USDOE Licenses Li-ion Battery Technology
March 19, 2008
The US Department of Energy has reached agreement with the Toda Kogyo corporation to mass produce novel cathodes for Li-ion batteries. The cathodes will be used to create safer batteries for laptops, cell phones, and hybrid-electric vehicles. The research on the new cathode materials was conducted at the Argonne National Laboratory and will improve the safety and lifespan of Li-ion batteries over conventional cobalt cathodes.
The new cathodes are a composite of lithium and manganese mixed-metal oxides. In addition to providing better overall life and safety, the cathodes offer a longer mean time between charge cycles. The lithium-metal oxide composite is inherently more stable than cobalt-based cathodes. The composite is inactive, which means that it reduces side-reactions that occur in the presence of oxygen and reduce the cathode’s lifespan and raise safety issues. The new composite cathodes allow the cells to be recharged at a higher voltage and improve the battery’s energy storage capacity.
The research was intended to improve the safety and operational performance of vehicle batteries and is the latest in a number of cathode, anode and electrolyte improvements to emerge from Argonne. To meet the production demands for the new technology, Toda will use existing plants in Japan, as well as a newly acquired plant in Detroit. Toda will also use production capacity at an existing facility in Sarnia, Ontario to produce raw materials needed for battery production. Toda’s current production capacity for the materials exceeds 4,000 metric tons.
Photo Credit: Argonne National Laboratory
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