Ionic liquid and plastic crystalline phases of pyrazolium imide salts as electrolytes for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries

A new member of the plastic crystal, pyrazolium imide family, N,N′-diethyl-3-methylpyrazolium bis-(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (DEMPyr123) was prepared. It showed a single, plastic crystalline phase that extends from 4.2 °C to its melting at 11.3 °C. When 10 mol% LiTFSI salt was added, the mixture showed ionic conductivities reaching 1.7 × 10−3 S cm−1 at 20 °C, in the liquid state and 6.9 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 5 °C, in the solid, plastic phase. A wide electrochemical stability window's of 5.5 V was observed by cyclic voltammetry of the molten salt mixture. Batteries were assembled with LiFePO4/Li4Ti5O12 electrodes and the salt mixture as an electrolyte. They showed a charge/discharge efficiency of 93% and 87% in the liquid and the plastic phase, respectively. The capacity retention was very good in both states with 90% of the initial capacity still available after 40 cycles. In general, the batteries showed good rate capability and cycle life performance in the ionic liquid phase that were sustained when the electrolyte transformed to the plastic phase. Comparison of the battery results with those of a classic (non-plastic crystal) ionic liquid has proven the advantage of the dual state of matter character in this electrolyte.