Electrolytes for Non-Lithium Based Rechargeable Batteries and Ionic Capacitors

With rapid social development and increasingly distinct energy/environment-related issues, novel energy storage technologies, such as rechargeable batteries and ionic hybrid capacitors, have become a hot research area nowadays. In the past decades, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and lithium-ion capacitors (LICs) have drawn enormous attention thanks to their ability to efficiently store electrochemical charge. However, the increased rarity of Li resources may severely limit their large-scale application. Thus, it is of urgent significance to purposefully explore and develop alternative non-lithium rechargeable batteries and ionic capacitors based on several earth-abundant elements, such as the monovalent (Na+, K+) and/or multivalent (Mg2+, Zn2+, Al3+) cations. Electrolytes play an equally significant role to electrode materials in enhancing comprehensive electrochemical behaviors of the cell. However, research into electrolytes in these non-lithium based devices is still in its infancy, resulting in an intrinsic limit on the practical voltage and energy output that can be delivered by the devices.

The goal of this Research Topic is to collect papers on electrolytes for the non-Lithium based rechargeable batteries and ionic hybrid capacitors. This Research Topic aims to provide researchers with an in-depth understanding of various liquid/quasi solid-state/solid-state electrolytes, fundamental interactions between electrolytes and anodes/cathodes, electrode-electrolyte sur-/interface properties, optimizing and synthetic strategies for the electrolytes with high ionic conductivity, thermodynamic stability and safety, as well as advanced analysis and characterization technologies for electrolytes. With dedicated and sustainable efforts worldwide, the high-performance non-Lithium based rechargeable batteries and ionic capacitors can be expected to be commercially viable in the near future.

Subjects covered include, but are not limited to:
• Synthesis and optimization strategies of novel electrolytes for non-Lithium based rechargeable batteries and ionic capacitors
• High-concentration, i.e., “water-in-salt” electrolytes
• Electrolytes with high ionic conductivity, thermodynamic stability and safety
• Multi-component hybrid electrolytes
• Quasi solid-state and solid-state electrolytes
• Electrode-electrolyte sur-/interfaces
• Advanced analysis and characterization technologies for various electrolytes for non-Lithium based devices
• Reviews of advanced electrolytes for non-Lithium based rechargeable batteries and ionic capacitors