Toward Reliable Values of Electrochemical Stability Limits for Electrolytes

We scrutinized the conventional practice of measuring an electrolyte stability window. It is shown that misleading values might be generated by this practice. Thus, we recommend that to obtain a real stability window, the working electrode material should simulate the electrodes used in a real device. Further, in applications that have a high‐surface‐area electrode, a new quantification of a stability window is proposed. The electrochemical stability values of various nonaqueous electrolytes that are derived this way should reflect the actual operation limits of these electrolytes in real‐life devices. © 1999 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.