Research on lithium metal combined with polymer electrolyte in lithium rechargeable batteries was started in 1979 by Michel Armand. Since that time, lithium battery research has expanded worldwide. Several new polymers, solid electrolytes and ionic liquids with improved conductivity were identified. These advances resulted from a better understanding of the major parameters controlling ion migration, such as favorable polymer structure, phase diagrams between solvating polymers and lithium salts, and the development of new lithium counter-anions. In spite of the progress so far, the quest for a highly conductive dry polymer at room temperature is still not available. However, effort is continuing, and all-lithium polymer battery (LPB) developers presently face the challenge of whether to heat the polymer electrolyte to enable high-power performance, as required for electric vehicles and energy storage. LPB developers have explored both the high-temperature and low-temperature options.

The commercial use of lithium metal/polymer batteries has been delayed because of the adverse effects of dendrites on the surface of the lithium electrodes, and the difficulty in finding a polymer that has both the mechanical strength and ionic conductivity required in a solid electrolyte. However, recent strategies have emerged to overcome these difficulties, and now these batteries are currently an option for different applications, including electric cars.

In this presentation, we review these strategies and discuss the different promising routes that should result in further progress on lithium metal/polymer batteries in the near future. This presentation also discusses the challenges and opportunities in developing thin lithium negative electrodes with stable SEI layers for three battery technologies using:

1. All solid-state Li- batteries
2. Rechargeable lithium batteries containing dry polymer and ionic liquid-polymer électrolytes
3. Li-Sulfur batteries.

In addition, we will discuss the safety of lithium, dendrite mechanism, interface phenomena, side reactions, protection of lithium metal, and lithium alloys that are relevant to lithium batteries.

Acknowledgement: The author thanks the CETEES groups in Varennes Shawinigan teams for helpful discussion.