Advanced Li-ion Battery Cathode

The goal of this technology development is to design, develop and test an advanced cathode for Li-ion battery cells with long cyclic life. LMO2 type of cathode materials are considered promising candidates for lithium ion battery due to their large theoretical capacity and relatively good rate capability, low self-discharge and relatively good capacity retention. However, their cyclic life is still far from satisfying DOD’s needs for space application as stated above. Main challenges for current cathode materials include considerable deterioration of the cycle stability due to structural changes, dissolution of transition metal and oxygen; formation of passive layer from decomposition of electrolyte, impedance growth; and thermal instability of cathode material. In this proposed research, we will develop advanced cathode material by modifying the surface of the powders. By direct integration of experimental data with computation modeling in this work, we may define a desired microstructure for developing advanced cathode material with long cyclic life. The results of both experimental and computation modeling will provide a very good base and direction for further development in Phase II towards the goal of fabrication of Li-ion battery with extremely long life. BENEFIT: Li-ion battery with high energy density and long cyclic life is essential for military and civilian space application, especially for low earth orbiting satellites. High energy density and long cyclic life are also highly demanded for daily life application, such as battery for lab-top computer and other portable equipments, such as medical devices--X-ray machine, ultrasound system etc.