How to make lithium batteries safer and more durable?

Making better lithium batteries must deal with a large number of factors at the same time, from maintaining the battery’s cathode and ionic conductivity to ensuring that the battery remains safe after multiple cycles. In a new discovery, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory have developed a new cathode coating using oxidative chemical vapor deposition technology. This technology can help solve these and several other potentials of lithium batteries. problem. Argonne’s distinguished researcher and battery scientist Khalil Amin said: The coating we discovered is really killing two birds with one stone. Can the new cathode coating make lithium batteries safer and more durable? In this research, it is the first to extract particles from nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) cathode materials and wrap them with a sulfur-containing polymer called PEDOT. When the battery is charged and discharged, this polymer provides a layer of protection for the cathode to protect it from the battery electrolyte. The traditional coating only protects the surface of the micron-sized cathode particles, making it easy to crack inside. In contrast, the PEDOT coating can penetrate the inside of the cathode particles, adding an additional shielding layer. In addition, although PEDOT prevents the chemical reaction between the battery and the electrolyte, it does allow the necessary transportation of lithium ions and electrons, which is required for battery operation. The electronic and ionic conductivity of the battery can be improved, and the safety and cycle performance of the battery can be improved at the same time. Argonne chemist Guiliang Xu, the first author of this study, said: This coating is basically friendly to all processes and chemical processes that make the battery work, and it is not resistant to all reactions that may cause battery degradation or failure. friendly. This coating can also largely prevent another reaction that causes the battery cathode to deactivate. In this reaction, the cathode material is transformed into another form called spinel. There is almost no spinel formation combined with its other properties, making this coating a very exciting material. PEDOT materials also show the ability to prevent the release of oxygen, which is an important factor in the degradation of NMC cathode materials under high pressure. This PEDOT coating has also been found to inhibit the release of oxygen during charging, which makes the structure more stable and improves safety. Disclaimer: Some pictures and content of articles published on this site are from the Internet. If there is any infringement, please contact to delete. Previous: What are the differences between the charging methods of lithium batteries and lead-acid batteries?