Li-ion batteries: news, progress, history and background

Inside the Lithium-Ion Battery R&D Lab

2025-06-02T02:48:00.001+08:00

From Raw Materials to High-Performance Cells: A Visual Guide with AI Insights

on the last post: Short notes on Open Access, Peer review & (insane) publications

2014-09-20T11:20:00.001+08:00

on the last post: Short notes on Open Access, Peer review & (insane) publications

After contacting with editorial of J. of the Electochem. Soc. the Erratum: The Role of Carbonate and Sulfite Additives in Propylene Carbonate-Based Electrolytes on the Formation of SEI Layers at Graphitic Li-Ion Battery Anodes [J. Electrochem. Soc., 161, A1415 (2014)] come up

the authors review the article with correction of most of my points, such as EC scheme here

and somewhere else
and
"Aurbach et al.54 proposed the two-electron reduction mechanism of PC based on the component analysis of SEI films, which has been confirmed in some specific density functional theory ..." where EC become PC.
another
from

and recalculation of their most calculations....

enjoy...

PS:

This time in Miscellaneous (Journal of The Electrochemical Society / 2014; Vol. 161, No. 12): 6 articles with Erratum
Be careful reading sci(-fi) articles!

Erratum: Laser Modified Fuel Cell Diffusion Media: Engineering Enhanced Performance via Localized Water Redistribution [J. Electrochem. Soc., 161, F1061 (2014)]

M. P. Manahan, J. T. Clement, A. K. Srouji, S. W. Brown, T. Reutzel, and M. M. Mench

J. Electrochem. Soc. 2014 161(12): X17; doi:10.1149/2.0461412jes

http://jes.ecsdl.org/content/161/12/X17

Erratum: The Role of Carbonate and Sulfite Additives in Propylene Carbonate-Based Electrolytes on the Formation of SEI Layers at Graphitic Li-Ion Battery Anodes [J. Electrochem. Soc., 161, A1415 (2014)]

Mahesh Datt Bhatt and Colm O'Dwyer

J. Electrochem. Soc. 2014 161(12): X18; doi:10.1149/2.0421412jes

http://jes.ecsdl.org/content/161/12/X18

Erratum: Derivation of an Iron Pyrite All-Solid-State Composite Electrode with Ferrophosphorus, Sulfur, and Lithium Sulfide as Precursors [J. Electrochem. Soc., 161, A663 (2014)]

Thomas A. Yersak, Tyler Evans, Justin M. Whiteley, Seoung-Bum Son, Brian Francisco, Kyu Hwan Oh, and Se-Hee Lee

J. Electrochem. Soc. 2014 161(12): X19; doi:10.1149/2.0891412jes

http://jes.ecsdl.org/content/161/12/X19

Erratum: Porous Thick Film Lanthanum Strontium Ferrite Stress and Oxygen Surface Exchange Bilayer Curvature Relaxation Measurements [J. Electrochem. Soc., 161, F3025 (2014)]

Qing Yang and Jason D. Nicholas

J. Electrochem. Soc. 2014 161(12): X20; doi:10.1149/2.0901412jes

http://jes.ecsdl.org/content/161/12/X20

Erratum: A Facile One-Pot Synthesis of Hierarchical TiO₂ Nanourchins for Highly Efficient Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells [J. Electrochem. Soc., 161, H627 (2014)]

Nguyen Thi Quynh Hoa, Van-Duong Dao, and Ho-Suk Choi

J. Electrochem. Soc. 2014 161(12): X21; doi:10.1149/2.0941412jes

http://jes.ecsdl.org/content/161/12/X21

Erratum: In Situ IR Study of the Anodic Polarization of Gold Electrodes in Polar Aprotic Solvents: DMSO and DMF Solutions of Cyanate, Thiocyanate and Selenocyanate Ions [J. Electrochem. Soc., 161, H738 (2014)]

Kethsiri H. K. L. Alwis and Michael R. Mucalo

J. Electrochem. Soc. 2014 161(12): X22; doi:10.1149/2.0951412jes

http://jes.ecsdl.org/content/161/12/X22

Short notes on Open Access, Peer review & (insane) publications

2014-07-16T18:05:00.000+08:00

This is insane!
As a long term peer reviewer I read all articles (not only under review) very carefully. From relatively wide observation the only half of the submitted papers might be accepted for further publication. Not counting in this half the articles which need some (more or less) modifications. Indeed, there are almost half of the articles which went through my hands have a very low quality. These include repeating/copying someone else's research, very poor understanding of the obtained results, not willingness, even to try to explain the obtained results, but just referring to previously published articles (from other researchers) (which means their result is not unique).

Since I do not connect with the publishers other than by e-mail as a reviewer or author, I do not know how busy are Journals is to feel the issues.
However, I understand that the publishers have to earn some money from what they are doing. Good it or not (very much) for the progress is a big question.
Therefore, there is a new option for publication (in some Journals) your article as an "open access".

