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At least 181 records · Page 10

Reversible Mn 2+ /Mn 4+ double redox in lithium-excess cathode materials

There is an urgent need for low-cost, resource-friendly, high-energy-density cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries to satisfy the rapidly increasing need for electrical energy storage. To replace the nickel and cobalt, which are limited resources and are associated with safety problems, in current lithium-ion batteries, high-capacity cathodes based on manganese would be particularly desirable owing to the low cost and high abundance of the metal, and the intrinsic stability of the Mn 4+ oxidation state. In this paper we present a strategy of combining high-valent cations and the partial substitution of fluorine for oxygen in a disordered-rocksalt structure to incorporate the reversible Mn 2+ /Mn 4+ double redox couple into lithium-excess cathode materials. The lithium-rich cathodes thus produced have high capacity and energy density. Finally, the use of the Mn 2+ /Mn 4+ redox reduces oxygen redox activity, thereby stabilizing the materials, and opens up new opportunities for the design of high-performance manganese-rich cathodes for advanced lithium-ion batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Strain-driven surface reconstruction and cation segregation in layered Li(Ni 1– x – y Mn x Co y )O 2 (NMC) cathode materials

The composition, structure and phase transformations occurring on cathode surfaces greatly affect the performance of Li-ion batteries. Li-Ion diffusion and surface–electrolyte interaction are two major phenomena that impact the capacity and cell impedance. The effects of surface reconstruction (SR) of cathode materials on the performance of Li-ion batteries are of current interest. However, the origin and evolution of the SR are still not well understood. In this work, density functional theory (DFT) calculations are used to investigate the processes taking place during surface segregation and reconstruction. Facet dependent segregation was found in Li(Ni 1– x – y Mn x Co y )O 2 (NMC) cathodes. Specifically, Co tends to segregate to the (104) surface of the primary particles within the transition metal layer, while Ni ions tend to segregate to the (012) surface in the Li layer, forming a SR. Experimental evidence shows the SR to be epitaxial with the bulk of the as-synthesized material, and the new SR phase is pinned to the NMC unit cell leading to a strained SR. Here, we demonstrate that strain can stabilize a spinel structure of the SR layers. Understanding the effects of surface strain opens a new avenue for the design of cathode materials with enhanced surface properties.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

The influence of reduced graphene oxide on electrical conductivity of LiFePO{sub 4}-based composite as cathode material

LiFePO{sub 4} is fascinating cathode active materials for Li-ion batteries application because of their high electrochemical performance such as a stable voltage at 3.45 V and high specific capacity at 170 mAh.g{sup −1}. However, their low intrinsic electronic conductivity and low ionic diffusion are still the hindrance for their further application on Li-ion batteries. Therefore, the efforts to improve their conductivity are very important to elevate their prospecting application as cathode materials. Herein, we reported preparation of additional of reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) into LiFePO{sub 4}-based composite via hydrothermal method and the influence of rGO on electrical conductivity of LiFePO{sub 4}−based composite by varying mass of rGO in composition. Vibration of LiFePO{sub 4}-based composite was detected on Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra, while single phase of LiFePO{sub 4} nanocrystal was observed on X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) pattern, it furthermore, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images showed that rGO was distributed around LiFePO4-based composite. Finally, the 4-point probe measurement result confirmed that the optimum electrical conductivity is in additional 2 wt% rGO for range 1 to 2 wt% rGO.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

