Self-Diffusion Coefficients in Solutions of Lithium Bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide with Dimethyl Carbonate and Ethylene Carbonate

Organic solutions of lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) are promising electrolytes for Li-ion batteries. Information on the diffusion coefficients of the species in these solutions is needed for battery design. Therefore, the self-diffusion coefficients in such solutions were studied experimentally with the pulsed-field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance technique. The self-diffusion coefficients of the ions Li+ and FSI- as well as those of the solvents were measured for LiFSI solutions in pure dimethyl carbonate and ethylene carbonate as well as in mixtures of these solvents at 298 K and ambient pressure. Despite the Li+ ion being the smallest species in the solution, its self-diffusion coefficient is the lowest as a result of its strong coordination with the solvent molecules.