Recently I found one.
The Role of Carbonate and Sulfite Additives in Propylene Carbonate-Based Electrolytes on the Formation of SEI Layers at Graphitic Li-Ion Battery Anodes in Journal of the Electrochemical Society [doi: 10.1149/2.0931409jes, J. Electrochem. Soc. 2014 volume 161, issue 9, A1415-A1421]

Where a "density functional theory (DFT) was used to investigate the effect of electrolyte additives on SEI formation at graphitic anodes".

In the "Introduction" authors giving some short overview on different electrolyte solvents (such as EC and PC) behavior with graphite at cycling. Indeed, "PC is less suitable for a graphitic anode due to its tendency to co-intercalate into graphite during the first charge process". And it does not happen (almost) with EC. The later part is less logical, but just a collection of some references on the SEI enhancement by some additives.
And here we go.
Although, article`s title emphasized that the study is abut PC based electrolyte, but authors continue to refer to EC based electrolyte. Such as "Aurbach et al.⁵⁴ proposed the two-electron reduction mechanism of EC based on the component analysis of SEI films as shown in Fig. 1". However, referred article is about PC based electrolyte ("Identification of Surface Films Formed on Lithium in Propylene Carbonate Solutions").
The interesting is that on Fig. 1 the substance refereed as EC is far not EC (or PC) at all.

in the article ethylene carbonate is presented as with caption

"Figure 1.

Schematic diagram of two electron reduction mechanism of ethylene carbonate to linear carbonates."

If you are not familiar with carbonates here is a link to Wikipedia (or you may google)
Ethylene carbonate by WP

Next: "Computational Details"
Again, the authors insisted they are doing calculations to optimize PC based electrolyte with different additives. However, in the next chapter they show again so call "EC" substance on which base they use all calculations!!!!

"The first electron reduction energy (E1 = E11 + E12) and the second electron reduction energy (E2) for PC and additives are calculated according to the reduction schemes in Fig. 2 using EC as an example".
Fig. 2: The first electron reduction energy (E1 = E11 + E12) and the second electron reduction energy (E2) for EC

Even, if we ignore that so call "EC" is not EC. The question is how and why they (authors) may just use EC reduction instead of PC????? The molecular structure is such a difference!!!
Here is PC

The rest of the article`s discussion and calculations and conclusions are under a very big doubt.
It seems the authors are not very familiar with what they are studying, however, probably they know how to use a computer and some software.

On the other hand, what about reviewers, editors??
Or because this is an "open access" article???

From here

Peer review of our journals is one of the things we are most proud of here at The Electrochemical Society. Even as we move to Open Access for our publications, our peer review process is going to remain as rigorous as ever. Amazing the lengths people will go to beat the system though.

More on Tesla Catches Fire (2013)

2013-11-08T11:17:00.000+08:00

Article on Business Insider: Tesla Stock Is Tanking After A Third Model S In Two Months Catches Fire (Mamta Badkar Nov. 7, 2013)

A Tesla Model S car caught fire on Wednesday in Smyrna, Tennessee, according to Tesla Motors Club blog (via ValueWalk).
This is the third Tesla to Model S vehicle to catch fire in the past six weeks, a Tesla spokesperson confirmed to Reuters.
The driver of the vehicle was said to have sustained no injuries and a Tesla team is on its way to Tennessee to see what happened.
Tesla again pointed out that the fire was the result of an accident and not "spontaneous."
@Nashvillian_ on Twitter posted this image:

I-24 #tesla #teslafire pic.twitter.com/ia9tbftn4V
— E (@NASHVILLAIN_) November 6, 2013

A Tesla Model S caught fire in Mexico back in October after the car crashed through a concrete wall and into a tree.
Before that, another Model S caught fire after colliding with a large metallic object on Washington State Route 167, in early October.
At the time Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to his blog to defend the Model S saying, he reiterated that it was because of the powerful impact with the metal object on the road. He also said the fire department was wrong to "puncture the metal firewall, as the newly created holes allowed the flames to then vent upwards into the front trunk section of the Model S."
"For consumers concerned about fire risk, there should be absolutely zero doubt that it is safer to power a car with a battery than a large tank of highly flammable liquid," Musk wrote.
But in its 10-Q Tesla has previously pointed out that the lithium ion batter cells "have been observed to catch fire or vent smoke and flame, and such events have raised concerns, and future events may lead to additional concerns, about the batteries used in automotive applications."
The stock is down 6% today to $142.12, but has been taking a beating since the company announced Q3 results on Tuesday.

Ceramic-filled Separators from Porous Power

2013-02-27T00:25:00.001+08:00

Unlike dense ceramic coatings applied as a separate layer on competing separators, PPT’s products contain ceramic particles that are thoroughly distributed throughout their chemically inert PVDF polymer. The particles reside primarily in the pore walls, leaving a large and uniform open pore structure that enables ions to pass through with less resistance and less heat generation.
* More power in high-current applications
* Reduced separator shrinkage
* Increased thermal stability with less cell degradation
* Extended cycle life * Higher bake-out and operating temperatures
* Improved puncture and abuse resistance

Although, the application of such separator may improve safety, however according to presented test data it will have minimal effect, or not significant. Depends on battery package, it may have serious explosion (due to electrolyte flammability) at much lower temperature.

