Low-Temperature Electrochemical Performance in Lithium-Ion Batteries

The operation of lithium-ion batteries in sub-zero environments presents a critical challenge for energy storage in electric vehicles, aerospace systems and remote sensor networks. As temperature falls below 0 °C, the viscosity of non-aqueous electrolytes rises sharply and the mobility of lithium ions decreases, leading to increased internal resistance, reduced capacity and sluggish charge–discharge kinetics. The interfacial chemistry at the electrode surfaces becomes dominated by the formation of metastable or excessively resistive solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layers, which further impede Li⁺ transport. To address these limitations, recent efforts have focused on tailored electrolyte formulations—adjusting solvent mixtures, salt types and functional additives—to depress freezing points, optimise solvation structures and promote robust inorganic-rich interphases. Complementary strategies include designing adaptive electric double layers and engineering electrode surfaces to facilitate rapid Li⁺ desolvation and interfacial charge transfer. Advances in solvation‐engineering at the molecular level have yielded electrolytes that remain liquid and highly conductive at temperatures approaching −100 °C, while novel interphase chemistries have demonstrated enhanced cycling stability down to −70 °C. Collectively, these innovations are extending the operational envelope of lithium-ion cells, enabling reliable performance in cold climates without heavy thermal management and opening new avenues for low-temperature applications.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated that engineering the electric double layer via functional anionic additives can suppress anodic decomposition of electrolytes and enable super-fast charging and discharging even under ultra-low temperatures. A second investigation has profiled temperature-dependent Li⁺ behaviour during metal plating, revealing that Li⁺ diffusion through the SEI is the rate-determining step below −20 °C; by tuning the electrolyte’s solvation structure to favour inorganic-rich interphases, researchers have achieved improved tolerance across a wide temperature range. A third report has disrupted the traditional dominance of ethylene carbonate by adjusting the electronegativity of the carbonyl oxygen: the resulting solvent network exhibits high ionic conductivity at −90 °C, retains over 98 % capacity at −10 °C and remains functional even at −100 °C, highlighting the power of molecular charge engineering for extreme-cold performance.

Low-Temperature Electrochemical Performance in Lithium-Ion Batteries publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in low-temperature electrochemical performance in lithium-ion batteries across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Solid electrolyte interphase (SEI): A thin passivation layer formed on electrode surfaces that governs Li⁺ transport and interfacial stability.

Solvation structure: The arrangement of solvent molecules and Li⁺ ions in the electrolyte, which affects desolvation energy and ionic mobility.

Desolvation: The process by which Li⁺ ions shed their solvent shell prior to intercalation into the electrode.

Charge transfer kinetics: The rate at which electrons and ions cross the electrode–electrolyte interface during (de-)lithiation.

Ionic conductivity: A measure of the ease with which ions migrate through the electrolyte under an electric field.

Electric double layer (EDL): A structured arrangement of ions and solvent molecules at the electrode surface that influences interfacial reactions.

References

1. Engineering a passivating electric double layer for high performance lithium metal batteries. Nature Communications (2022).
2. Temperature-dependent interphase formation and Li+ transport in lithium metal batteries. Nature Communications (2023).
3. Breaking solvation dominance of ethylene carbonate via molecular charge engineering enables lower temperature battery. Nature Communications (2023).
4. Review on Low-Temperature Electrolytes for Lithium-Ion and Lithium Metal Batteries. Electrochemical Energy Reviews (2023).
5. Liquid electrolyte development for low-temperature lithium-ion batteries. Energy & Environmental Science (2022).
6. Electrolyte engineering and material modification for graphite‐based lithium‐ion batteries operated at low temperature. Interdisciplinary Materials (2023).