POS6-0532
Molecular Design of Self-Assembled Electrolytes for Stable Lithium Metal Batteries
Topic
S6. Emerging Polymer and Hybrid Materials for Advanced Energy Storage and Conversion
When and Where
Sep 29, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Hae Jung SON
Boseok KANG
Presenter(s)
Taekyung Won (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Buk-gu, Gwangju, Korea (the Republic of).)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Lithium metal batteries are promising next-generation energy-storage systems because lithium metal offers an extremely high theoretical capacity and low electrochemical potential. However, their practical application is limited by uncontrolled dendrite growth, unstable electrode/electrolyte interfaces, and continuous side reactions during cycling. These issues cannot be fully addressed by conventional electrolyte optimization alone, because ion transport behavior and interfacial stability are strongly governed by the molecular design and self-assembly behavior of electrolyte molecules. Therefore, molecular designs that simultaneously regulate lithium-ion conduction pathways and stabilize the electrode interface are highly desirable.
Here, we present a supramolecular electrolyte based on the self-assembly of amphiphilic small molecules, rather than a conventional polymer electrolyte. The designed molecule integrates an aromatic diimide motif for π–π stacking, a rigid hydrogen-bonding segment for directional association, and oligoether chains for Li⁺ coordination within a single molecular structure. Through the cooperative interplay of these interactions, the molecules assemble into ordered domains that provide organized lithium-ion transport pathways. At the same time, the self-assembled structure is expected to contribute to interfacial stabilization by promoting more homogeneous ion distribution near the lithium metal surface.
The self-assembled structure of this supramolecular electrolyte is resolved by spectroscopy and cryo-TEM, while its electrochemical performance is evaluated through ionic conductivity and battery-relevant measurements. By connecting structural characterization with electrochemical behavior, this study clarifies how small-molecule self-assembly governs ionic conduction and interfacial stability. This work provides a molecular design framework for self-assembled supramolecular electrolytes in lithium metal batteries.
Here, we present a supramolecular electrolyte based on the self-assembly of amphiphilic small molecules, rather than a conventional polymer electrolyte. The designed molecule integrates an aromatic diimide motif for π–π stacking, a rigid hydrogen-bonding segment for directional association, and oligoether chains for Li⁺ coordination within a single molecular structure. Through the cooperative interplay of these interactions, the molecules assemble into ordered domains that provide organized lithium-ion transport pathways. At the same time, the self-assembled structure is expected to contribute to interfacial stabilization by promoting more homogeneous ion distribution near the lithium metal surface.
The self-assembled structure of this supramolecular electrolyte is resolved by spectroscopy and cryo-TEM, while its electrochemical performance is evaluated through ionic conductivity and battery-relevant measurements. By connecting structural characterization with electrochemical behavior, this study clarifies how small-molecule self-assembly governs ionic conduction and interfacial stability. This work provides a molecular design framework for self-assembled supramolecular electrolytes in lithium metal batteries.