Polypore’s Celgard Files Suit Against Sumitomo Over Batteries - Bloomberg

2013-02-26T22:49:00.001+08:00

Polypore’s Celgard Files Suit Against Sumitomo Over Batteries - Bloomberg: ""

The complaint, filed Feb. 22 in federal court in Charlotte, North Carolina, claims Sumitomo is infringing a patent issued in 2002 for a separator in high-energy rechargeable batteries. The separators prevent short circuits that can reduce efficiency and limit safety problems from overheating.

(Via Bloomberg.)

Power bank battery dismantled and reviewed

2013-02-26T11:33:00.000+08:00

Power bank battery dismantled and reviewed
(backup battery for iPhone produced in China)

Before we start some explanation and disclaimer.
Here is a short review, based on observations and simple calculation of one of "power bank" or backup battery for iPhone, which may be found in any shop. I did not intend to do this review simply because I did not buy that device and not going to buy such things in a future (near future). This example device I have got from my friend after its stoped working and actually the plastic shell become opened (Fig. 2).

This is not a denunciation or exposure for certain product or certain manufacturer or certain country.
I hope this review will make you more skeptical and realistic about what you see and what you get.

All dismantle and photos, as well calculation and conclusions done by me.

Although I dismantle Li-ion batteries (LIB) of any shape and size many times for many years since I have work with it for the last 15 years. I have to say, please do not try to repeat it at home, its may be harmful.

Here are some pictures of how this "power bank" is looks like (may be looks familiar to someone?)

Fig. 1 (front)

Fig. 1(back)

On the spec (Fig. 1 (back)) it shows 1000 mAh (1Ah). Which is about a half of iPhone`s battery. I don`t have a package so there is no much information.

And here is how it looks like after it stopped produce a juice:

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Very easy to open plastic box, in fact its already opened

Fig. 5

As you may see (Fig. 5), Al bag of LIB is bloated with a lot of gas inside. This was the reason of the shell become opened.
Some other views of the "power bank" on Fig. 6 a-c:

Fig. 6a

Fig. 6b

Fig. 6c

After brief inspection of the battery I have found a possible source for battery failure. On the next pictures (Fig. 7 a-b) you will see defected sealing of Al bag, which caused electrolyte leakage and moisture penetration inside battery. Which happened first it is difficult to say now. From my experience, it is more likely that last one will happened first. As we know, when "polymer battery" sealed in Al bag, it is more likely happened at low or middle vacuum environment. However, each maker/factory will use its own way.

Fig. 7a

Fig. 7b

As a result of chemical reactions between moisture (H2O) and electrolyte/electrode (anode/graphite) and Li (on an anode/graphite surface) LIB will release a lot of gaseous products inside of Al bag, as well as slowly decline a power of LIB.
It can be seen by observing electrode (anode/graphite) surface;

Fig. 8

Fig. 9

Fig.10


Fig.11

Surface of the anode/graphite electrode shows serious Li plating and transformation it to inactive form (Fig. 11, 12).

Fig. 12

Now, about quality:
As you can see on above pictures, electrode quality is quite poor. On the pictures below, I will show that it is even more poor:

Fig. 13

On this (Fig. 13) you will see some tape on the cathode (right side) electrode surface. This hilarious battery makers don`t want to waste any peace of electrode, so even it was broken during some assembling process, they will "fix" it with anything can be glued to surface. Like this piece of tape (Fig. 14)

Fig. 14 (front)

Fig. 15 (back side of Fig. 14)

Although they use quite strong separator (~ 20 um thickness), to prevent possible soft-shorting (Fig. 16).

Fig. 16b

Fig. 16 a

Now, after we get our hands inside of this battery, we can get actual numbers (at least some of them) of battery design. That would be (a) electrode surface area, (b) thickness, (c) current collector (Al and Cu) quality/thickness etc. Which will give as (at least rough) understanding of real battery capacity.
After some measurements we have:

Cathode area: 164 cm2
Al current collector thickness: 25 um
Cathode loading: ~ 0.021 mg/cm2

Anode area: 164 cm2
Cu current collector thickness: 30 um
Anode loading: ~ 0.01 mg/cm2

Now we have to assume something to be able to calculate real battery capacity. Since we do not use any fancy tools (XPS, X-ray, NMR etc.) to detect for sure what kind of material this particular maker used in this particular battery. We will use common sense and assume (with a bit fair) that:

Cathode: LiCoO2 (145 mAh/g) with 90% of active and 10% binder/conductive
Anode: Graphite (330 mAh/g) with 90% of active and 10% binder/conductive

Now, we can calculate that actual capacity for this device (which is labeled as 1000 mAh) it is just about 900 mAh (with relatively fair assumptions).

This means, well you know what is that.....

