Performance Enhancement of 4.8 V Li1.2Mn0.525Ni0.175Co0.1O2Battery Cathode Using Fluorinated Linear Carbonate as a High-Voltage Additive

High-capacity Li-rich layered composite oxide, xLi2MnO3(1-x)LiMO2 (M = Mn, Ni, Co), is a promising candidate cathode material for high-energy electrochemical energy storage. Enabling the high-performance of high-voltage cathode relies on an electrolyte breakthrough and the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) stabilization. In this study, the 0.6Li2MnO30.4LiNi0.45Co0.25Mn0.3O2 (Li1.2Mn0.525Ni0.175Co0.1O2, LMNC) cathode is operated at 2.5–4.8 V with 5 wt% fluorinated linear carbonate, di-(2,2,2 trifluoroethyl)carbonate (DFDEC), as a high-voltage electrolyte additive, for the first time and applied to a high-energy lithium-ion battery. The cathode with DFDEC outperforms that in electrolyte only, delivering a high capacity of 250 mAhg−1 with an excellent charge-discharge cycling stability at the rate of 0.2C. Upon the use of DFDEC, the cathode surface is effectively passivated by a stable SEI composed of DFDEC decomposition products, which inhibit a detrimental metal dissolution and structural cathode degradation. A full-cell based on the SEI-stabilized LMNC cathode and graphite anode successfully demonstrates doubled energy density (~278 Whkg−1) compared to ~136 Whkg−1 of a commercialized cell of graphite//LiCoO2 and an excellent cycling stability.