Plastic Crystal-Lithium Batteries: An Effective Ambient Temperature All-Solid-State Power Source

Lithium batteries utilizing a novel plastic crystal electrolyte prepared from LiTFSI and Succinonitrile (5 mol % doping) were investigated at 20 and −5°C by charge/discharge galvanostatic cycling, with as anode and or as cathode materials. At 20°C, with only 5 mol % of LiTFSI, this solid electrolyte showed an improved capacity retention for (72% remaining capacity after 99 cycles at 5°C) and for (76% capacity retained after 99 cycles at C/12). In general, the total performance of the batteries outperformed those of their polymer gel-based counterparts, and matched those based on ionic liquids.