Full size pictures are available here

Teijin CNF Korea begins production of LIELSORT separators for Li-ion batteries

2012-07-09T22:41:00.001+08:00

Teijin CNF Korea begins production of LIELSORT separators for Li-ion batteries:

Teijin CNF Korea Co., Ltd., an Asan-based joint venture between Teijin and major Korean film processor CNF, has begun commercial production of LIELSORT, a Teijin-developed separator for lithium ion secondary batteries (LIBs).
Of the two types of LIELSORT-branded separators, Teijin CNF Korea will initially produce one type coated with a fluorine-based compound that achieves superior adhesion to the polymer electrolyte and is highly resistant to oxidation, resulting in LIBs that offer higher output while maintaining stable high voltage. The company also plans to soon begin producing the second type, a highly heat-resistant separator coated with Teijinconex meta-aramid.
As part of market expansion strategies for LIELSORT, Teijin has established a wholly owned subsidiary in Seoul called Teijin Electronics Korea Co., Ltd. to sell both separators. This production and sales network, which has close connections to world-leading South Korean LIB producers, will also provide Teijin with a secure foothold for penetrating the Chinese market.
For LIELSORT, Teijin has used its expertise in polymeric chemistry to develop the first technology for simultaneously coating both sides of the separator. It also developed a high-speed coating technology that is five times faster than conventional coating. Both technologies enable more efficient production.

(Via Green Car Congress)

Lithium's Prospects - Seeking Alpha

2012-06-04T23:12:00.001+08:00

Lithium's Prospects - Seeking Alpha:

As gas prices reach a staggering $4 per gallon, with early predictions in the $5 range for summer, many consumers who have been reluctant might now be considering the electric alternatives to keep their wheels turning. Lithium-ion batteries, the technology in hybrid electric cars and consumer electronics, are just one part of the lithium market but could be where the most growth and potential lie. Lithium is used in a wide range of applications, from nuclear weapons to medicine. As of 2010, the most common use for lithium was as flux for glass and ceramics (29% of lithium usage in the USA), with the battery industry trailing closely (27%). The most notable use of lithium-ion batteries is in purely electric and hybrid electric vehicles, but lithium also powers cell-phones, iPods, iPads, laptop computers, and other consumer electronics. Some of its other uses can be seen in high-heat lubricating greases, air purification, certain optical devices, and in the manufacturing of high-performance airplane parts from lithium-aluminium alloy. read more...

(Via seekingalpha.com)

Panasonic to begin mass-production of long-life Li-ion battery system for solar-powered homes in Europe

2012-06-04T22:32:00.001+08:00

Panasonic to begin mass-production of long-life Li-ion battery system for solar-powered homes in Europe:

Panasonic Corporation will begin mass-production this month of a compact, secure and long-life lithium-ion battery system the company has developed for European homes. This marks the first time for the company to produce in volume such a system designed for Europe.
The lithium-ion battery system consists of the Panasonic battery module with nominal capacity of 1.35 kWh and a battery management system designed to control charge and discharge of the battery in accordance with customer needs. The battery system stores excess energy generated from the photovoltaic (PV) power system during peak hours of PV generation and discharges the energy as needed, providing a solution as a household battery storage system that helps self-consumption of solar-generated power. It will also enable households to reduce the dependence on grid power and facilitate the further spread of green energy. Features of the residential energy storage system include:

Life time of 5,000 cycles, based on 80% DOD and non-extreme temperatures.

Battery management provides battery status information to the controller of home energy storage system, which allows users to remotely monitor the status of the system and battery.

In Germany and other European countries, governments are cutting purchase prices for solar power in order to rein in the expansion of solar power generation, which led to increases in energy prices, Panasonic noted. The move is expected to create a growing need for a solution that allows consumers to optimize the consumption of solar energy generated on their rooftops. With an eye to a coming era where people generate energy for their own use, Panasonic said it is strengthening its storage battery business and the development of large-scale storage battery systems for which demand is expected to expand rapidly.
Last year, Panasonic supplied its lithium-ion battery storage system for the S10 household energy storage system developed by E3/DC, an engineering firm in Germany. Through field tests in Germany, Panasonic is ready to mass-produce the lithium-ion battery system.

In Germany, there is a concern that the integration of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, into the power grid could cause instability in power distribution because of their unpredictable nature. With our state-of-art lithium-ion battery technology and high-quality battery management systems, we will promote self-consumption of solar power generated by households as well as reduction of load during peak hours. In so doing, Panasonic aims for a leading position in providing a solution to protect the power grid system.

—Fumitoshi Terashima, Director, Smart Energy Systems Business Unit, Energy Company of Panasonic

In Europe, the lithium-ion battery system is distributed by Smart Energy Systems Department, Mobile Energy Business Division of SANYO Component Europe GmbH.

(Via Green Car Congress)

"It’s crazy how little we’re funding energy" - Bill Gates

2012-03-01T12:02:00.000+08:00

"It’s crazy how little we’re funding energy" - Bill Gates
Energy research is underfunded by a factor of two, Gates said, referring to the amount of current U.S. government investment in energy research.
Underfunding energy research means there is a higher risk that we won’t be able to deliver the needed energy breakthroughs, said Gates. Gates pointed out that funding basic research naturally has a high failure rate: Potentially 90 percent of the projects in ARPA-E won’t make a dent in the future of energy technology, he said. “Look at the battery companies [at ARPA-E], and if you can find the one out of ten that will breakthrough, then great, go invest in it,” said Gates.

by Earth2Tech by Katie Fehrenbacher

The Birth of the Lithium-Ion Battery

2012-03-01T11:54:00.001+08:00

The moment of truth:

