Lee, Jina Jeon, A-Re Lee, Hye Jin Shin, Ukseon Yoo, Yiseul Lim, Hee-Dae Han, Cheolhee Lee, Hochun Kim, Yong Jin Baek, Jayeon Seo, Dong-Hwa Lee, Minah 2024-01-19T09:05:07Z 2024-01-19T09:05:07Z 2023-06-01 2023-07 1754-5692 https://pubs.kist.re.kr/handle/201004/113555 Fire and explosion hazards represent a major barrier to the widespread adoption of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in electric vehicles and energy storage systems. Although mitigating the flammability of linear organic carbonate electrolytes in LIBs is an obvious solution to the thermal safety issue, it often comes at the expense of battery performance and cost. Herein, by combining alkyl-chain extension and alkoxy substitution, which simultaneously decreases solvent volatility and increases solvation ability, we demonstrate that molecular engineering of the linear carbonates presents a viable route to achieving thermally stable high-performance batteries. Although the tailored molecule bis(2-methoxyethyl) carbonate (BMEC) exhibits a flash point that is 90 degrees C higher than that of conventional electrolytes, the electrolyte quality is still maintained, enabling long-lasting cycling of the flagship electrode combination of graphite and Ni-rich layered oxide over 500 cycles in practical pouch cells. Furthermore, unlike a commercial electrolyte, we demonstrate that the BMEC electrolyte effectively alleviates heat and reactive-gas release under thermal/mechanical/electrical abuse conditions in the presence of charged electrodes, thereby preventing the thermal explosion of a 4 A h pouch cell upon nail penetration. English Royal Society of Chemistry Molecularly engineered linear organic carbonates as practically viable nonflammable electrolytes for safe Li-ion batteries Article 10.1039/d3ee00157a 1 Energy & Environmental Science, v.16, no.7, pp.2924 - 2933 Energy & Environmental Science 16 7 2924 2933 N scie scopus 000988022300001 2-s2.0-85159680322 Chemistry, Multidisciplinary Energy & Fuels Engineering, Chemical Environmental Sciences Chemistry Energy & Fuels Engineering Environmental Sciences & Ecology Article; Early Access LITHIUM-ION ETHYLENE-CARBONATE THERMAL RUNAWAY FLASH-POINT STABILITY MECHANISM GRAPHITE CELLS