Lithium Batteries: Advanced Technologies and Applications

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are essential for everyday life as power sources for laptop and tablet computers, cellular telephones, e-book readers, digital cameras, power tools, electric vehicles and numerous other portable devices. The exponential evolution of these batteries from a laboratory curiosity only three decades ago to multi billion dollar consumer products today has been nothing short of spectacular. This success has come from the contributions of many scientists and engineers from research laboratories around the world on electrode materials, non-aqueous electrolytes, membrane separators, and engineering and manufacturing of cells and battery-packs. Early research on rechargeable lithium batteries focused on systems based on lithium (Li) metal anodes (negative electrodes) and Li intercalation cathodes (positive electrodes). Progress to develop a Li metal anode-based practical rechargeable battery was slow due to the less than satisfactory rechargeability of the Li metal anode coupled with its safety hazards. While it was recognized early on that many of the problems of the rechargeable Li metal anode could be solved by replacing it a with Li intercalation anode, a practically attractive solution had to wait for the discovery that lthiated carbon could be charged and discharged in an an appropriate organic electrolyte solution which produced a stable surface film, known as the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), on the graphite electrode. Thus, Li-ion batteries emerged with graphite anodes (negative electrodes) and lithitated metal dioxide cathodes in which complementary Li intercalation (insertion) and de-intercalation (extraction) processes occur in the anode and cathode during charge/discharge cycling. Rapid progress in the development of new electrode and electrolyte materials followed with a concomitant increase in the energy density of commercial Li-ion cells which more than doubled in the last two decades. Commercial 18650 cells today have gravimetric energy densities of about 250 Whr/kg and volumetric energy densities approaching 650 Wh/L. Lithium ion battery cell and packs are now manufactured and sold with a variety of cathode materials tailored to myriad applications. Commercial Li-ion batteries are available with three classes of cathode materials: lithiated layered transition metal dioxides, LixMO2, where M= Co, Ni, Mn or their mixtures, transition metal spinel oxides, LiM2O4, in which M= Mn or mixtures of Mn, Co and Ni, and transition metal phosphates, LiMPO4, where M= Fe. A variety of other cathode materials, which are variations of these or altogether new materials, aimed at higher capacity, longer cycle life and improved cell safety are being developed although they are not yet available in commercial cells. The anode material in all commercial Li-ion cells today is graphite with different manufacturers using different types of it for proprietary advantages. Progress is being made in developing higher capacity anode materials such as silicon, germanium and other metal alloys of Li, as higher capacity anodes. There is also active research and development of improved electrolytes for longer cycle, shelf life, and better low temperature performance and safety of Li-ion batteries. It is now recognized that despite the spectacular progress in in the last two decades Li-ion battery materials, engineering and manufacturing, the energy density of today’s Li-ion batteries are inadequate to meet the energy and power demands of many present and future power hungry applications of consumer communication devices, power tools, and electric vehicles. Electrode materials and battery chemistries having a step change in energy density and performance must be identified and developed to meet these demands. This book is aimed at bringing attention to this need with a focus on identifying battery chemistry, and electrode and electrolyte materials for future high energy density rechargeable batteries. A group of recognized leaders in these various aspects of advanced battery chemistries and materials have contributed to this book, aimed at university students, and researchers, engineers and decision makers in academics and industry. Such a book is not currently available