Low-tortuosity and graded lithium ion battery cathodes by ice templating

Preserving high energy densities of batteries at fast charge and discharge rates at the cell-stack level is a critical challenge for applications such as electric vehicles. Current manufacturing methods usually produce lithium (Li) ion battery electrodes <100 μm thin with unavoidable tortuous...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Huang, C, Dontigny, M, Zaghib, K, Grant, P
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Royal Society of Chemistry 2019
_version_ 1797070048302465024
author Huang, C
Dontigny, M
Zaghib, K
Grant, P
author_facet Huang, C
Dontigny, M
Zaghib, K
Grant, P
author_sort Huang, C
collection OXFORD
description Preserving high energy densities of batteries at fast charge and discharge rates at the cell-stack level is a critical challenge for applications such as electric vehicles. Current manufacturing methods usually produce lithium (Li) ion battery electrodes <100 μm thin with unavoidable tortuous internal porosity that reduces energy densities at fast rates. Here, we use ice templating to manufacture ultra-thick (900 μm) LiFePO4-based cathodes containing fast ion transport pathways and a pore structure gradient through the electrode thickness that promote high energy densities at fast rates. The electrodes exhibit 94 mA h g−1 at an ultra-high current density of 15 mA cm−2 (67% higher gravimetric energy density at the cell-stack level including inactive components) compared with 47 mA h g−1 for conventional electrodes containing random structures and the same materials. X-ray computed tomography and modeling are used to quantify the electrode structure within different sub-domains and along orthogonal directions, which directly rationalizes the excellent dynamic performance. The electrode microstructure design, manufacturing method and characterization tools will be of use for other energy storage and conversion devices that rely on fast directional mass transport.
first_indexed 2024-03-06T22:33:27Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:590b9e09-6aee-4903-bf82-e6e2e569d5ce
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-06T22:33:27Z
publishDate 2019
publisher Royal Society of Chemistry
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:590b9e09-6aee-4903-bf82-e6e2e569d5ce2022-03-26T17:07:29ZLow-tortuosity and graded lithium ion battery cathodes by ice templatingJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:590b9e09-6aee-4903-bf82-e6e2e569d5ceEnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordRoyal Society of Chemistry2019Huang, CDontigny, MZaghib, KGrant, PPreserving high energy densities of batteries at fast charge and discharge rates at the cell-stack level is a critical challenge for applications such as electric vehicles. Current manufacturing methods usually produce lithium (Li) ion battery electrodes <100 μm thin with unavoidable tortuous internal porosity that reduces energy densities at fast rates. Here, we use ice templating to manufacture ultra-thick (900 μm) LiFePO4-based cathodes containing fast ion transport pathways and a pore structure gradient through the electrode thickness that promote high energy densities at fast rates. The electrodes exhibit 94 mA h g−1 at an ultra-high current density of 15 mA cm−2 (67% higher gravimetric energy density at the cell-stack level including inactive components) compared with 47 mA h g−1 for conventional electrodes containing random structures and the same materials. X-ray computed tomography and modeling are used to quantify the electrode structure within different sub-domains and along orthogonal directions, which directly rationalizes the excellent dynamic performance. The electrode microstructure design, manufacturing method and characterization tools will be of use for other energy storage and conversion devices that rely on fast directional mass transport.
spellingShingle Huang, C
Dontigny, M
Zaghib, K
Grant, P
Low-tortuosity and graded lithium ion battery cathodes by ice templating
title Low-tortuosity and graded lithium ion battery cathodes by ice templating
title_full Low-tortuosity and graded lithium ion battery cathodes by ice templating
title_fullStr Low-tortuosity and graded lithium ion battery cathodes by ice templating
title_full_unstemmed Low-tortuosity and graded lithium ion battery cathodes by ice templating
title_short Low-tortuosity and graded lithium ion battery cathodes by ice templating
title_sort low tortuosity and graded lithium ion battery cathodes by ice templating
work_keys_str_mv AT huangc lowtortuosityandgradedlithiumionbatterycathodesbyicetemplating
AT dontignym lowtortuosityandgradedlithiumionbatterycathodesbyicetemplating
AT zaghibk lowtortuosityandgradedlithiumionbatterycathodesbyicetemplating
AT grantp lowtortuosityandgradedlithiumionbatterycathodesbyicetemplating