Novel, Redox-Stabilized Li-Ion Cell

Current commercial Li-ion cells are protected by several layers of safety devices, primarily to prevent catastrophic thermal runaway events that could result from improper use. Unfortunately, these safety devices are difficult to scale up for large cells, are not very effective at stabilizing multicell packs, and are generally not reversible once activated. In this project, a Li-ion cell will be developed that incorporates an internal, low cost, voltage activated, reversible safety mechanism that can handle the high currents required to stabilize large cells. The development and initial optimization of the components of the cell safety mechanism were completed under Phase I. The mechanism was incorporated into full Li-ion cells for further evaluation and to demonstrate the feasibility of the concept. In Phase II, the components of the cell safety mechanism will be further optimized, and new process innovations will be developed. The mechanism will be scaled up, and the technology will be demonstrated in Li-ion cells. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The safety mechanism should lead to increased safety for Li-ion battery cells and systems. Cells incorporating the technology should meet the needs of a wide range of advanced applications in the automotive, telecommunications, and military supply industries. Some of these applications include electric and hybrid electric vehicles (including automobiles, scooters, and bikes), satellites, stationary backup power, and portable power applications (such as cell phones, computers, and PDAs).