High-Performance Low-Cobalt Cathode Materials for Li-ion Batteries

The layer-structured Li[Ni x Co y Mn 1-x-y ]O 2 (NCM) cathode materials have been the best choice for increasing electric vehicle driving distance per charge. The high Ni layered oxide represents successfully commercialized NCM cathodes (such as NCM622 and NCA) in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for EV applications due to their high energy density and acceptable cycling stability. However, the price of cobalt, the key element within LIBs for stability, has nearly tripled over the past few years due to increased demand from the cell phone industry. As mentioned in the DOE Funding Opportunity Announcement, the current materials shortage will also cause speculation for a future global shortage. Therefore, to meet the requirement and sustainability of the next-generation long-range and low-cost EVs, developing cathode materials with low-Co content to achieve higher energy density and lower cost is both essential and urgent. The overarching objective of this work is to develop stabilized NCM cathode materials with low Co content (namely LiNi x Co y Mn 1-x-y O 2 , y ≤ 0.04) to meet DOE’s goal of reducing Co loading below 50 mg Wh -1 while maintaining energy density greater than 600 Wh kg -1 based on cathode material. Via various dopings and coatings scalable methods, we explored and enhanced the cycling performance of low-cobalt cathodes. The final obtained NCM cathodes paired with graphite anode aim to deliver batteries with a high initial specific energy density of over 240 Wh kg -1 and a low capacity fading rate of less than 20% in 1000 cycles under a C/3 discharge rate. To accomplish this goal, a multidisciplinary team with several co-investigators has been formed from three organizations: The Pennsylvania State University (PSU), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The PI and co-investigators are Dr. Donghai Wang (PI) from PSU with expertise in the synthesis of nanostructured materials and manipulation of interfacial properties of electrochemically active materials, Dr. Jagjit Nanda, with substantial knowledge of and expertise in state-of-the-art cathodes from ORNL, Dr. Chao-Yang Wang with significant experience in advanced cell design and fabrication and cell diagnostics from PSU, and Dr. Chongmin Wang with world-wide known expertise of advance atomic scale characterization of electrode materials from PNNL. Furthermore, this project will leverage and synergistically work with the current DOE-funded programs on battery materials at PSU and ORNL and electrode materials characterization at PNNL. During this funded period, we have accomplished milestones stated as follows: • Scale up production of LiFePO 4 (LFP) coated NCM811 with a production of 300g/batch. Fifteen (≥2 Ah) pouch cells with LFP-coated NCM811 cathode are delivered. Self-evaluated pouch cells in PSU show superior over 80% capacity retention performance even after 1500 cycles at C/3 rate. • Various cations (Al, Ti, Zr, and Mo) substitute cobalt in low-cobalt partially and Co-free cathodes. Their effects on crystal structure and electrochemical behavior are explored. • Phosphate compounds as coating materials represent promising surface protection precursors for low-cobalt cathode materials. Therefore, several metal phosphates were selected for improving the NMC cycling performance and are regarded as effective approaches for a scalable and practical surface protection method. • Production of NCM92, where Nickel content is 92% among transition metals, is scaled up from synthesis to coating and heat treatment procedures. Fifteen 2.7Ah pouch cells with Ti-doped NCM92 cathodes and industrial graphite anode are delivered to Idaho National Lab for testing.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Metalized, three-dimensional structured oxygen cathode materials for lithium/air batteries and method for making and using the same

This disclosure relates generally to cathode materials for electrochemical energy cells, more particularly to metal/air electrochemical energy cell cathode materials containing silver vanadium oxide and methods of making and using the same. The metal/air electrochemical energy cell can be a lithium/air electrochemical energy cell. Moreover the silver vanadium oxide can be a catalyst for one or more of oxidation and reduction processes of the electrochemical energy cell.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Enhanced mechanical strength and electrochemical performance of core–shell structured high–nickel cathode material

