Design of Refined Quaternary Electrolyte LiF−LiCl−LiBr−LiI Used for the Liquid Metal Battery

Abstract The advanced electrolyte of liquid metal battery should have low melting point, low ionic solubility, low viscosity, high electric and thermal conductivities, and a suitable density between anode and cathode for declining the operating temperature and realizing the goal of saving‐energy. In this study, an excellent quaternary LiF−LiCl−LiBr−LiI (9.1 : 30.0 : 21.7 : 39.2) electrolyte is refined by using thermodynamic models to balance various properties of LiX (X=F, Cl, Br, I) and meet the requirement of advanced electrolyte of liquid metal battery. The refined properties of electrolyte correspond to 2.398 g/cm 3 for density, 0.286 mol% for solubility, 4.486 Ohm −1 cm −1 for ionic conductivity, and 0.609 W m −1 for thermal conductivity. The measured melting point is 609.1 K, which is lower than the current operating temperature of 723 K for the lithium‐based liquid metal battery. The refined electrolyte consisted by quaternary halide molten‐salt provides important references for preparing the advanced liquid metal battery.