Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “CATHODE”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,387 records · Page 77
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Thermal runaway mechanism of lithium-ion battery with LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 cathode materials

Battery safety is critical to the application of lithium-ion batteries, especially for high energy density battery applied in electric vehicles. In this paper, the thermal runaway mechanism of LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 based lithium-ion battery is illustrated. And the reaction between cathode and flammable electrolyte is proved as the trigger of the thermal runaway accident. In detail, with differential scanning calorimeter tests for battery components, the material combination contributing to thermal runaway was decoupled. Characterization with synchrotron X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy with in-situ heating proved that the vigorous exothermic reaction is initiated by the liberated oxygen species. The pulse of highly active oxygen species reacted quickly with the electrolyte, accompanied with tremendous heat release, which accelerated the phase transformation of charged cathode. Also, the mechanism is verified by a confirmatory experiment when the highly active oxygen species were trapped by anion receptor, the phase transformation of the charged cathode was inhibited. Clarifying the thermal runaway mechanism of LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 based lithium-ion battery may light the way to battery chemistries of both high energy density and high safety.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Polyimide as a durable cathode for all-solid-state Li(Na)–organic batteries with boosted cell-level energy density

The integration of organic electrode materials (OEMs) with solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) is expected to build an all-solid-state battery (ASSB) with long-term sustainability, high safety, and high energy density. Despite this great promise, the cell-level energy density is still far from practically applicable, which stems from the ultrathick SSE layer and thin cathode layer used in a pellet-type ASSB design. Here, a cost-effective polyimide (PI) material was first exploited as an organic cathode for sulfide-based ASSBs. A capacity of ~190 mAh g -1 was delivered with almost no capacity decay over 300 cycles. Moreover, for the first time, a dry-film approach was introduced to manufacture a sheet-type Li–organic ASSB with an ultrathin SSE layer and a high-areal-loading PI cathode. Notably, PI is a perfect candidate for dry-film technology due to its high thermal stability and extraordinary chemical inertness toward sulfide SSEs. Remarkably, the free-standing SSE membrane was merely 46 μm thick, and an ultralow areal resistance of 3.3 Ω cm 2 was achieved, more than tenfold lower than that of reported SSE pellets. One order of magnitude boost in the cell-level energy density was achieved. This work presents a significant leap in transferring organic ASSB technology from laboratory research to factory manufacturing.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Ultra-Microtome for the Preparation of TEM Samples from Battery Cathodes

An ultra-microtome method is developed for the preparation of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimens from the cathodes of Li-ion battery. Results indicate that the samples prepared with the ultra-microtome method yield atomic resolution imaging from the core area of particles of hundreds to thousands of nanometers. Analysis of the TEM samples prepared with ultra-microtome indicates that no observable structural damage, such as microcracking, is introduced during the cutting process, and the cathodes cut by ultra-microtome exhibit unchanged micro-morphologies compared with the uncut ones. These results demonstrate that ultra-microtome is a promising method for the preparation of TEM specimens and revealing in-depth microstructures of fragile materials such as battery cathodes.

transmission electron microscopy, Sample Preparati↗
DOE OSTI2020

Increasing Capacity in Disordered Rocksalt Cathodes by Mg Doping

Using both computations and experiments, we demonstrate that the performance of Li-excess cation-disordered rocksalt cathodes can be improved by Mg substitution. Furthermore we find that Mg reduces the amount of Li in the compound that is strongly bound to F and thereby increases the capacity. This enables the use of fluorination as a tool to improve stability of the compounds without significant loss of capacity. Mg emerged as the most optimal substitution element from a systematic computational study aimed at identifying inactive doping elements with a strong enough bonding strength to fluorine to displace Li from the F environments. Our results also show that capacity can be traded for cycle life depending on whether Mg is substituted for Li or for the redox metal. This design strategy should be considered in fluorinated cathodes, which will facilitate the design of optimized disordered rocksalt oxyfluoride cathodes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Promoting Reversibility of Multielectron Redox in Alkali-Rich Sulfide Cathodes through Cryomilling