Improving capacity retention during cycling and the thermal–abuse tolerance of layered high–nickel cathode material, LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 (NMC811), is a significant challenge. In this work, a series of core–shell structured cathode materials with the overall composition of LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 was prepared via a coprecipitation method in which the nickel–rich composition (LiNi 0.9 Mn 0.05 Co 0.05 O 2 ) is the core and the manganese–rich composition (LiNi 0.33 Mn 0.33 Co 0.33 O 2 ) is the shell. In terms of achieving a higher nickel content (more than 80%) of heterogeneous material, this core–shell structured material is a more practical approach because it has a larger nickel–rich core region and a thicker manganese–rich shell than the full–concentration gradient material, not to mention being more feasible for continuous mass production. Analysis of mechanical strength through nanoindentation shows that the core–shell structured NMC811 has higher stiffness and compressive stress–strain than the commercial homogeneous NMC811 and retains the mechanical strength and the binding force strong enough to prevent crack formation even after 200 cycles. The prepared core–shell structure NMC811 exhibits a greatly improved capacity retention of 76.6% compared to the commercial homogeneous NMC811 with a capacity retention of 39.6% after 200 cycles. This material also exhibits significantly improved thermal stability over the commercial homogeneous NMC811.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Addressing Inherent Challenges to Chemical Relithiation of Cycled End‐of‐Life Cathode Materials

Recycling end‐of‐life (EOL) lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) is important to retain valuable resources from critical materials present in EOL battery waste. Direct recycling methods offer an opportunity to recover intact valuable cathode materials with minimal re‐processing. An important step of the direct recycling process is relithiation which is used to restore lithium content to EOL cathode materials. However, little has been done to study how preprocessing steps such as washing or binder removal may affect relithiation methods in the direct recycling process. Here, the evolution of fluorine byproducts left over from preprocessing steps during a low‐temperature chemical redox mediator relithiation process is tracked. A facile washing step is presented as a solution for mediating adverse effects of surface contamination on the chemical relithiation performance. The structure, lithium content, and electrochemical performance of relithiated EOL NMC 622 material that underwent a pre‐relithiation washing step to remove fluorine byproducts is shown to match that of pristine NMC 622. In this work, it is showed that redox mediator relithiation as a part of a direct recycling process is a promising low energy method that can be applied to EOL material with inherent surface impurities if the proper pre‐relithiation processing steps are implemented.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

ZnNi x Mn x Co 2–2 x O 4 Spinel as a High‐Voltage and High‐Capacity Cathode Material for Nonaqueous Zn‐Ion Batteries

Abstract Nonaqueous Zn‐ion batteries are regarded as one alternative for Li‐ion batteries. Such batteries not only afford attractive attributes of cost, but also embody the advantages of the high‐specific capacities of Zn anodes, as well as the wide potential window of nonaqueous electrolytes. To fully exploit these advantages, improved cathode materials are highly desired. In this manuscript, a new series of spinels, ZnNi x Mn x Co 2–2 x O 4 , are reported as cathode materials for nonaqueous Zn‐ion batteries. Full cells constructed using this new spinel ( x = 1/2) as a cathode paired with a metal anode showed capacities over 200 cycles of 174 mAh g −1 and an open circuit potential of 2.05 V. The battery exhibits an energy density of 305 Wh kg −1 , which is the highest energy density yet reported for a Zn‐intercalation cathode. The data show that the Zn 2+ ions reversibly intercalate into the spinel structure during the charge/discharge processes, a compositional transformation directly correlated with a multiply reversible conversion between Co 4+ /Co 3+ , Ni 4+ /Ni 3+ /Ni 2+ , and Mn 4+ /Mn 3+ oxidation states within the lattice. The data suggest that Mn, Ni cosubstitution for Co in ZnCo 2 O 4 is an efficient method to facilitate Zn‐deintercalation and enhance discharge capacity, which may provide some guidelines for designing more attractive multivalent cathodes materials.

