A new electrolyte improves lithium battery performance by creating a uniform solid electrolyte interphase, addressing key challenges in energy storage technology.
Researchers from institutions including those affiliated with Lei Liu, Yuxuan Xiang, and Jianhui Wang have published a study in Nature on a breakthrough in lithium metal batteries. The study, dated March 17, 2026, focuses on anode-free lithium metal batteries (AFLMBs), which lack anode active material to reduce costs and increase energy density.
AFLMBs face challenges such as short lifespan due to uneven lithium deposition and dissolution, caused by the micro-heterogeneity and fragility of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). The researchers addressed this by using a crossover-coupled electrolyte that generates a B–F-based polymer-rich SEI at the anode while minimizing gas evolution at the cathode.
The Crossover-Coupled Electrolyte
This electrolyte triggers interfacial reactions that result in an SEI with sub-nanometer homogeneity, high flexibility, and rapid lithium-ion transport. The SEI forms a self-adaptive mesh-film structure, ensuring uniform ion flux and accommodating large volume changes during lithium deposition and dissolution.
As a result, the batteries achieve reversible planar lithium deposition and dissolution up to 5.6 mAh cm–2. A 2.7 Ah AFLMB with 508 Wh kg–1 energy density and 1668 Wh L–1 demonstrated stable cycling for 100 cycles at 100% depth of discharge and 250 cycles at 80% depth of discharge, retaining 80% capacity.
The battery also supports a high-power output of 2650 W kg–1 at 96 Wh kg–1. This advancement tackles the structural instability of host-free electrodes, potentially making AFLMBs more practical for energy storage applications.
The study emphasizes that these findings stem from the crossover-coupled interphase chemistry, which could pave the way for further developments in battery technology without requiring host-material coatings.
