According to foreign media reports, the U.S. Department of Energy Argonne National Laboratory (DOE Argonne National Laboratory) and China's Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) developed a granular cathode coating for lithium-ion batteries to extend the life and improve the safety of lithium-ion batteries.
The research, three years in the making, was developed by Argonne National Laboratory in collaboration with HKUST, with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, Vehicle Technologies. Early experiments were conducted in Hong Kong because HKUST had the ideal setup to conduct the research to laboratory specifications.
Lithium batteries are primarily used to power a variety of devices such as electric cars, cell phones, and computers, and the cathode coating technology has been in use for more than 15 years. But it is not without limitations: cathode coating is only a partial coating, covering only a small part of the outside of the cathode particles, and cannot protect the cathode under high pressure or high temperature conditions.
Cathode researchers study metal oxides made of nickel, manganese and cobalt. A cathode charged at high pressure produces hydrogen gas, oxidizes the electrolyte, and creates unwanted films on the cathode, resulting in energy loss. High temperatures in turn accelerate such reactions and damage the battery's electrochemical performance.
The new coating, made of a conductive polymer called polyethylene-dioxothiophene (PEDOT), completely protects each particle inside and outside the cathode from reacting with the electrolyte, marking a breakthrough in lithium-ion battery technology. Argonne National Laboratory applied PEDOT using oxidative chemical vapor deposition, which uses a gas to ensure that the coating is applied to each particle of the cathode, creating a robust outer skin.
Conventional coatings slow the diffusion of lithium into and out of the cathode particles, making the conductivity and ionic conductivity poorer and reducing the efficiency of the cell. In contrast, Argonne National Laboratory's new coating will facilitate the flow of lithium ions and electrons in and out of the cathode, thereby boosting battery energy.
Lithium-ion batteries now run at 4.2 V, and the new coating can boost the voltage to 4.6 V. Although only a 15 percent improvement, it can significantly reduce the cost of the entire battery pack. Researchers say this could extend the range of electric cars, increase the life of cell phone and laptop batteries, and ultimately change the way people live.
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