Pan, Chengsi↗

Structural Evolution of Li x Ni y Mn z Co 1-y-z O 2 Cathode Materials during High-Rate Charge and Discharge

Ni-rich lithium transition metal oxides have received significant attention due to their high capacities and rate capabilities determined via theoretical calculations. Although the structural properties of these materials are strongly correlated with the electrochemical performance, their structural stability during the high-rate electrochemical reactions has not been fully evaluated yet. In this work, transmission electron microscopy is used to investigate the crystallographic and electronic structural modifications of Ni-based cathode materials at a high charge/discharge rate of 10 C. It is found that the high-rate electrochemical reactions induce structural inhomogeneity near the surface of Ni-rich cathode materials, which limits Li transport and reduces their capacities. Furthermore, this study establishes a correlation between the high-rate electrochemical performance of the Ni-based materials and their structural evolution, which can provide profound insights for designing novel cathode materials having both high energy and power densities.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Enabling high energy lithium metal batteries via single-crystal Ni-rich cathode material co-doping strategy

High-capacity Ni-rich layered oxides are promising cathode materials for secondary lithium-based battery systems. However, their structural instability detrimentally affects the battery performance during cell cycling. Here, we report an Al/Zr co-doped single-crystalline LiNi<:sub>0.88 Co 0.09 Mn 0.03 O 2 (SNCM) cathode material to circumvent the instability issue. We found that soluble Al ions are adequately incorporated in the SNCM lattice while the less soluble Zr ions are prone to aggregate in the outer SNCM surface layer. The synergistic effect of Al/Zr co-doping in SNCM lattice improve the Li-ion mobility, relief the internal strain, and suppress the Li/Ni cation mixing upon cycling at high cut-off voltage. These features improve the cathode rate capability and structural stabilization during prolonged cell cycling. In particular, the Zr-rich surface enables the formation of stable cathode-electrolyte interphase, which prevent SNCM from unwanted reactions with the non-aqueous fluorinated liquid electrolyte solution and avoid Ni dissolution. To prove the practical application of the Al/Zr co-doped SNCM, we assembled a 10.8 Ah pouch cell (using a 100 μm thick Li metal anode) capable of delivering initial specific energy of 504.5 Wh kg- 1 at 0.1 °C and 25 °C.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Structural origin of disorder-induced ion conduction in NaFePO 4 cathode materials

Diffusion in NaFePO 4 can be enhanced through amorphization. Based on computations using DFT and machine learning potentials, we ascribe this phenomenon to the formation of less constrained Na-ion environments upon disordering. Most modern battery technologies depend on solid-state crystalline cathode materials. However, some of these materials are constrained by the low ionic conductivity of their most stable phases. An example of this is maricite (NaFePO 4 ). Interestingly, experiments have shown that maricite can improve its rate capability through disordering (amorphization). However, experimental characterization of amorphous cathode materials remains a major challenge, hindering a clear understanding of the structural origin of the disorder-induced improvement in sodium-ion mobility. To address this, we here employ molecular dynamics simulations by first training a machine learning potential for NaFePO 4 based on the atomic cluster expansion approach and a batch active learning potential parameterization scheme. This potential is then applied to explore the structural and dynamical properties of NaFePO 4 glasses as cathode materials. Specifically, we investigate the effect of glass structure on sodium-ion diffusion, revealing the relative influences of short-range and medium-range order features. We find significant heterogeneity in sodium-ion diffusivity in the glass, with fast-conducting ions residing in less constrained atomic environments with fewer P and Fe neighbors. These more mobile ions are also surrounded by larger ring-type structures. Overall, the results and developed approach present promising avenues for developing high-performance glassy cathodes for next-generation batteries.

Christensen, Rasmus↗

Understanding the Mesoscale Degradation in Nickel-Rich Cathode Materials through Machine-Learning-Revealed Strain–Redox Decoupling

The degradation of nickel-rich cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries upon prolonged electrochemical cycling features a complicated interplay among electronic structure, lattice configuration, and micro-morphology. The underlying mechanism for such an entanglement of different material properties at nano- to mesoscales is fundamental to the battery performance but not well-understood yet. Here we investigate the correlation between the local redox reaction and lattice mismatch through a nano-resolution synchrotron spectro-microscopy study of LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 (NCM 811) cathode particles. With assistance from a machine-learning-based data classification method, we identify local regions that demonstrate a strain–redox decoupling effect, which can be attributed to different side reactions. Overall, our results highlight the mesoscale reaction heterogeneity in the battery cathode and suggest that particle structure engineering could be a viable approach to mitigate the chemomechanical degradation of cathode materials.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Probing the Complexities of Structural Changes in Layered Oxide Cathode Materials for Li-Ion Batteries during Fast Charge–Discharge Cycling and Heating

