Charge–discharge and high temperature reaction of LiCoO2 in ionic liquid electrolytes based on cyano-substituted quaternary ammonium cation

The charge–discharge performance of LiCoO2 positive electrode was observed in a mixed electrolyte system consisting of two ionic liquids: cyano-substituted quaternary ammonium bis(trifluoromethane)sulfoneimide (TFSI) and a same-anion salt of 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium (EMI). The positive electrode exhibited a discharge capacity rather close to the theoretical one when N,N,N,N-cyanoethyl trimethyl ammonium salt was applied. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies revealed that these electrolytes exhibited exotherm only around 260 °C, 50 °C higher than conventional carbonate-based electrolytes. This is the first attempt to reveal the thermal stability of ionic liquid electrolyte under a practical situation.