長寿命でコバルトフリーのリチウムイオン電池を開発(UC Irvine scientists create long-lasting, cobalt-free, lithium-ion batteries)

2023-06-14 カリフォルニア大学校アーバイン校(UCI)

＜関連情報＞

• https://news.uci.edu/2023/06/14/uc-irvine-scientists-create-long-lasting-cobalt-free-lithium-ion-batteries/
• https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-023-01267-y

低Ni、Coフリー正極化学で長寿命リチウムイオン電池を実現 Long-life lithium-ion batteries realized by low-Ni, Co-free cathode chemistry

Rui Zhang,Chunyang Wang,Peichao Zou,Ruoqian Lin,Lu Ma,Tianyi Li,In-hui Hwang,Wenqian Xu,Chengjun Sun,Steve Trask & Huolin L. Xin
Nature Energy  Published:12 June 2023
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-023-01267-y

Abstract

The increasing demand for lithium-ion battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs) has led to a surge in recent prices of strategic battery materials such as cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni). While all EV makers are eager to eliminate Co usage, Ni has rapidly become another ‘pain point’ for the industry, as its price is nearing half that of Co. The sustainability issue facing both Ni and Co puts forward a grand materials challenge, that is, to reduce Ni content and eliminate Co while maintaining high specific energy and stability. In this work, a complex concentrated doping strategy is used to eliminate Co in a commercial NMC-532 cathode. The LiNi_0.5Mn_0.43Ti_0.02Mg_0.02Nb_0.01Mo_0.02O₂ cathode shows potential cost advantage with relatively high specific energy and significantly improved overall performance (~95% capacity retained after 1,000 cycles in pouch-type cells, 2.8–4.3 V vs graphite, at 1 C, 1.5 mA cm⁻²). Combining X-ray techniques and electron microscopy, we uncover the origins of the superior stability.