The rechargeable lithium-ion battery (LIB) is the most promising energy storage system to power electric vehicles with high energy density and long cycling life. However, in order to meet customers’ demands for fast charging, the power performances of current LIBs need to be improved. From the cathode aspect, layer-structured cathode materials are widely used in today’s market and will continue to play important roles in the near future. The high rate capability of layered cathode materials during charging and discharging is critical to the power performance of the whole cell and the thermal stability is closely related to the safety issues. Therefore, the in-depth understanding of structural changes of layered cathode materials during high rate charging/discharging and the thermal stability during heating are essential in developing new materials and improving current materials. Since structural changes take place from the atomic level to the whole electrode level, combination of characterization techniques covering multilength scales is quite important. Finally, in many cases, this means using comprehensive tools involving diffraction, spectroscopy, and imaging to differentiate the surface from the bulk and to obtain structural/chemical information with different levels of spatial resolution.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Decomposition of PVDF to delaminate cathode materials from end-of-life lithium-ion battery cathodes

The growing demand of electric vehicles and rapid consumption of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) require recycling of spent cathode active materials (CAMs) to reduce hazardous wastes and supply raw materials to LIB production. To separate CAMs from the cathode, direct calcination of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) binder is widely applied, which leads to high energy consumption and release of toxic hydrogen fluoride. It is desirable to have an environmentally friendly and effective alternative to traditional direct calcination. In this study, five lithium salts, LiOAc (lithium acetate), LiNO 3 , LiCl, Li 2 CO 3 , and Li 2 SO 4 , were deployed and compared for their performance in recycling CAMs. A peel-off efficiency of up to 98.5% was achieved at a LiOAc to LiNO 3 molar ratio of 3:2, salt to cathode mass ratio of 10:1, and temperature of 300 °C at a holding time of 30 min. This system avoids corrosive chemicals and minimizes particle agglomeration of recycled products. Compared with sodium salt systems (NaOAc-NaNO 3 ) or direct calcination, the LiOAc-LiNO 3 system prevented high reaction temperature or further lithium loss and minimized crystal structure and morphological changes. In conclusion, a decomposition mechanism of PVDF through adsorption of HF and fluorine substitution was proposed.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Ab initio study of vacancy formation in cubic LaMnO{sub 3} and SmCoO{sub 3} as cathode materials in solid oxide fuel cells

Doped LaMnO{sub 3} and SmCoO{sub 3} are important solid oxide fuel cell cathode materials. The main difference between these two perovskites is that SmCoO{sub 3} has proven to be a more efficient cathode material than LaMnO{sub 3} at lower temperatures. In order to explain the difference in efficiency, we need to gain insight into the materials’ properties at the atomic level. However, while LaMnO{sub 3} has been widely studied, ab initio studies on SmCoO{sub 3} are rare. Hence, in this paper, we perform a comparative DFT + U study of the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of these two perovskites. To that end, we first determined a suitable Hubbard parameter for the Co d–electrons to obtain a proper description of SmCoO{sub 3} that fully agrees with the available experimental data. We next evaluated the impact of oxygen and cation vacancies on the geometry, electronic, and magnetic properties. Oxygen vacancies strongly alter the electronic and magnetic structures of SmCoO{sub 3}, but barely affect LaMnO{sub 3}. However, due to their high formation energy, their concentrations in the material are very low and need to be induced by doping. Studying the cation vacancy concentration showed that the formation of cation vacancies is less energetically favorable than oxygen vacancies and would thus not markedly influence the performance of the cathode.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Surface Modification of Nickel-Rich Cathode Materials by Ionically Conductive Materials at Room Temperature

