LiMnO2 electrode can replace Ni/Co in electric vehicle batteries
Lithium-ion batteries are a heavyweight in the field of rechargeable batteries. As electric vehicles become more common in the world, high-energy, low-cost batteries that utilize abundant manganese (Mn) could become a sustainable option for commercialization and use in the automotive industry.
Currently, batteries used to power electric vehicles (EVs) are based on nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co), which are expensive and unsustainable in a society where demand for electric vehicles is growing.
By changing electrode materials to lithium/manganese-based materials, the researchers aim to maintain the high performance of nickel/cobalt-based materials while achieving a low-cost, sustainable transformation.
The researchers published their findings in ACS Central Science on August 26, 2024.
Lithium-ion batteries are not new players in the field of rechargeable electronics, but there are always ways to innovate and improve already reliable methods. LiMnO2 has been studied as an electrode material in the past, but has always been limited by restrictive electrode performance.
“Through systematic study of different LiMnO2 polymorphs, it was found that the monoclinic layer-like domains effectively activated the structural transition to spinel-like phases. Starting from this discovery, nanostructure LiMnO2 with a monoclinic layered domain structure and high surface area has been directly developed.
The monoclinic system refers to the group symmetry of the solid crystal structure. The Li/Mn arrangement with monoclinic symmetry seems to be the key to making LiMnO2 a feasible choice for electrode materials.
Without the structural phase transition allowed by the monoclinic crystal domain, electrode performance will be limited due to the suboptimal crystal structure of LiMnO2 and the accompanying phase transition.
After observing and testing the various polymorphic forms, it was determined that the desired structure could be synthesized directly from the two components without the use of intermediate steps. The resulting material can compete with nickel grass-roots materials and has excellent fast charging capabilities, which is essential for electric vehicles.
Nanostructured LiMnO2 with monoclinic layered domains was synthesized through a simple calcination process, resulting in a product with high energy density reaching 820 watt-hours per kilogram (Wh kg-1), compared with the energy density of ordinary lithium batteries. About 750 Wh kg-1.
There has also been no reported voltage decay using nanostructured LiMnO2, which is common in manganese-based materials.
Voltage decay is a phenomenon in which voltage gradually decreases, which reduces the performance and responsiveness of electronic equipment over time. However, this does not seem to be an observable issue for the nanostructure LiMnO2, the subject of this study.
Despite the encouraging results, one practical problem can still be observed: the dissolution of manganese. Over time, manganese dissolves due to a variety of factors, such as phase transformation or reaction with acidic solutions. Fortunately, this situation can be suppressed or completely alleviated by the use of high-concentration electrolyte solutions and lithium phosphate coatings.
The researchers hope their findings will help provide more sustainable energy than fossil fuels, especially for electric vehicles.
The properties of LiMnO2 and its competitive energy density compared to nickel-based materials suggest that potential alternative materials can produce environmentally friendly products that are sustainable both in terms of production and long-term investment.
The ideal future for nanostructured LiMnO2-based electrode materials will involve the commercialization and industrial production of the luxury electric vehicle industry.
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Original text:https://techxplore.com/news/2024-08-limno8322-electrodes-nico-electric-vehicle.html
More information: A Practical and Sustainable Ni/Co-free High-Energy Electrode Material: Nanostructured LiMnO2, ACS Central Science (2024). DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.4c00578
More information: Practical and sustainable nickel/cobalt free high-energy electrode materials: Nanostructured LiMnO2, ACS Central Science (2024). DOI：10.1021/acscentsci.4c00578
Journal information: ACS Central Science
Journal information: ACS Central Science
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