A research team, helmed by Professor Zhang Qiang from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Tsinghua University, has achieved a major milestone in the development of polymer electrolytes for lithium batteries. Their groundbreaking findings have been published in the prestigious journal Nature.

Solid-state batteries have long grappled with two significant hurdles: inadequate interfacial contact and the challenge of ensuring electrolyte compatibility with extreme chemical environments. To tackle these issues, the team introduced an innovative strategy centered around an "anion-rich solvation structure" and engineered a cutting-edge fluorinated polyether electrolyte. This novel electrolyte not only boosts physical contact and ionic conductivity at the solid-state interface but also enhances high-voltage resistance and interfacial stability.

Lithium-rich manganese-based polymer batteries, which incorporate this electrolyte, boast an energy density that significantly surpasses that of currently available commercial batteries. Moreover, they have successfully passed rigorous safety tests, paving the way for overcoming long-standing industry challenges. Should future efforts focus on cost reduction and the optimization of mass production processes, this technology holds the promise of ushering the lithium battery industry into a revolutionary new era.