Unlocking high-power aircraft batteries for cryogenic missions via rapid organic base-mediated interfacial kinetics

Long-endurance and high-power operation of lithium batteries in cryogenic conditions is important for broader aeronautical applications but is plagued by sluggish and mismatched interfacial kinetics at both electrodes. Herein, we report the concurrent control of the solvation sheath and interfacial chemistry through anion modulation, thereby addressing the challenges associated with charge transfer kinetics. Specifically, lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (LiHMDS) serves as a salt anion adjuvant due to its steric hindrance and electron-donating properties. The spatial effect of LiHMDS induces the construction of weak bidentate coordination structures, promising a fast (de)solvation process. Moreover, electron reconfiguration within the Lewis acid-base (BF₃-HMDS⁻) promotes the formation of inorganic-rich interphases, eliminating the migration barriers at both electrodes. Consequently, practical pouch cells achieve a high power density of 980.9 W kg⁻¹ and an energy density of 310.4 Wh kg⁻¹ at −40°C, facilitating high-speed cruising and rapid vertical take-offs and landings of reconnaissance drones in cold environments.