Challenge

Week 1 Understanding Different Battery Chemistry

DDarsi Shanthi Priya10 Nov 2021

Study 1:

Lithium Batteries Material and Its Materials:

LCO

At the anode, lithium is oxidised. Lithium ions are released from the carbon, along with electrons:

LiC6 → xLi+ + xe− + C6

At the cathode, lithium-ions are absorbed by the lithium dioxide, and the electrode is reduced as it also receives the electrons from the circuit:

Li1−xCoO2 + xLi+ + xe− → LiCoO2

The overall reaction is:

C6 + LiCoO2 ⟷ LixC6 + Li1−xCoO2

LMO

At the anode, lithium is oxidised. Lithium ions are released from the carbon, along with electrons:

LiC6 → xLi+ + xe− + C6

At the cathode, lithium-ions are absorbed by the lithium dioxide, and the electrode is reduced as it also receives the electrons from the circuit:

Li1−xMn2O4 + xLi+ + xe− → LiMnO2

The overall reaction is:

LiC6 + Mn2O4 ⟷ C6 + LiMnO2

NCA:

At the anode, lithium is oxidised. Lithium ions are released from the carbon, along with electrons:

LiC6 → xLi+ + xe− + C6

At the cathode, lithium-ions are absorbed by the lithium dioxide, and the electrode is reduced as it also receives the electrons from the circuit:

LiNiCoAlO2 ⟷ Li1-xNiCoAlO2 + xLi+ + xe-

The overall reaction is:

6C+LiNiCoAlO2 ⟷ LiC6 + NiCoAlO2

NMC:

At the anode, lithium is oxidised. Lithium ions are released from the carbon, along with electrons:

LiC6 → xLi+ + xe− + C6

At the cathode, lithium-ions are absorbed by the lithium dioxide, and the electrode is reduced as it also receives the electrons from the circuit:

Li1−xMO2 + xLi+ + xe− → LiMO2

The overall reaction is:

Li1-xMO2 + LiC6 ⟷ Li1-xMO2 + C6

LFP

At the anode, lithium is oxidised. Lithium ions are released from the carbon, along with electrons:

LiC6 → xLi+ + xe− + C6

At the cathode, lithium ions are absorbed by the lithium dioxide, and the electrode is reduced as it also receives the electrons from the circuit:

LiFe(III)PO4 + xLi+ + xe− → LiFe(II)PO4

FePO4 + Li+ + e− → LiFePO4

The overall reaction is:

LiFePO4 + 6 C→ LiC6 + FePO4

LTO

At the anode,

LiTi5O12 → Ti5012+ 4Li+ +4e-

At the cathode, lithium ions are absorbed by the lithium dioxide, and the electrode is reduced as it also receives the electrons from the circuit:

4Mn2O4 + 4Li → 4LiMn2O4

The overall reaction is:

Li4Ti5O12 + 4Mn2O4 ⟷ 4LiMn2O4 + Ti5O12

Table:

Batteries	Anode	Cathode	Chemical Reactions
LCO	Graphite	LiCoO2	C6 + LiCoO2 ⟷ LixC6 + Li1−xCoO2
LMO	Graphite	LiMn2O4	LiC6 + Mn2O4 ⟷ C6 + LiMnO2
NMC	Graphite	LiNiMnCoO2	Li1-xMO2 + LiC6 ⟷ Li1-xMO2 + C6
NCA	Graphite	LiNiCoAlO2	6C+LiNiCoAlO2 ⟷ LiC6 + NiCoAlO2
LFP	Graphite	LiFePO4	LiFePO4 + 6 C→ LiC6 + FePO4
LTO	Li2TiO3(Titanate)	LiMn2O4	Li4Ti5O12 + 4Mn2O4 ⟷ 4LiMn2O4 + Ti5O12

Study 2:

Different types of Lithium-ion batteries and their characteristics:

There are different types of lithium-ion batteries and the main difference between them lies in their cathode materials. Different kinds of lithium-ion batteries offer different features, with trade-offs between specific power, specific energy, safety, lifespan, cost, and performance.

The six lithium-ion battery types that we will be comparing are Lithium Cobalt Oxide, Lithium Manganese Oxide, Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide, Lithium Iron Phosphate, Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide, and Lithium Titanate. Firstly, an understanding of the key terms below will allow for a simpler and easier comparison.

Specific energy: This defines the battery capacity in weight (Wh/kg). The capacity relates to the runtime. Products requiring long runtimes at moderate load are optimized for high specific energy.

Specific power: It's the ability to deliver a high current and indicates loading capability. Batteries for power tools are made for high specific power and come with a reduced specific energy.

