Lithium-ion battery | EPFL Graph Search

A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery which uses the reversible reduction of lithium ions to store energy. The negative electrode of a conventional lithium-ion cell is typically graphite, a form of carbon. This negative electrode is sometimes called the anode as it acts as an anode during discharge. The positive electrode is typically a metal oxide; the positive electrode is sometimes called the cathode as it acts as a cathode during discharge. Positive and negative electrodes remain positive and negative in normal use whether charging or discharging and are therefore clearer terms to use than anode and cathode which are reversed during charging. The electrolyte is typically a lithium salt in an organic solvent. It is the predominant battery type used in portable consumer electronics and electric vehicles. It also sees significant use for grid-scale energy storage and military and aerospace applications. Compared to other rechargeable battery technolog

Electronic synergy to boost the performance of NiCoP-NWs@FeCoP-NSs anodes for flexible lithium-ion batteries

Minmin Liu, Kangning Zhao

Research and development of flexible lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with high energy density and long cycle life for portable and wearable electronic devices has been a cutting-edge effort in recent years. In this paper, a novel flexible self-standing anode for LIBs is fabricated successfully, in which NiCoP nanowires (NWs) coated with FeCoP nanosheets (NSs) to form core-shell heterostructure arrays are grown on carbon cloth (CC) (designated as NiCoP-NWs@FeCoP-NSs/CC). The obtained NiCoP-NWs@FeCoP-NSs/CC anode integrates the merits of the one-dimensional (1D) NiCoP-NW core and two-dimensional (2D) FeCoP-NS shell and the CC to show a high lithium-ion storage capacity with long-term cycling stability (1172.6 mA h g(-1) at 1 A g(-1) up to 300 cycles with a capacity retention of 92.6%). The kinetics studies demonstrate that the pseudocapacitive behavior dominates the fast lithium storage of this anode material. For fundamental mechanistic understanding, density functional theory (DFT) analysis is carried out, and manifests that electronic synergy can boost the superior performance of the NiCoP-NWs@FeCoP-NSs/CC anode. The assembled LiFePO4//NiCoP-NWs@FeCoP-NSs/CC full battery gives a discharge capacity of 469.9 mA h g(-1) at 0.5 A g(-1) after 500 cycles, and even at 2 A g(-1), it still can retain 581.5 mA h g(-1). Besides, the soft pack full battery can keep the LED lit continuously when it is folded at different angles and maintain brightness for a period of time, highlighting the large application potential of this flexible LIB for wearable electronic devices. This work provides an idea for the design and construction of advanced metal phosphide flexible electrodes for LIBs.

ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY2022

Atomic doping & coating for Electrocatalysis & Li-ion batteries

Albert Claude Jean-Pierre Daubry

molybdenum atomic-doping on bio-waste derived nitrogen-doped conductive carbon electrocatalyst was synthesized and investigated for the dinitrogen reduction to ammonia in alkaline media. The assessment of the catalytic activity was found to be non-trivial as nearly any external source can be the cause of ammonia contamination. In a closed-cell set-up using isotopically labelled 15N2 as feed gas for 48h chronoamperometry at -0.1 V vs RHE that the current density was correlated to the availability of the gas. Non-precious metals were incorporated in an oxidized carbon black conductive matrix and investigated for their activity towards oxygen evolution reaction in 0.1 M H2SO4, 0.5 M H2SO4 and 0.1 M HClO4. The stability of the deposited catalyst was insufficient and their deterioration was attributed to the oxidation of the carbon support as well as the dissolution of the metal ions upon high anodic potentials.The same metal-incorporated oxidized conductive carbon black agents were investigated for the enhancement of the performance of Si/C anodes in lithium-ion batteries. It was found that cobalt incorporation in the oxidized matrix displayed a significant influence in the electrochemical kinetics and consequent rate performances. With 0.8% cobalt ions by mass incorporated in oxidized KetJen Black the average capacity of the Si/C anode was increased by 180% at 1.5 A.g-1. This metal incorporation approach was extended to other ionic species (copper, iron and nickel) and other carbon conductive agents (SuperP). The electrolyte affinity, the desolvation process and the improved electronic conductivity synergistically improved the rate performance without compromising the gravimetric capacity of the electrode.The deposition of ultra-thin aluminium oxide by atomic layered deposition on the surface of LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 cathode material in lithium-ion batteries for the improvement of cyclic performances at high voltages (4.3-4.6 V) was investigated. One source of the failure mechanisms of the battery comes from unwanted side reactions between surface species and the electrolyte. The aluminium oxide layers of 1.42 nm and 2,36 nm were found to be beneficial at current densities exceeding 1.0 C (1 C = 170 mAh.g-1), and especially at 5.0 C with an increase of about 20 mAh.g-1 and 35 mAh.g-1 compared to uncoated NCM523, respectively. The capacity retention was found to be improved for all coated samples compared to pristine upon 140 cycles at 1.0 C. Mitigating side reactions and increasing the specific capacity at higher C-rates by atomically controlled layered deposition of inexpensive metal oxides is desirable for the implementation next-generation of safer and stable fast-charging high-voltage lithium-ion batteries.

EPFL2022

Enhanced rate performance of lithium-ion battery anodes using a cobalt-incorporated carbon conductive agent

Albert Claude Jean-Pierre Daubry, Xile Hu, Ming Yang

Lithium-ion batteries with enhanced rate performance are of crucial importance for practical applications. Extensive studies on the structural design and surface modification of electrode materials with the aim of improving the rate performance have been reported. Here we describe a new concept to enhance the rate capability by incorporating a tiny amount of metal species into the electron conductive agent. We show that the Si/C composite anode exhibits increased capabilities at high current densities when oxidized Ketjen black (KJB) with incorporated cobalt (Co-ox-KJB) is used as the electron conductive agent. Compared with the pristine KJB, the reversible capacities of the Si/C electrode with the Co-ox-KJB are increased by 180% on average at 1.50 A g(-1) (279 mA h g(-1)vs. 73 mA h g(-1), respectively). A synergistic contribution from enhanced electron conductivity by Co incorporation, improved affinity towards the electrolyte and an enhanced desolvation process by surface functional groups is responsible for the improved electrochemical performance. This approach is applicable for super P-based electron conductive agents as well.

ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY2022

Atomic doping & coating for Electrocatalysis & Li-ion batteries

Albert Claude Jean-Pierre Daubry

EPFL2022