Fluorine Rich Borate Salt Anion Based Electrolyte for High Voltage Sodium Metal Battery Development

AbstractThis study demonstrates the enhanced performance in high‐voltage sodium full cells using a novel electrolyte composition featuring a highly fluorinated borate ester anion (1 M Na[B(hfip)4].3DME) in a binary carbonate mixture (EC:EMC), compared to a conventional electrolyte (1 M Na[PF6] EC:EMC). The prolonged cycling performance of sodium metal battery employing high voltage cathodes (NVPF@C@CNT and NFMO) is attributed to uniform and dense sodium deposition along with the formation of fluorine and boron‐rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on the sodium metal anode. Simultaneously, a robust cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) is formed on the cathode side due to the improved electrochemical stability window and superior aluminum passivation of the novel electrolyte. The CEIs on high‐voltage cathodes are discovered to be abundant in C‐F, B‐O, and B‐F components, which contributes to long‐term cycling stability by effectively suppressing undesirable side reactions and mitigating electrolyte decomposition. The participation of DME in the primary solvation shell coupled with the comparatively weaker interaction between Na+ and [B(hfip)4]− in the secondary solvation shell, provides additional confirmation of labile desolvation. This, in turn, supports the active participation of the anion in the formation of fluorine and boron‐rich interphases on both the anode and cathode.