Lithium‐Ion Desolvation Induced by Nitrate Additives Reveals New Insights into High Performance Lithium Batteries

Electrolyte additives have been widely used to address critical issues in current metal (ion) battery technologies. While their functions as solid electrolyte interface forming agents are reasonably well-understood, interactions the liquid environment remain rather elusive. This lack of knowledge represents a significant bottleneck that hinders development improved systems. Here, key role promoting cation (e.g., Li+) desolvation is unraveled. In particular, nitrate anions (NO3−) found incorporate into solvation shells, change local cations well coordination electrolytes. The combination these effects leads effective Li+ and enhanced performance. Remarkably, inexpensive NaNO3 can successfully substitute LiNO3 offering superior long-term stability (de-)intercalation at graphite anode suppressed polysulfide shuttle effect sulfur cathode, while enhancing performance lithium–sulfur full batteries (initial capacity 1153 mAh g−1 0.25C) with Coulombic efficiency ≈100% over 300 cycles. work provides important new insights unexplored paves way developing electrolytes for electrochemical energy storage applications.