Vinylene carbonate

Vinylene carbonate (CAS 872-36-6), commonly abbreviated as VC, is a cyclic carbonate ester used primarily as an electrolyte additive and film-forming agent in lithium-ion battery manufacturing. At low concentrations, it polymerizes on electrode surfaces to form a stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), directly improving cycle life and capacity retention in battery cells.

In lithium-ion and lithium-polymer battery production, VC is added to carbonate-based electrolyte formulations at 1–5% loading to suppress electrolyte decomposition at the anode surface. Battery manufacturers targeting high-cycle applications, such as EV packs, consumer electronics, and grid storage, specify VC to reduce irreversible capacity loss during formation cycling.

As a reactive monomer, it also serves as a building block in specialty polymer synthesis, including polycarbonate coatings and functional films requiring controlled crosslink density. In personal care formulations, it has been explored as a carrier solvent and plasticizing component in film-forming systems. It is supplied as a colorless to pale yellow liquid.

It is available in standard technical and high-purity electronic grades, with battery-grade specifications typically requiring purity ≥99.5% and tightly controlled water content. Packaging options commonly include small quantities for R&D use through to drum volumes for industrial electrolyte blending, ensuring stability during transport and storage.