The Birth of the Lithium-Ion Battery

The lithium-ion battery is currently the predominant power source for mobile phones, laptop computers, and many other portable electronic devices, and is being used increasingly in electric vehicles. Its inventor, A. Yoshino, describes the process by which the lithium-ion battery was first developed (picture shows the first test-tube cell) and made commercially practical. Successful safety tests marked the turning point in this work.

from Angewandte Chemie International Edition by Akira Yoshino

The highly heat-resistant separator coated with Teijinconex meta-aramid

2012-02-06T21:17:00.002+08:00

Hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte membrane (Photo credit: SandiaLabs)

The highly heat-resistant separator coated with Teijinconex meta-aramid
The new separator, which is coated with a fluorine-based compound, is designed for use in laminated-type LIBs. Such LIBs, which feature a gel polymer electrolyte, are used in tablets and smartphones. The new separator readily adheres to the polymer electrolyte and is highly resistant to oxidation, resulting in LIBs that offer greater safety, higher output and longer lifespans.
The highly heat-resistant separator coated with Teijinconex meta-aramid maintains its shape even at 250℃. In spot heating tests, Teijin has verified that the separator does not break down even at 350℃. Also, thanks to the separator's superior resistance to oxidation, it enables unprecedented capacity and energy density for liquid-electrolyte cylindrical LIBs used in products including PCs and vehicles. These LIBs also achieve higher levels of safety and longer lifespans than conventional LIBs.

2012-02-05T17:25:00.002+08:00

GBL-based electrolyte for Li-ion battery: thermal and electrochemical performance
Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry: Volume 16, Issue 2 (2012), Page 603-615

Thermal stability, flammability, and electrochemical performances of the cyclic carbonate-based electrolytes [where γ-butyrolactone (GBL) is a main component (at least 50 vol.%) among of EC and PC with LiBF₄] have been examined in comparison with contemporary (EC/EMC, 1:3 vol.%, 1 M LiPF₆) electrolyte by DSC, accelerating rate calorimetry (ARC), AC impedance, and cyclic voltammetry (CV). This study shows that GBL-based electrolytes have perfect thermal stability and will improve Li-ion battery safety (including flammability) without performance trade-off with the accurate combination of active materials and separator. Several types of negative electrode materials (such as hard carbon, MCMB, and SWF) have been tested to evaluate GBL-based electrolyte influence on SEI formation and battery performance. Finally, GBL-based electrolytes show not only equal electrochemical performance in comparison to commonly used electrolytes (EC/EMC in this study) but it will notably improve battery safety.

SpringerLink

new iPad`s (3?) battery capacity upgrade

2011-12-29T16:54:00.000+08:00

According to DigiTimes Apple may increase battery capacity of upcoming high-end version of new iPad

The battery capacity for the high-end version of Apple's new iPad - due to be unveiled in January 2012 - will be increased to 14,000mAH compared to 6,500mAH used currently, according to industry sources.

Apple's battery suppliers Simplo Technology and Dynapack declined to comment on matters concerning clients.

{Apple is set to unveil two versions of its next-generation tablet, one for the high-end segment and one for the mid-range segment, the sources said.}?

Meanwhile, the penetration rate of lithium-polymer batteries such as those used in iPad 2 is expected to reach 15% in 2012 compared to 5% in 2011, the sources estimated.

Global production of lithium-polymer battery cells will top 400 million units in 2011, and the prices of the cells are expected to remain higher in 2012 after being hiked by 20% in the second quarter of 2011, the sources indicated.

original source: DigiTimes

Patent watch: SEPARATOR INCLUDING POROUS COATING LAYER AND ELECTROCHEMICAL DEVICE

2011-11-17T13:24:00.000+08:00

Disclosed is a separator. The separator includes a planar non-woven fabric substrate having a plurality of pores, and a porous coating layer formed on at least one surface of the non-woven fabric substrate. The porous coating layer is composed of a mixture of filler particles and a binder polymer. The filler particles include conductive positive temperature coefficient (PTC) particles composed of a mixture of conductive particles and a low melting point resin having a melting point lower than that of the non-woven fabric substrate. Due to the presence of the conductive PTC particles, the porous coating layer can be imparted with a shutdown function against thermal runaway. In addition, the porous coating layer exhibits appropriate electrical conductivity. Therefore, the separator is suitable for use in a high-capacity electrochemical device.

Inventors: Pil-Kyu Park, Jong-Hun Kim, Soon-Ho Ahn, Je-Young Kim
Original Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.

Application number: 13/173,902; Publication number: US 2011/0256443 A1; Filing date: Jun 30, 2011

PTC or conductive particles are made of at least one carbonaceous material selected from the group consisting of natural graphite, artificial graphite, carbon black and graphite; the filler particles have an average particle diameter of 0.001 to 10 μm and the conductive particles and the low melting point resin are present in a weight ratio of 50:50 to 90:10.

The binder polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride-co-trichloroethylene, polymethyl methacrylate, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene-co-vinyl acetate, polyethylene oxide, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate propionate, cyanoethylpullulan, cyanoethyl polyvinyl alcohol, cyanoethyl cellulose, cyanoethyl sucrose, pullulan, carboxymethyl cellulose, and mixtures thereof and has a solubility parameter of 15 to 45 Mpa1/2.