We report conventional cathodes for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) are reaching their theoretical capacity limits. One way to meet the growing demands for high-capacity LIBs is by developing so-called Li-rich cathode materials that greatly benefit from additional capacities from anionic moieties in the structure. Li-rich materials are intrinsically subject to higher degrees of (de)intercalation, leaving the particles more prone to fractures and thus rapid capacity fade. Alkali-rich LiNaFeS 2 reversibly cycles with capacities exceeding 300 mAh g -1 , but its capacity fades faster than an isostructural material Li 2 FeS 2 . Using synchrotron-based transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM), we demonstrate that the capacity fade of LiNaFeS 2 stems from particle fractures in the first charge cycle. We improve the cycling performance of LiNaFeS 2 by means of cryomilling, which enhances capacity retention at cycle 50 by 76%. Through crystallographic and morphological characterization techniques, we confirm that cryomilling not only decreases particle and crystallite size while increasing microstrain but also prevents particles from fracturing. Cryomilling is a powerful tool to engineer nanoscale battery materials, and TXM allows the direct observation of morphological changes of the particles, which can be leveraged to develop next-generation cathode materials for LIBs.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

A Nearly Zero-Strain Li-Rich Rock-Salt Oxide with Multielectron Redox Reactions as a Cathode for Li-Ion Batteries

Li-rich oxide cathodes are drawing increasing attention as next-generation cathode materials for the development of high-energy-density Li-ion batteries due to their strikingly high capacities. However, transition-metal migration, irreversible structural phase transformations, and the irreversible release of oxygen are responsible for rapid capacity and voltage decay. This study reports a Li-rich cation-ordered rock-salt oxide Li x V 0.4 Ti 0.4 O 2 (LVTO, x = 0.97/1.2) with space group Fd$\bar{3}$m that delivers a high capacity of over 250 mAh g -1 and capacity retention up to 89% after 50 cycles. A comprehensive experimental analysis confirms that the capacity can be attributed to the reversible V 3+ /V 5+ multielectron cationic redox reactions and a minor contribution from reversible anionic redox reactions. Importantly, LVTO exhibits nearly zero-strain behavior upon (dis)charge cycling cycles, which is associated with reversible V migration from octahedral to tetrahedral sites. Here our results demonstrate that Li-rich rock-salt oxide LVTO could be a promising cobalt-free cathode material for Li-ion batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Strain-Driven Surface Reactivity in Magnesium-Ion Battery Cathodes

Successful deployment of a Mg-ion battery requires cathodes that can achieve reversible Mg intercalation and high energy density. Recent theoretical and experimental studies indicated that the overall transport is likely limited by sluggish Mg transport at the cathode-electrolyte interface and not Mg diffusion through bulk. Here, in this work, we investigated the surface electrochemical activity of Mg ions by using a spinel-structured manganese oxide thin-film model system and in situ X-ray scattering. In combination with post-mortem microscopy analysis, we found that magnesium insertion was more favorable than subsequent extraction near the surface of the Mg x Mn 2 O 4 film, resulting in overmagnesiation, and eventually amorphization of the surface. This structural irreversibility and high overpotential required for Mg extraction could explain significant voltage hysteresis and Mg surface enrichment previously observed in bulk cathodes. Density functional theory calculations suggested that the tendency for the Mg surface enrichment could be associated with Mg diffusion kinetics, which varies with the strain state evolved due to constrained film volume change during Mg insertion and extraction. Particularly, out-of-plane Mg migration was predicted to be favorable in the tensile strain rather than in the compressive case.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Evaluating Material Design Principles for Calcium-Ion Mobility in Intercalation Cathodes

Multivalent-ion batteries offer an alternative to Li-based technologies, with the potential for greater sustainability, improved safety, and higher energy density, primarily due to their rechargeable system featuring a passivating metal anode. Although a system based on the Ca 2+ /Ca couple is particularly attractive given the low electrochemical plating potential of Ca 2+ , the remaining challenge for a viable rechargeable Ca battery is to identify Ca cathodes with fast ion transport. In this work, a high-throughput computational pipeline is adapted to (1) discover novel Ca cathodes in a largely unexplored space of empty intercalation hosts and (2) develop material design rules for Ca-ion mobility. One candidate from the screening, W 2 O 3 (PO 4 ) 2 , is confirmed to have a low Nudged Elastic Band (NEB) barrier of 168 meV within a one-dimensional (1D) ion percolation topology. This candidate is subsequently synthesized and electrochemically tested, achieving reversible Ca cycling with a capacity of 25 mA h/g. To further accelerate the screening for promising Ca intercalation electrodes, machine learning (ML) Random Forest (RF) and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) classification models are created with local environment descriptors based on a large, structurally and chemically diverse dataset of minimum energy pathways, spanning over 5,000 density functional theory (DFT) site energy calculations. Accuracies of 92% are achieved, material design metrics are quantified, ML force-fields are leveraged in an accelerated iteration of the screening, and a total of 27 novel Ca cathode materials are highlighted for further investigation.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Thermodynamic and Kinetic Mechanisms Governing the Synthesis of Nickel-Poor Cathodes