Performance: This measures how well the battery works over a wide range of temperatures. Most batteries are sensitive to heat and cold and require climate control. Heat reduces life, and cold lowers performance temporarily.

Lifespan: This reflects cycle life and longevity and is related to factors such as temperature, depth of discharge, and load. Hot climates accelerate capacity loss. Cobalt blended lithium-ion batteries also usually have a graphite anode that limits the cycle life.

Safety: This relates to factors such as the thermal stability of the materials used in the batteries. The materials should have the ability to sustain high temperatures before becoming unstable. Instability can lead to thermal runaway in which flaming gases are vented. Fully charging the battery and keeping it beyond the designated age reduces safety.

Cost: Demand for electric vehicles has generally been lower than anticipated and this is mainly due to the cost of lithium-ion batteries. Hence cost is a huge factor when selecting the type of lithium-ion battery.

Now that we have an understanding of the major battery characteristics, we will use them as the basis for the comparison of our six types of lithium-ion batteries. The characteristics are rated as either high, moderate, or low. The table below provides a simple comparison of the six lithium-ion battery types.

Lithium-ion battery Types SP SE SF LS CS PF

Lithium Cobalt Oxide

L

H

L

L

L

M

Lithium Manganese Oxide

M

M

M

L

L

L

Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide

M

H

M

M

L

M

Lithium Iron Phosphate

H

L

H

H

L

M

Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide

M

H

L

M

M

M

Lithium Titanate

M

L

H

H

H

H

SP stands for specific power

SE stands for specific energy

SF stands for safety

LS stands for lifespan

CS stands for cost

PF stands for performance

L stands for low

M stands for moderate

H stands for high

Conclusion:

Lithium Cobalt Oxide has high specific energy as compared to the other batteries which make it the preferred choice for laptops and mobile phones. It also has a low cost and a moderate performance. However, it is highly unfavorable in all the other aspects when compared to the other lithium-ion batteries. It has low specific power, low safety, and a low lifespan.

Lithium Manganese Oxide has moderate specific power, moderate specific energy, and a moderate level of safety when compared to the other types of lithium-ion batteries. It has the added advantage of a low cost. The downsides are its low performance and low lifespan. It is usually used in medical devices and power tools.

Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide has two major advantages as compared to the other batteries. The first one is its high specific energy which makes it desirable in electric powertrains, electric vehicles, and electric bikes. The other is its low cost. It is moderate in terms of specific power, safety, lifespan, and performance when compared to the other lithium-ion batteries. It can be optimized to either have high specific power or high specific energy.

Lithium Iron Phosphate only has one major disadvantage when compared to other types of lithium-ion batteries and that is its low specific energy. Other than that, it has moderate to high ratings in all the other characteristics. It has high specific power, offers a high level of safety, has a high lifespan, and comes at a low cost. The performance of this battery is also moderate. It is often employed in electric motorcycles and other applications that require a long lifespan and a high level of safety.

Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide offers one strong advantage as compared to the five other batteries and that is high specific energy. It is pretty moderate in the rest of the characteristics like performance, cost, specific power, and lifespan. The only downside to this battery type is its low level of safety. Its high specific energy and moderate lifespan make it a good candidate for electric powertrains.

Lithium Titanate offers high safety, high performance, and a high lifespan which are very important features every battery should have. Its specific energy is low compared to the five other lithium-ion batteries but it compensates for this with moderate specific power. The only major disadvantage of lithium titanate as compared to the other lithium-ion batteries is its extremely high cost. Another important feature of this battery worthy of mention is its remarkably fast recharge time. It can be used for storing solar energy and creating smart grids.

Week 1 Understanding Different Battery Chemistry

Study 1:

LiC6 → xLi+ + xe− + C6

NCA:

LiC6 → xLi+ + xe− + C6

NMC:

LiC6 → xLi+ + xe− + C6

LFP

LiC6 → xLi+ + xe− + C6

LiTi5O12 → Ti5012+ 4Li+ +4e-

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Lithium-ion battery Types	SP	SE	SF	LS	CS	PF
Lithium Cobalt Oxide	L	H	L	L	L	M
Lithium Manganese Oxide	M	M	M	L	L	L
Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide	M	H	M	M	L	M
Lithium Iron Phosphate	H	L	H	H	L	M
Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide	M	H	L	M	M	M
Lithium Titanate	M	L	H	H	H	H

Study 1:

LiC6 → xLi+ + xe− + C6

NCA:

LiC6 → xLi+ + xe− + C6

NMC:

LiC6 → xLi+ + xe− + C6

LFP

LiC6 → xLi+ + xe− + C6

LiTi5O12 → Ti5012+ 4Li+ +4e-

Ship work like thisin your own course.

Talk to a career counsellor

Ship work like this
in your own course.