The non-woven fabric substrate is composed of microfibers having an average diameter of 0.5 to 10 μm and have a melting point of at least 200° C with a pore size distribution in which at least 50% of the pores have a longest diameter of 0.1 to 70 μm. It may be composed of at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyacetal, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyimide, polyether ether ketone, polyethersulfone, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene sulfide and polyethylene naphthalate.

Optimising organic ionic plastic crystal electrolyte for all solid-state and higher than ambient temperature lithium batteries

2011-11-13T20:34:00.000+08:00

from Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry

Abstract
Organic ionic plastic crystal (OIPC) electrolytes are among the key enabling materials for solid-state and higher than ambient temperature lithium batteries. This work overviews some of the parameter studies on the Li|OIPC interface using lithium symmetrical cells as well as the optimisation and performance of Li|OIPC|LiFePO4 cells. The effects of temperature and electrolyte thickness on the cycle performance of the lithium symmetrical cell, particularly with respect to the interfacial and bulk resistances, are demonstrated. Whilst temperature change substantially alters both the interfacial and bulk resistance, changing the electrolyte thickness predominantly changes the bulk resistance only. In addition, an upper limit of the current density is demonstrated, above which irreversible processes related to electrolyte decomposition take place. Here, we demonstrate an excellent discharge capacity attained on LiFePO4|10 mol% LiNTf2-doped [C2mpyr][NTf2]|Li cell, reaching 126 mAh g-1 at 50 °C (when the electrolyte is in its solid form) and 153 mAh g-1 at 80 °C (when the electrolyte is in its liquid form). Most remarkably, at high temperature operation, the capacity retention at long cycles and high current is excellent with only a slight (3%) drop in discharge capacity upon increasing the current from 0.2 C to 0.5 C. These results highlight the real prospects for developing a lithium battery with high temperature performance that easily surpasses that achievable with even the best contemporary lithium-ion technology.

DOI 10.1007/s10008-011-1566-6

Authors
- Jaka Sunarso, Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Institute for Technology Research and Innovation, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia
- Youssof Shekibi, CSIRO Energy Technology, Bayview Avenue, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
- Jim Efthimiadis, Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Institute for Technology Research and Innovation, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia
- Liyu Jin, ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Department of Materials Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
- Jennifer M. Pringle, ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Department of Materials Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
- Anthony F. Hollenkamp, CSIRO Energy Technology, Bayview Avenue, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
- Douglas R. MacFarlane, ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Department of Chemistry, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
- Maria Forsyth, Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Institute for Technology Research and Innovation, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia
- Patrick C. Howlett, Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Institute for Technology Research and Innovation, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia

Surfactant-free nonaqueous synthesis of lithium titanium oxide (LTO) nanostructures for lithium ion battery applications

2011-11-13T11:44:00.000+08:00

RSC - J. Mater. Chem. latest articles
Nicola Pinna
Seung-Ho Yu, Andrea Pucci, Tobias Herntrich, Marc-Georg Willinger, Seung-Hwan Baek, Yung-Eun Sung, Nicola Pinna

A one-pot template-free solvothermal synthesis of crystalline Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ nanostructures based on the “benzyl alcohol route” is introduced. The 1–2 µm sized nanostructured spherical particles are constituted of nanocrystallites in the size range of a few nm. This is the first report showing that crystalline Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ can be directly obtained by soft chemistry solution routes. The as-synthesized crystalline nanostructures show good lithium intercalation/deintercalation performances at high rates (up to 30 C) and good cycling stabilities. Annealing the nanostructures at 750 °C improves the performance, which approaches the theoretical capacity of Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ with no noticeable (less than 5%) capacity loss after 200 cycles.

(Paper from J. Mater. Chem.)
Seung-Ho Yu, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/c0jm03064c
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Patent watch: ELECTROLYTE COMPOSITIONS FOR BATTERIES USING SULPHUR OR SULPHUR COMPOUNDS

2011-11-13T10:30:00.001+08:00

There are disclosed electrolytes comprising solutions of lithium salts with large anions in polar aprotic solvents with a particular concentration of background salts. The concentration of the background salts is selected to be equal or close to the concentration of a saturated solution of these salts in the aprotic solvents used. The electrolytes disclosed can be used in chemical sources of electric energy such as secondary (rechargeable) cells and batteries comprising sulphur-based positive active materials. The use of such electrolytes increases cycling efficiency and cycle life of the cells and batteries.

Inventors: Vladimir KOLOSNITSYN, Elena KARASEVA
Application number: 13/153,157 Publication number: US 2011/0236766 A1 Filing date: Jun 3, 2011

Fig. 1 Charge/discharge capacity fade of standard Li-S cell

Fig. 9 Charge/discharge capacity fade of Li-S cell with a saturated electrolyte solution as 1.7M of LiClO4 in methylpropylsulfone @ 0.25C ch/dch

Fast capacity fade and relatively low cycling efficiency are the main problems encountered when designing lithium-sulphur batteries. Irreversible transfer of sulphur from the positive electrode (cathode) to the surface of the negative electrode (anode) and its accumulation there in the form of lithium sulphide or disulphide is one of the major reasons for capacity fade during cycling of lithium-sulphur cells. The low cycling efficiency of lithium-sulphur batteries is caused by the reversible transfer of sulphur in the middle of the charge and discharge process. This transfer results in what is known as the sulphide cycle, i.e. the energy transfer inside the battery (in its internal circuit).

