiation doses were 10, 25, and 50 kGy. Among these, the electrolyte irradiated with an absorbed radiation dose of 50 kGy effectively mitigated interfacial side reactions that occurred during the cycles of an electrode, securing a stable solid-state electrolyte interphase (SEI), which was characterized by a high ionic conductivity. This, in turn, facilitated rapid charging performance of the battery. The lithium metal full-cell assembled with LiNi_0.91Co_0.06Mn_0.03O₂ (NCM91) demonstrated superior capacity retention, exceeding 80% after 450 cycles at 4C rate (1C = 220 mA g⁻¹, with charge times under 15 min) and also exceeding 80% after 600 cycles at 6C rate with an absorbed radiation dose of 50 kGy on the electrolyte. Thus, this research provides fresh perspectives for electrolyte optimization, focusing on enhancing the rapid charging performance of batteries.