A deeper understanding of the thermodynamics and kinetics governing the lithiation and layering mechanisms of NMC cathode materials (LiNixMnyCozO 2 , where x + y + z = 1) offers valuable insights for enhancing synthesis methods and improving cathode performance. By employing atomistic and mesoscale approaches informed by in situ powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) experiments, critical parameters for comprehending lithiation and layering processes and reaction rates were identified. The mesoscale approach captured the evolution of the phases and crystallite size observed in the in situ PXRD, revealing the differences in reaction rates with the use of different lithium salts and starting precursors. Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) underscored the importance of vacancies and structural defects in promoting ion mobility and facilitating the nucleation of a layered domain. This nucleation disrupts the symmetry of disordered phases, ultimately creating a strained phase that serves as a buffer between layered and disordered regions. The lithiation and layering processes reflect a dynamic balance between the thermodynamic drive for a low-energy layered structure and the kinetic of diffusion, which is influenced by temperature and lithium vacancy concentration. Overall, reaction mechanisms are driven by the inherent defects of the intermediate phase that differ for NMC cathode materials. The lithium salts impact the rates of lithiation and layering, with a much slower process for Li 2 CO 3 .

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Structure, Chemistry, and Charge Transfer Resistance of the Interface between Li 7 La 3 Zr 2 O 12 Electrolyte and LiCoO 2 Cathode

All-solid-state batteries promise significant safety and energy density advantages over liquid-electrolyte batteries. The interface between the cathode and the solid electrolyte is an important contributor to charge transfer resistance. Strong bonding of solid oxide electrolytes and cathodes requires sintering at elevated temperatures. Knowledge of the temperature dependence of the composition and charge transfer properties of this interface is important for determining the ideal sintering conditions. To understand the interfacial decomposition processes and their onset temperatures, model systems of LiCoO 2 (LCO) thin films deposited on cubic Al-doped Li 7 La 3 Zr 2 O 12 (LLZO) pellets were studied as a function of temperature using interface-sensitive techniques. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy data indicated significant cation interdiffusion and structural changes starting at temperatures as low as 300 °C. La 2 Zr 2 O 7 and Li 2 CO 3 were identified as decomposition products after annealing at 500 °C by synchrotron X-ray diffraction. X-ray absorption spectroscopy results indicate the presence of also LaCoO 3 in addition to La 2 Zr 2 O 7 and Li 2 CO 3 . On the basis of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and depth profiling of the Li distribution upon potentiostatic hold experiments on symmetric LCO|LLZO|LCO cells, the interfaces exhibited significantly increased impedance, up to 8 times that of the as-deposited samples after annealing at 500 °C. Here, our results indicate that lower-temperature processing conditions, shorter annealing time scales, and CO 2 -free environments are desirable for obtaining ceramic cathode|electrolyte interfaces that enable fast Li transfer and high capacity.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Surface Modification for Suppressing Interfacial Parasitic Reactions of a Nickel-Rich Lithium-Ion Cathode

Ni-rich lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxides (Li-Ni x Mn y Co 1-x-y O 2 , x >= 0.5, NMCs) are high-capacity cathode materials for Li-ion batteries, but they exhibit limited cycling stability under high cutoff potentials. Various aspects, including transition metal dissolution, structural disordering, particle cracking, surface film thickening, etc., have already been investigated in terms of their performance degradation in the battery research community. Interestingly, these phenomena were primarily observed at the surface layer of the cathode material, implying that they may also be facilitated by some interfacial parasitic reactions between the delithiated NMC electrode and the non-aqueous electrolyte. Here in this study, LiNi 0.6 Mn 0.2 Co 0.2 O 2 (NMC 622) electrodes chemically modified with TiO 2 via atomic layer deposition were used as a model system to demonstrate the criticalness of the interfacial parasitic reactions. The suppression of the interfacial parasitic reactions effectively reduced. the hike of the cathodic surface film resistance, decreased the level of dissolution of transition metals, decreased the level of particle fragmentation, and mitigated the cation mixing of NMC 622. Finally, all of these results demonstrated that careful design of the interfacial layer by surface modifications is a key approach for improving the durability of Ni-rich NMCs under high-voltage cycling.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Layered Oxide Cathodes for Li-Ion Batteries: Oxygen Loss and Vacancy Evolution

