Halo-Catenated Electrolytes for Hybrid Lewis Acid Divalent and Multivalent Metal-Based Primary and Secondary Batteries

ABSTRACT The here proposed halo-catenated electrolytes consist of a complex network formed by different molecular units bridged together by halogen atoms. The components constituting the electrolytes are generally three: 1) a molten salt (MS); 2) a Lewis acid multivalent metal halide salt (AXw); and 3) a Lewis acid alkaline earth metal halide salt (BY2). The resulting formula of the here proposed electrolytes is MS-(AXw)n-(BY2)m, where MS is a molten salt composed by a halogen anion (e.g. F-, Cl-, Br-, or I-) and an organic cation (e.g. belonging to the family of pyridinium, imidazolium, or pyrrolidinium); A is Ti, B, Ti, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Ag, Au, or Al; X and Y are halogen anions (F-, Cl-, Br-, or I-); and B is an alkaline earth metal (Mg2+). The proposed materials are included as electrolytes in cells consisting of at least one anode, at least one cathode, a separator, and current collectors. The anode consists of at least one of A or B, or an alloy of the two, in the metal state (A0, B0). The so obtained devices are charged and discharged under galvanostatic conditions for several cycles.