Schematic drawing of an ultralow temperature Li/Cl2 battery

Major Contributions

1.Development of a Rechargeable Lithium/Chlorine Battery Operable at Ultra-Low Temperatures
We successfully designed and demonstrated a rechargeable Li/Cl₂ battery capable of operating down to -80°C. This was achieved by combining a lithium metal anode, a CO₂-activated porous carbon cathode (KJCO₂), and a novel electrolyte composed of AlCl₃, LiCl, and LiFSI dissolved in thionyl chloride (SOCl₂). The electrolyte exhibits high ionic conductivity (5–20 mS cm⁻¹) across a wide temperature range and maintains stability at ultra-low temperatures.

2.Record-Setting Energy Density and Reversible Capacity
Our battery delivers an unprecedented first discharge capacity of up to 30,000 mAh g⁻¹ at room temperature, with reversible capacities ranging between 1,200 and 5,000 mAh g⁻¹ over multiple cycles. These results are attributed to the increased surface area and pore volume of the CO₂-activated carbon cathode, which enhances LiCl deposition and facilitates efficient redox reactions. This marks a significant advancement in energy density for low-temperature rechargeable batteries.

3.Exceptional Cyclability and Practical Low-Temperature Performance
The battery demonstrates excellent cyclability, achieving stable operation over 130 cycles at -40°C and 70 cycles at -80°C with nearly 100% coulombic efficiency. Furthermore, we showcased its practical applications by powering devices such as LED lights and electronic watches in ultra-cold environments, highlighting its potential for use in polar expeditions, deep-sea exploration, and space missions.


主要貢獻

1.開發可在極低溫環境下運行的可充電鋰/氯電池
我們成功設計並展示了一種可在低至-80°C環境下運行的可充電鋰/氯（Li/Cl₂）電池。這項突破是通過結合鋰金屬負極、二氧化碳活化的多孔碳正極（KJCO₂），以及由三氯化鋁（AlCl₃）、氯化鋰（LiCl）和雙(氟磺酰)亞胺鋰（LiFSI）溶解於亞硫酰氯（SOCl₂）中的創新型電解液實現的。該電解液在-80°C至室溫範圍內保持高離子導電率（5–20 mS cm⁻¹），並在極低溫下保持穩定性。

2.創紀錄的能量密度與可逆容量
我們的電池在室溫下首次放電容量高達30,000 mAh g⁻¹，並在多次充放電循環中實現了1,200至5,000 mAh g⁻¹的可逆容量。這些卓越性能得益於經二氧化碳活化後的多孔碳正極，其表面積和孔體積顯著增加，從而增強了氯化鋰（LiCl）的沉積並促進了高效的氧化還原反應。這標誌著低溫可充電電池能量密度的一項重要進展。

3.卓越的循環壽命及低溫實用性能
該電池展現出優異的循環壽命，在-40°C下穩定運行超過130個循環，在-80°C下穩定運行70個循環，且庫倫效率接近100%。此外，我們還展示了其實際應用潛力，例如在-40°C環境中成功為LED燈和電子手錶供電，顯示其在極地探險、深海探索及太空任務中的應用前景。