Structure and dynamics of the Li+ ion in water, methanol and acetonitrile solvents: ab initio molecular dynamics simulations

Fundamental understanding of the structure and dynamics of the Li+ ion in solution is of utmost importance in different fields of science and technology, especially in the field of ion batteries. In view of this, ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations of the LiCl salt in water, methanol and acetonitrile were performed to elucidate structural parameters such as radial distribution function and coordination number, and dynamical properties like diffusion coefficient, limiting ion conductivity and hydrogen bond correlation function. In the present AIMD simulation, one LiCl in water is equivalent to 0.8 M, which is close to the concentration of the lithium salt used in the Li-ion battery. The first sphere of coordination number of the Li+ ion was reaffirmed to be 4. The radial distribution function for different pairs of atoms is seen to be in good agreement with the experimental results. The calculated potential of mean force indicates the stronger interaction of the Li+ ion with methanol over water followed by acetonitrile. The dynamical parameters convey quite high diffusion and limiting ionic conductivity of the Li+ ion in acetonitrile compared to that in water and methanol which has been attributed to the transport of the Li–Cl ion pair in a non-dissociated form in acetonitrile. The AIMD results were found to be in accordance with the experimental findings, i.e. the limiting ion conductivity was found to follow the order acetonitrile > methanol > water. This study shows the importance of atomistic level simulations in evaluating the structural and dynamical parameters and in implementing the results for predicting and synthesizing better next generation solvents for lithium ion batteries (LIBs).