Nanotechnology and the Lithium-ion Battery

Batteries in General –Electrolyte –Electrodes –Anode –Cathode Nanotechnology and the Lithium-ion Battery

Lithium Batteries –Lightest Metal –Highest Electrochemical Potential –Largest Specific Energy per Weight Nanotechnology and the Lithium-ion Battery Li+ LiCoO 2 Graphite LiNiMn 2 O 4 Li+

Idea #1 –Replace the LiCoO 2 cathode with an iron phosphate one (LiFePO 4 ). Nanotechnology and the Lithium-ion Battery -Twice as many charge/discharge cycles. -Stronger oxygen bonds which means no thermal runaway. -Coated LiFePO 4 nanoparticles with carbon to increase conductivity.

Idea #2 –Replace the graphite anode with a lithium titanate oxide one (Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 ). Nanotechnology and the Lithium-ion Battery -Ten (10) times as many charge/discharge cycles. -No solid electrolyte interface (SEI) which means no thermal runaway. -No SEI also means greater voltage window (0 V – 5 V).

Idea #3 –Make the electrolyte solid. Nanotechnology and the Lithium-ion Battery -Different electrodes are needed with all-solid-state batteries because of low power density. -Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) is used to deposit a 45 nm thick film of titanium disulfide (TiS 2 ) onto a silicon substrate. -Charge capacities of 540 mAh/g can be achieved.

References –Armand, M. & Tarascon, J. –M (2008). Building Better Batteries. Nature, –Leckliker, T. (2008). Nanotechnology Drives Battery Development. Evaluation Engineering, –Matsuyama, T.; Sakuda, A.; Togawa, Y.; Mori, S.; & Tatsumisago, M. (2012). Preparation of Amorphous TiS x Thin Film Electrodes by the PLD Method and their Application to All-solid-state Lithium Secondary Batteries. J Mater Sci, Nanotechnology and the Lithium-ion Battery