Acetone as oxidative decomposition product in propylene carbonate containing battery electrolyte

In situ differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) and in situ subtractively normalized interfacial Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (SNIFTIRS) were used to study the oxidative decomposition products of a propylene carbonate (PC) containing battery electrolyte at metal oxide electrodes. Hydrogen, carbon dioxide, ethane, ethene, propane and propene are typically evolved during electrolyte decomposition in lithium-ion batteries. In our SNIFTIRS and DEMS experiments, additional signals were detected which could not be attributed to these known products. Detailed analysis of these signals indicated the possible evolution of acetone as PC is oxidatively decomposed on the electrode surface.