(Image source: LESC official website)
According to foreign media reports, researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and the University of Texas at Austin (University of Texas at Austin), as well as colleagues from the US Army Research Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, have developed a cobalt-free High-voltage thick spinel (LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO)) cathode material with high areal capacity.
The development of leading high-energy density and low-cost cathode materials has always been the main goal of battery material research. The development of cobalt-free cathode materials is one of the important concepts for reducing the price of existing lithium-ion batteries. It is worth noting that the cost and sustainability of lithium-ion batteries are not only limited by the production of cobalt and nickel, but also by the lithium element itself.
The researcher said: "Cobalt prices fluctuate greatly, nickel prices slightly drop, and lithium prices continue to rise. With the large-scale popularization of electric vehicles and energy storage equipment, it is expected that the price and utilization of lithium resources will be higher. Therefore. It is imperative to develop low-lithium, low-cost cathode materials such as manganese, iron, and aluminum."
High-voltage spinel (LNMO) has high energy density, low cost and higher safety, and is one of the most promising new cathode materials for commercialization. The researchers pointed out that, more importantly, LNMO does not contain expensive cobalt or excessive lithium, which is cost-effective and suitable for applications in power batteries and large-scale energy storage.
However, this material has two shortcomings: low conductivity and high working voltage, resulting in rapid degradation of the full battery capacity. The researcher said: "By systematically solving these difficulties, we have successfully developed a thick LNMO electrode with an area capacity load up to 3 mAh·cm−2. In button batteries and soft-pack batteries, the optimized thick electrode combination Commercial graphite anodes, after 300 cycles, the full battery capacity retention rate reached 72% and 78%, respectively. We attribute this excellent cycle stability to the careful optimization of battery components and test conditions, especially the increase in conductivity Rate and high voltage compatibility.
"These results show that precise control of material quality, electrode structure and electrolyte optimization can support the development of cobalt-free battery systems based on thick LNMO cathodes (greater than 4 mAh·cm2), and ultimately meet the demand for next-generation lithium-ion batteries. , Reduce costs, improve safety, and ensure sustainable development.†(Elisha)