Lithium Battery Research and Development – Amazing Prospects for the Future

1. Lithium Battery Research and Development – Amazing Prospects for the Future Lithium ion batteries are not approaching the end of their era, there are numerous current strategies to improve the current and next generation systems with a holistic approach to unlock higher energy density, increasing lifespan and safety. Lithium ion batteries were first developed for electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets and laptops. They have become an essential part in our daily life. They have increased in diverse applications including smart watches, drones, power tools, electric cars, and utility scale storage. Battery usage is multiplying by the day and so is the specific requirements with reference to the battery design and size to suit each use. A pressing challenge is the development of batteries that will reduce weight and eliminate carbon emissions. The current lithium ion batteries are fine for frequency regulations, short term storage and micro grid applications, but they face mineral resource issues, preventing their widespread on the grid. There are alternatives focusing on the goal of developing a battery for widespread use. The lithium ion batteries used today are optimized and will be operating for years to come. They are expected to function for decades. The anodes, which are negative electrodes are lithiated to potentials close to L metal on charging. No electrodes are stable with batteries survived by forming a passivation layer. Solid electrolytes are being inter-phased to prevent electrolyte degradation. Looking at the cathode, the current collector corrosion is mitigated due to the decomposition of electrolyte salts, producing a stable passivation layer. The cathodes have been optimized to minimize oxygen loss at high temperatures, preventing thermal issues, withstanding mechanical stresses caused by volume changes through the removal and insertion of the battery. The advances in these batteries is a result of extensive and expensive lithium battery research and development efforts to find a highly optimized system that can be used for numerous applications. With the massive increase in production resources are critical. Moving away from LCO in portable devices and N- rich materials in electronic vehicles means that NI resources are becoming critical. This has motivated a re evaluation of a lower voltage cathode material. Lithium battery research and development is a long process focusing on years ahead. The research is likely to impact us in the current decade, focusing on safety, environmentally friendly and sustainability. There is a strong focus on the mitigation of degradation, focusing on increasing the lifespan of the battery and the cost. Degradation becomes more severe as voltages increase, which has resulted in more Ni and Si being added to the anode and cathode. Studies are being assisted by impressive development of new experimental and theoretical tools, along with new methodologies. Cathodes can increase the cell lifetime in batteries using a positive electrode material that can be pushed to high voltages. Electrolyte oxidation and surface rock salt layer growth has become a serious problem for maintaining the cells lifespan. Gradient materials are being used as stable compositions near the electrode surface, minimizing reactivity and increasing energy density levels. When it comes to anodes, lithium battery research and development teams are working on replacing graphite with silicon or silicon oxide, improving energy densities. This is a not a straightforward solution. When it comes to the electrodes and electrolytes, lithium battery research and development are looking at increasing the volume occupied by active electrode materials, while reducing the cost. Higher loading has increased using active layer thicknesses and decreasing binder fractions, this reduces the porosity of the battery. Lithium battery research and development is ongoing to develop new methods to understand the processes in batteries and increase technology demands, while focusing on sustainable energy use. About Us: Wildcat Discovery Technologies is a San Diego based company accelerating the discovery of new materials for energy applications. They focus on the development of advanced materials for primary and rechargeable batteries. The company has an experienced team of in-house scientists that use high throughput tools to develop and optimize materials quickly. Wildcat Discovery Technologies has partners throughout the material supply chains and global battery industry. Full details on the company can be found on their information packed website at https://www.wildcatdiscovery.com.