China's 15x more efficient fluorine electrolyte extends battery life

Chinese researchers from Luleå University of Technology and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a fluorine-grafted quasi-solid composite electrolyte (F-QSCE@30) that significantly enhances battery performance and safety. This novel electrolyte leverages the inductive effect of fluorinated side chains (–CF2–CF–CF3) to boost ionic conductivity to 1.21 mS cm⁻¹ at 25 °C while maintaining non-flammability and mechanical robustness. Unlike conventional organic electrolytes prone to leakage and flammability, F-QSCE@30 uses a UV-cured, glass-fiber-reinforced membrane that enables safer, scalable roll-to-roll manufacturing. The electrolyte sustains lithium symmetric cells for over 4,000 hours—more than 15 times longer than previous fluorinated systems—and supports Ni-rich NCM622 full cells with nearly 100% capacity retention after 350 cycles at elevated temperature, effectively addressing dendrite growth and capacity fade. The key to