Impact of Salts and Linear Carbonates on the Performance of Layered Oxide/Hard Carbon Sodium-Ion Pouch Cells with Alkyl Carbonate Electrolytes

Abstract

This study examines the influence of electrolyte salts and solvents on the performance of O3 layered oxide NaMn 0.39 Fe 0.31 Ni 0.22 Zn 0.08 O 2 /hard carbon sodium-ion pouch cells with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) jellyroll tape. A significant enhancement in cell performance between 2.0 and 3.8 V was observed across various temperatures (20, 40, and 55 °C) by substituting NaPF 6 with NaFSI, including reduced impedance growth, minimized gas generation, and supressed jellyroll tape decomposition. Ultra-high precision coulometry revealed that the use of NaPF 6 resulted in increased unwanted parasitic reactions associated with tape decomposition, e.g., capacity fade and charge endpoint capacity slippage. Teardown of sodium-ion pouch cells after cycling in DMC-based electrolytes revealed a severe decomposition of the PET tape with NaPF 6 but not with NaFSI. Gas chromatography shows significantly more electrolyte decomposition products with NaPF 6 as opposed to NaFSI. DEC-based electrolyte showed less capacity fade, less electrolyte decomposition products, and less tape decomposition after cycling than DMC-based electrolyte. The electrolyte additive DTD can prevent parasitic reactions in DMC- and NaPF 6 -based electrolyte. Overall, the choice of salts and linear carbonates in alkyl carbonate electrolytes plays a crucial role in determining the overall cycling performance of the layered oxide/hard carbon sodium-ion cells with PET jellyroll tape.