New 'layered-layered' materials promise to improve rechargeable lithium batteries

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ARGONNE, Ill. (May 8, 2007) — Researchers at the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have developed a new approach to increasing the capacity and stability of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

The technology is based on a new material for the positive electrode made of a unique nano-crystalline, layered-composite structure.

Argonne's strategy uses a two-component composite structure — an active component that provides for charge storage is embedded in an inactive component that stabilizes the structure.

Details of the new developments will be presented Tuesday, May 8, at the 211th Meeting of The Electrochemical Society, being held in Chicago, May 6-10.

In recent tests, the new materials yielded exceptionally high charge-storage capacities, greater than 250 mAh/g, or more than twice the capacity of materials in conventional rechargeable lithium batteries. Theories explaining the high capacity of these manganese-rich electrodes and their stability upon charge/discharge cycling will be discussed at the Electrochemical Society meeting.

In addition, the overall battery cost is reduced by focusing on manganese-rich systems, instead of the more expensive cobalt and nickel versions of lithium batteries.

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that incorporate the new materials with increased capacity and enhanced stability could be expected in a diverse range of applications from consumer electronics, such as cell phones and laptop computers, to cordless tools and medical devices, such as cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators. In larger batteries, the technology could be used in the next generation of hybrid-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles.

The presentation on “Anomalous Capacity and Cycling Stability of Layered-Layered Electrodes in Lithium Batteries” by Argonne researchers Chris Johnson, Naichao Li, Christina Lefief, Jeom-Soo Kim, Jeremy Kropf, John Vaughey, and Michael Thackeray, will be given by Chris Johnson.

Funding for the work was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program.

Argonne National Laboratory brings the world's brightest scientists and engineers together to find exciting and creative new solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology. The nation's first national laboratory, Argonne conducts leading-edge basic and applied scientific research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne researchers work closely with researchers from hundreds of companies, universities, and federal, state and municipal agencies to help them solve their specific problems, advance America 's scientific leadership and prepare the nation for a better future. With employees from more than 60 nations, Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.

For more information, please contact Eleanor Taylor (630/252-5510 or media@anl.gov) at Argonne.