Loss of oxygen in layered transition metal oxides is a major reason for the structural degradation and thus the fade of electrochemical performance in the cathodes for Li-ion batteries. Via in-situ transmission electron microscopy observations of LiNi 0.80 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 (NCA), we found that the oxygen loss in the layered cathode is a two-stage process with distinct release rates. The initial rapid oxygen loss generates a high concentration of oxygen vacancies that results in the formation of an amorphized, vacancy-containing rock-salt layer in the surface. In the second stage, the slower rate of oxygen loss allows recrystallization of this defective phase via coalescing of atomic oxygen vacancies, which results in the formation of a cavity-containing surface layer with a crystalline rock-salt structure over the layered phase in the bulk. Comparison of the in-situ results with electrochemically cycled NCA cathodes confirms this two-stage process of oxygen loss. Furthermore, these results provide unprecedented microscopic details regarding the structural degradation of layered oxides arising from oxygen loss and have broader implications in manipulating the oxygen activity in the electrode.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Dopant Distribution in Co-Free High-Energy Layered Cathode Materials

The practical implementation of Co-free, LiNiO 2 -derived cathodes has been prohibited by their poor cycle life and thermal stability, concluded from the structural instability, phase transformations, reactive surfaces, and chemomechanical breakdown. With the hierarchical distribution of Mg/Ti dual dopants in LiNiO 2 , we report a Co-free layered oxide that exhibits enhanced bulk and surface stability. Ti shows a gradient distribution and is enriched at the surface, whereas Mg distributes homogeneously throughout the primary particles. The resulting Mg/Ti codoped LiNiO 2 delivers a material-level specific energy of ~780 W h/kg at C/10 with 96% retention after 50 cycles. The specific energy reaches ~680 W h/kg at 1C with 77% retention after 300 cycles. Furthermore, the Mg/Ti dual dopants improve the rate capability, thermal stability, and self-discharge resistance of LiNiO 2 . Our synchrotron X-ray, electron, and electrochemical diagnostics reveal that the Mg/Ti dual dopants mitigate phase transformations, reduce nickel dissolution, and stabilize the cathode–electrolyte interface, thus leading to the favorable battery performance in lithium metal and graphite cells. The current study suggests that engineering the dopant distribution in cathodes may provide an effective path toward lower cost, safer, and higher energy density Co-free lithium batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Nickel-rich Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC622) Cathode Lithiation Mechanism and Extended Cycling Effects Using Operando X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy

Ni-rich NMC materials are a particularly promising class of Li-ion cathodes for various applications. LiNi 0.6 Mn 0.2 Co 0.2 O 2 (NMC622) offers a unique balance of thermal stability and energy density, thus attracting attention for electric vehicle implementation. However, upon extended cycling, capacity fade is prevalent due to structural degradation, which is a major drawback for layered oxide cathodes. Therefore, exploring the underlying phenomena that drive detrimental structural response can lead to future improvements. For the first time, operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was performed on NMC622 pouch cells at three different stages. An extensive description of the first cycle (de)lithiation mechanisms was achieved through X-ray absorption near-edge structure analyses and extended X-ray absorption fine structure modeling. Transition metal specific electrochemical participation and structural variation revealed that much of the delivered capacity and distortion is a result of Ni redox behavior, while the local structure of Co and Mn are impacted due to their interdependencies. Key mechanistic components were identified, as the local structural variation from redox processes and Ni 3+ Jahn–Teller distortion were decoupled. Further, operando XAS was used to investigate the structural response of NMC622 to extended cycling and was supported by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analyses. In this work, reduced capacity was found in the cell after 100 cycles and is attributed to structural degradation and cathode–electrolyte interphase buildup from repeated Li (de)insertion processes, which limit the electrochemical reversibility of Ni and Co through increased polarization. These results expand the understanding of a Ni-rich NMC material under extended cycling, which is vital to the future design of electrode materials.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Catalytic Promotion of Transition-Metal-Doped Graphene Cathodes in Li-CO 2 Batteries