Nickel-rich cathode materials (LiNi x Mn y Co 1-x-y O 2 , NMC) are promising to push the limits of lithium-ion batteries to higher energy density. This approach is favored in practical applications including electric vehicles and aviation transportation. However, the instability of the NMC at charged state results in safety concerns and poor cycling stability. Surface coating is a practical and effective strategy to address this. Cubic Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) is an ideal coating material regarding the low electron transfer rate and high Li+ conductivity. Thus, a LLZO coating layer can suppress the parasitic reactions in the electrode/electrolyte interface without deteriorating the lithium migration. However, high-temperature calcination seems to inevitably create the chemical couplings between NMC and LLZO, leading to the interdiffusion and degradation of NMC and LLZO crystal structures. This work presents a simple mechanochemical method to effectively coat LLZO on the NMC particle surface. Furthermore, the coated cathode demonstrates superior electrochemical performance compared with the pristine NMC cathode.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Dynamic behaviour of interphases and its implication on high-energy-density cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries

Undesired electrode–electrolyte interactions prevent the use of many high-energy-density cathode materials in practical lithium-ion batteries. Efforts to address their limited service life have predominantly focused on the active electrode materials and electrolytes. Here an advanced three-dimensional chemical and imaging analysis on a model material, the nickel-rich layered lithium transition-metal oxide, reveals the dynamic behaviour of cathode interphases driven by conductive carbon additives (carbon black) in a common nonaqueous electrolyte. Region-of-interest sensitive secondary-ion mass spectrometry shows that a cathode-electrolyte interphase, initially formed on carbon black with no electrochemical bias applied, readily passivates the cathode particles through mutual exchange of surface species. By tuning the interphase thickness, we demonstrate its robustness in suppressing the deterioration of the electrode/electrolyte interface during high-voltage cell operation. Finally, our results provide insights on the formation and evolution of cathode interphases, facilitating development of in situ surface protection on high-energy-density cathode materials in lithium-based batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Novel mixed hydroxy-carbonate precursor assisted synthetic technique for LiNi{sub 1/3}Mn{sub 1/3}Co{sub 1/3}O{sub 2} cathode materials

Highlights: • MHC method used to overcome drawbacks of solid state synthesized materials. • Least cation mixing, phase purity, good reversibility and rate capability achieved. • XRD I {sub 0} {sub 0} {sub 3}/I{sub 1} {sub 0} {sub 4} factor, indicating electrochemical reactivity is maximum at 1.6984. • Li/LiNi{sub 1/3}Mn{sub 1/3}Co{sub 1/3}O{sub 2} cell delivered an initial discharge capacity of 175 mAh g{sup −1}. - Abstract: Novel mixed hydroxy-carbonate (MHC) precursors were used to synthesis technique of LiNi{sub 1/3}Mn{sub 1/3}Co{sub 1/3}O{sub 2} cathode material. The powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the synthesized LiNi{sub 1/3}Mn{sub 1/3}Co{sub 1/3}O{sub 2} cathode materials exhibited a hexagonal cell with a = 2.8535 Å and c = 14.2040 Å. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectrum of MHC and LiNi{sub 1/3}Mn{sub 1/3}Co{sub 1/3}O{sub 2} consistent with vibration modes of functional group. Presence of sub-micrometer particle size (200 nm) and highly crystalline morphology confirmed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) suggested that oxidation state of the transition metals; Ni in +2, Mn in +4 and Co in +3 states, respectively in LiNi{sub 1/3}Mn{sub 1/3}Co{sub 1/3}O{sub 2} cathode materials. Cyclic voltammograms (CV) revealed only one major redox couple at 4 V and suggested the absence of structural transitions from hexagonal to monoclinic structure. The Li vs. LiNi{sub 1/3}Mn{sub 1/3}Co{sub 1/3}O{sub 2} cell delivered an initial discharge capacity of 175 mAh g{sup −1} in the voltage range 2.5–4.6 V @ 0.1 C.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