Lithium Cycling in a Self-Assembled Copper Chloride–Polyether Hybrid Electrode

Abstract

Atomic-scale integration of polyether molecules and copper(II) chloride layers in a two-dimensional perovskite affords, to the best of our knowledge, the first example of extended Li⁺ cycling in a metal chloride electrode. The hybrid can cycle over 200 times as a cathode in a lithium battery with an open-circuit voltage of 3.2 V. In contrast, CuCl₂ alone or the precursors to the hybrid cannot be cycled in a lithium battery, demonstrating the importance of the layered, organic–inorganic architecture. This work shows that appropriate organic groups can enable Li⁺ cycling in inexpensive, nontoxic, metal halide electrodes, which is promising for large-scale applications.