The Li-CO 2 battery is a promising energy storage system with impressive theoretical specific energy and discharge capacity. Graphene-based single-atom catalysts (SACs) provide high surface area and long-term electrochemical reactivity and stability, making SACs among the most promising cathode catalysts for these batteries. However, current Li-CO 2 systems have high reaction barriers, slowing the reaction and greatly increasing the overpotential. Improvement of the discharge/charge energetics requires atomic-level innovations in cathode design, such as alterations to the catalyst chemical structure. In this paper, we propose enhancing the SAC by using a Ti metal center, which is found to deliver the highest electrochemical Li + CO 2 activity among 3d transition metal candidates. Furthermore, we propose cathode surface coating with ionic liquids, since these environments promote the formation of reaction intermediates in the electrochemical conversion process. Here, our work provides insights to optimize electrode design for high-performance Li-CO 2 batteries, which can open new avenues to recycle greenhouse gases and achieve enhanced renewable energy storage.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Long-Chain Polysulfide Retention at the Cathode of Li–S Batteries

Lithium–sulfur batteries present a complex interconnected chemistry where the three components—anode, electrolyte, and cathode—strongly interact with each other. One of the main issues associated with these interactions is the dissolution in the electrolyte solution of part of the sulfur reduction products (mainly long-chain polysulfides) during the discharge reactions at the cathode. These dissolved species can migrate and react at the anode surface producing undesired insulating films. A potential solution to mitigate this problem is to resort to additional materials which can act as anchors of the soluble species thus avoiding their migration. Density functional theory and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations are employed to investigate the ability of certain substrates to retain long-chain polysulfides (Li 2 S 6 and Li 2 S 8 ) at their surfaces in the presence of a pure solvent or a lithiated solution. Nanopores of graphene are first tested because the cathode is usually a mix of sulfur and carbon. Then, MoS 2 and Mo-doped graphene are evaluated because of the well-known Mo–S affinity. Finally, a material which has been reported successful in experimental studies, MnO 2 , is analyzed and compared with another oxide surface, Fe 2 O 3 . Adsorption energies of the polysulfides to the surfaces and the detailed interactions of the Li ions and S atoms with the substrate are characterized via charge and geometric analyses. Both the Mo-containing materials and the oxides adsorb the polysulfides much more strongly than graphene nanopores do. However, some of these surfaces are found to be excessively reactive. Thus, a balance between affinity for S and moderate surface reactivity is found as a promising guideline for designing these materials.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Electrochemical Reduction of a Spinel-Type Manganese Oxide Cathode in Aqueous Electrolytes with Ca 2+ or Zn 2+

In this report, the feasibility of reversible Ca 2+ or Zn 2+ intercalation into a crystalline cubic spinel Mn 2 O 4 cathode has been investigated using electrochemical methods in an aqueous electrolyte. A combination of synchrotron XRD and XANES studies identified the partial structural transformation from a cubic to a tetragonally distorted spinel Mn 3 O 4 , accompanied by the reduction of Mn 4+ to Mn 3+ and Mn 2+ during discharge. TEM/EDX measurements confirmed that practically no Ca 2+ was inserted upon discharge. However, non-negligible amounts of Zn were detected after Mn 2 O 4 was reduced in the Zn 2+ electrolyte, but through the formation of secondary phases that, in some cases, appeared adjacent to the surface of a cathode particle. Furthermore this report aims to identify bottlenecks in the application of manganese oxide cathodes paired with Ca or Zn metal anodes and to justify future efforts in designing prototype multivalent batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Excess Lithium in Transition Metal Layers of Epitaxially Grown Thin Film Cathodes of Li2MnO3 Leads to Rapid Loss of Covalency during First Battery Cycle

We have investigated the initial-cycle battery behavior of epitaxial thin films of Li 2 MnO 3 cathodes by employing resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) at the O K-edge and Mn L 3 -edge. Thin films (25 nm thickness) with Li/Mn ratios of 2.06 (stoichiometric) and 2.27 (overstoichiometric) were epitaxially grown by pulsed laser deposition and electrochemically cycled as battery cathodes in a half-cell setup, stopped at potentials for full charge (delithiation) and complete discharge (relithiation) for X-ray analysis. No signatures of localized oxygen holes are found in O K-RIXS of the Li 2 MnO 3 regardless of the Li/Mn ratio. The prepeak region of the O K-XAS shows a net increase (a net decrease) after delithiation (relithiation) for both material compositions. Moreover, signatures of additional phases are detected only for the overstoichiometric material upon relithiation. Mn L-RIXS of the overstoichiometric cathode material shows a progressive loss of charge transfer state intensity during the first battery cycle, revealing a more rapid loss of Mn–O covalency in the overstoichiometric material.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