Elemental sulphur and the end products of sulphur reduction (lithium sulphide or disulphide) are known to be poorly soluble in most organic solvents. In contrast, lithium polysulphides (intermediate forms produced during the reduction of elemental sulphur or during oxidation of lithium sulphide and disulphide) are well soluble in many organic solvents. Lithium polysulphides may be present in electrolyte systems in three forms: molecular, mono-anionic, and di- anionic. Hence sulphur in the electrolyte can be transferred either in molecular (neutral) or in ionic (anionic) form. The diffusion of elemental sulphur and non-dissociated lithium polysulphides dissolved in the electrolyte contributes to the molecular transfer of sulphur. The diffusion and electromigration of the mono- and di-anions of polysulphides, as well as sulphur anion-radicals, contributes to the ionic form of sulphur transfer. The existence of two mechanisms increases the overall sulphur transfer.

When forming the electrolyte compositions of embodiments of the present invention, the following considerations may be taken into account:

[0054] 1) The electrolyte composition should comprise a non-aqueous aprotic solvent, lithium or another alkali metal salt and optional modifying additives.
[0055] 2) Said salt can be an individual salt or a number of different salts.
[0056] 3) Said salt or number of salts are dissolved in an individual aprotic polar solvent or a mixture of solvents.
[0057] 4) Said electrolyte composition should be chosen in a way that the concentration of the lithium salt or the mixture of salts is equal (or close) to the concentration of a saturated solution of the salt or salts used in the solvent or mixture of solvents.

Recovered LiCoO2 as anode materials for Ni/Co power batteries

2011-11-13T09:31:00.001+08:00

Recovered LiCoO2 as anode materials for Ni/Co power batteries:

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C1CP21936G, Communication

Dawei Song, Yanan Xu, Cuihua An, Qinghong Wang, Yaping Wang, Li Li, Yijing Wang, Lifang Jiao, Huatang Yuan

Recovered LiCoO₂ material is investigated as anode materials for Ni/Co power batteries for the first time.

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(Via RSC - Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. latest articles)

New high-power Si–graphene composite electrode for Li-ion batteries

2011-11-12T22:24:00.001+08:00

New high-power Si–graphene composite electrode for Li-ion batteries:

Northwestern Univ. researchers report on a new high-power Si–graphene composite anode material for Li-ion batteries in the journal Advanced Energy Materials.
With current technology, the capabilities of a lithium-ion battery are limited in two ways: energy capacity is limited by the charge density, and charge rate is limited by the speed at which the lithium ions can make their way from the electrolyte into the anode.
The Northwestern research team combined two techniques to combat both these problems. First, to stabilize the silicon in order to maintain maximize charge capacity, they sandwiched clusters of silicon between the graphene sheets. This allowed for a greater number of lithium ions in the electrode while utilizing the flexibility of graphene sheets to accommodate the volume changes of silicon during use.

Rendering of the composite electrode with sandwiched Si clusters and in-plane defects. Click to enlarge.

The team also used a chemical oxidation process to create minuscule holes (10-20 nanometers) in the graphene sheets—i.e., “in-plane defects”—so the lithium ions would have a “shortcut” into the anode. This reduced the time it takes the battery to recharge by up to 10 times.

Introducing a high density of in-plane, nanometer-sized carbon vacancies in graphene sheets greatly enhances ion diffusion across the sheets in a Si–graphene composite. The flexible, self-supporting three-dimensional conducting graphenic scaffold incorporating Si nanoparticles exhibit excellent rate performance and tolerance to structural deformation, which represents an attractive high power-high capacity anode material for Li-ion batteries.

—Zhao et al.

Next the researchers will begin studying changes in the cathode that could further increase effectiveness of the batteries. They will also look into developing an electrolyte system that will allow the battery to automatically shut off at high temperatures.
Resources

Zhao, X., Hayner, C. M., Kung, M. C. and Kung, H. H. (2011) In-Plane Vacancy-Enabled High-Power Si–Graphene Composite Electrode for Lithium-Ion Batteries. Advanced Energy Materials DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201100426

(Via Green Car Congress)

Patent watch: NON-AQUEOUS ELECTROLYTE SOLUTION FOR LITHIUM SECONDARY BATTERY AND LITHIUM

2011-11-12T22:20:00.001+08:00

Disclosed are a non-aqueous electrolyte solution for a lithium secondary battery and a lithium secondary battery comprising the same. The non-aqueous electrolyte solution for a lithium secondary battery may include difluorotoluene having a lowest oxidation potential among components of the non-aqueous electrolyte solution. The lithium secondary battery may have improvement in basic performance including high rate charge/discharge characteristics, cycle life characteristics, and the like, and may remarkably reduce swelling caused by decomposition of an electrolyte solution under high voltage conditions such as overcharge.

