Week 1 Understanding Different Battery Chemistry
1.Prepare a table which includes materials & chemical reactions occurring at the anode and cathode of LCO, LMO, NCA, NMC, LFP and LTO type of lithium ion cells.Give your detailed explanation on it
Lithium ion battery
A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargable battery which uses the reversible reduction of litium ions to store energy. The anode(negative electrode) of a conventional lithium-ion cell is typically graphite made lithium salt in an organic solvent.
It is the predominant battery type used in portable consumer electronics and electric vehicles . It also sees significant use for grid scale scale storage and military and aerospace applications. Compared to other rechargeable battery technologies, Li-ion batteries have high energy density, low self discharge.
- Anode: The negative electrode
- Cathode: The positive electrode
- Electrolyte: A liquid or gel that conducts electricity
- Current collectors: Conductive foils at each electrode of the battery that are connected to the terminals of the cell. The cell terminals transmit the electric current between the battery, the device and the energy source that powers the battery
- Separator: A porous polymeric film that separates the electrodes while enabling the exchange of lithium ions from one side to the other
1.Lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) — LCO
Also known as lithium cobaltate or lithium-ion cobalt batteries, lithium cobalt oxide batteries are made from lithium carbonate and cobalt. Due to their very high specific energy, these batteries are used for cell phones, laptops and electronic cameras. They have a cobalt oxide cathode and use graphite carbon as their anode material; during discharge, lithium ions move from anode to cathode, with the flow reversing during charging.
2. Lithium manganese oxide (LiMn2O4) — LMO
Lithium manganese oxide batteries are also commonly called lithium manganate or lithium-ion manganese batteries, and are sometimes referred to as li-manganese or manganese spinel.
The technology for this type of battery was discovered in the 1980s, with the first publication on the subject appearing in the Materials Research Bulletin in 1983. The first commercial lithium-ion cells made with lithium manganese oxide as a cathode material were produced in 1996 by Moli Energy.
Lithium manganese oxide batteries are notable for their high temperature stability and are also safer than other lithium-ion battery types. For this reason, they are often used in medical equipment and devices, but they may also be used in power tools, electric bikes and more. It is also possible to use lithium manganese oxide batteries to power laptops and electric powertrain cars.
3. Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) — LFP
Lithium iron phosphate batteries, also known as li-phosphate batteries, use phosphate as a cathode. They benefit from low resistance properties, which enhance their safety and thermal stability.
Other benefits include durability and a long lifecycle — fully charged batteries can be stored with little change to the total lifespan of the battery’s charge. Li-phosphate batteries are often the most cost-effective option as well when their long battery life is taken into consideration. However, the lower voltage of the li-phosphate battery means that it has less energy than other types of lithium batteries.
Accordingly, these batteries are often used in electric motorcycles as well as other applications that need a long lifecycle and significant safety. Electric vehicles often use this battery as well.
4. Lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) — NMC
Also known as lithium manganese cobalt oxide, or NMC batteries, lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide batteries are made of several materials common in lithium-ion battery types. They include a cathode made of a combination of nickel, manganese and cobalt. Like other lithium-ion battery varieties, NMC batteries can have either a high specific energy density or a high specific power. They cannot, however, have both properties. This battery type is most common in power tools and in powertrains for vehicles.
The cathode combination ratio is usually 60 percent nickel, 20 percent manganese and 20 percent cobalt. This means that the raw material cost is lower than it is for other lithium-ion battery options, as cobalt can be quite expensive. These batteries may come down in price further in the future, as some battery makers are planning to switch their battery chemistry to a higher percentage of nickel so that they can use less cobalt. This battery type is commonly preferred for electric vehicles due to its very low self-heating rate.
5. Lithium nickel cobalt aluminium oxide (LiNiCoAlO2) — NCA
Lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide batteries are also called NCA batteries, and are becoming increasingly important in electric powertrains and in grid storage.
NCA batteries are not common in the consumer industry, but are promising for the auto sector. They provide a high-energy option with a good lifespan, but are not as safe as they could be compared to other lithium-ion battery types and are quite costly. NCA batteries must be accompanied by monitoring devices to ensure driver safety.
Given the consistent use of NCA batteries in electric vehicles, it is possible that demand for these batteries will rise as electric vehicles become more common.
6. Lithium titanate LTO
Finally, lithium titanate, also known as li-titanate, is a class of battery that allows for ever-increasing applications. The main advantage of the li-titanate battery is its remarkably fast recharge time, a innovation from advanced nanotechnology
Currently, manufacturers of electric vehicles and bikes use li-titanate batteries, and there is potential for use in electric buses for public transportation. However, these batteries have lower inherent voltage, or lower energy density, than other lithium-ion battery varieties, which can present issues with powering vehicles efficiently. Even so, the density of lithium titanate batteries is still higher than other non-lithium-ion batteries, which is a plus.
Applications for these batteries can include military and aerospace uses, and they may also be used for storing wind and solar energy and creating smart grids. Furthermore, Battery Space suggests these batteries could also be used in system-critical backups for power systems.
Materials & chemical reactions occurring at the anode and cathode of LCO, LMO, NCA, NMC, LFP and LTO type of lithium ion cells
2.Compare the differences between each type of Li+ion batteries based on 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, understanding the key terms below will allow for a simpler and easier comparison.
Battery Terms
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.
| 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
Lithium Cobalt Oxide has high specific energy compared to the other batteries, making it the preferred choice for laptops and mobile phones. It also has a low cost and a moderate performance.
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.
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.
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.
Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide offers one strong advantage compared to the five other batteries: high specific energy. It is pretty moderate in the rest of the characteristics like performance, cost, specific power, and lifespan.
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