Inventors: Jong-Ho Jeon, Yong-Gon Lee, Seung-Woo Chu, Shul-Kee Kim, Hyun-Yeong Lee, Jae-Deok Jeon Application number: 13/164,107 Publication number: US 2011/0244339 A1 Filing date: Jun 20, 2011

Patent watch: ELECTROCHEMICAL DEVICE WITH ALTERNATIVE SEPARATOR SYSTEM

2011-11-12T21:34:00.001+08:00

New patent application from LG Chem: Provided is an electrochemical device comprising multi-stacked unit cells of full cells or bicells and a separation film disposed therebetween, whereby the separation film and separators are alternately stacked between electrode layers with an opposite polarity. Herein, as the separation film is formed of a material having a higher thermal shrinkage rate than that of the separator, the thermal stability of the device can be secured by stable induction of shutdown via thermal behavior of the separation film, without causing short-circuiting due to thermal shrinkage of the separator even when a temperature of a battery suddenly rises by internal or external factors.

Application number: 13/107,122
Publication number: US 2011/0217586 A1 Filing date: May 13, 2011
Inventors: Je Young KIM, Pil Kyu PARK, Soonho AHN Original Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.

Original separator placement New separator placement

Also some Claims suggested that the separator is formed of a ceramic material or an engineering plastic having a melting point of more than 200° C. wherein the ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of Pb(Zr,Ti)O3, Pb1−xLaxZr1−yTiyO3 wherein x and y are independently in the range of 0 to 1, PB(Mg3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3, BaTiO3, HfO2, SrTiO3, TiO2, SiO2, Al2O3, ZrO2, SnO2, CeO2, MgO, CaO, Y2O3 and any combination thereof and the engineering plastic is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polysulfone, polyimide, polyamide, polyacetal and any combination thereof.

AIST team developing Li-air capacitor-battery targeted for EVs

2011-11-12T14:10:00.001+08:00

AIST team developing Li-air capacitor-battery targeted for EVs:

A team from Japan’s AIST (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology) reports on the development of a “lithium–air capacitor–battery based on a hybrid electrolyte” in a paper in the RSC journal Energy & Environmental Science.
The team had earlier investigated a hybrid electrolyte lithium–air battery, in which a lithium anode in a non-aqueous electrolyte and an air-catalytic cathode in an aqueous electrolyte solution were separated by a ceramic LISICON film. (Earlier post.)
As reported then, the lithium-air cell showed a continuous cathode discharge capacity of 50,000 mAh g^-1 (per unit mass of the carbon, catalyst and binder). By comparison, conventional Li-ion batteries offer 120-150 mAh g_-1 (active material + conduction assisting carbon + binder), and conventional lithium-air cells offer 700-3,000 mAh g^-1.

In the present work, a capacitor electrode was put in the non-aqueous electrolyte solution as an additional cathode in parallel with the air catalytic cathode. The proposed lithium–air batteries with an additional capacitor cathode can successfully unite capacitor character and lithium–air battery character in one device which is now nominated as a “lithium–air capacitor–battery based on a hybrid electrolyte”.

When high power is needed, the capacitor cathode would play the main role of peak power output; when high energy is demanded, the air catalytic cathode would display its high energy character. The adjustability of power output and energy output demonstrate that the proposed lithium–air capacitor–battery should be a promising power system for future electric vehicles.

—Wang et al.

Resources

Yonggang Wang, Ping He and Haoshen Zhou (2011) A lithium–air capacitor–battery based on a hybrid electrolyte. Energy Environ. Sci., DOI: 10.1039/C1EE02121D

(Via Green Car Congress)

Fast Lithium-Ion Conducting Thin-Film Electrolytes Integrated Directly on Flexible Substrates for High-Power Solid-State Batteries

2011-11-12T14:09:00.001+08:00

Fast Lithium-Ion Conducting Thin-Film Electrolytes Integrated Directly on Flexible Substrates for High-Power Solid-State Batteries:

By utilizing an equilibrium processing strategy that enables co-firing of oxides and base metals, a means to integrate the lithium-stable fast lithium-ion conductor lanthanum lithium tantalate directly with a thin copper foil current collector appropriate for a solid-state battery is presented. This resulting thin-film electrolyte possesses a room temperature lithium-ion conductivity of 1.5 × 10⁻⁵ S cm⁻¹, which has the potential to increase the power of a solid-state battery over current state of the art.

(Via Advanced Materials)

Li-ion batteries: news, progress, history and background

Inside the Lithium-Ion Battery R&D Lab

on the last post: Short notes on Open Access, Peer review & (insane) publications

on the last post: Short notes on Open Access, Peer review & (insane) publications

After contacting with editorial of J. of the Electochem. Soc. the Erratum: The Role of Carbonate and Sulfite Additives in Propylene Carbonate-Based Electrolytes on the Formation of SEI Layers at Graphitic Li-Ion Battery Anodes [J. Electrochem. Soc., 161, A1415 (2014)] come up

and recalculation of their most calculations....

enjoy...

PS:

Short notes on Open Access, Peer review & (insane) publications

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