Concurrently Approaching Volumetric and Specific Capacity Limits of Lithium Battery Cathodes via Conformal Pickering Emulsion Graphene Coatings

TY - JOUR

T1 - Concurrently Approaching Volumetric and Specific Capacity Limits of Lithium Battery Cathodes via Conformal Pickering Emulsion Graphene Coatings

AU - Park, Kyu Young

AU - Lim, Jin Myoung

AU - Luu, Norman S.

AU - Downing, Julia R.

AU - Wallace, Shay G.

AU - Chaney, Lindsay E.

AU - Yoo, Hocheon

AU - Hyun, Woo Jin

AU - Kim, Hyeong U.

AU - Hersam, Mark C.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2020 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

PY - 2020/7/1

Y1 - 2020/7/1

N2 - To achieve the high energy densities demanded by emerging technologies, lithium battery electrodes need to approach the volumetric and specific capacity limits of their electrochemically active constituents, which requires minimization of the inactive components of the electrode. However, a reduction in the percentage of inactive conductive additives limits charge transport within the battery electrode, which results in compromised electrochemical performance. Here, an electrode design that achieves efficient electron and lithium-ion transport kinetics at exceptionally low conductive additive levels and industrially relevant active material areal loadings is introduced. Using a scalable Pickering emulsion approach, Ni-rich LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) cathode powders are conformally coated using only 0.5 wt% of solution-processed graphene, resulting in an electrical conductivity that is comparable to 5 wt% carbon black. Moreover, the conformal graphene coating mitigates degradation at the cathode surface, thus providing improved electrochemical cycle life. The morphology of the electrodes also facilitates rapid lithium-ion transport kinetics, which provides superlative rate capability. Overall, this electrode design concurrently approaches theoretical volumetric and specific capacity limits without tradeoffs in cycle life, rate capability, or active material areal loading.

AB - To achieve the high energy densities demanded by emerging technologies, lithium battery electrodes need to approach the volumetric and specific capacity limits of their electrochemically active constituents, which requires minimization of the inactive components of the electrode. However, a reduction in the percentage of inactive conductive additives limits charge transport within the battery electrode, which results in compromised electrochemical performance. Here, an electrode design that achieves efficient electron and lithium-ion transport kinetics at exceptionally low conductive additive levels and industrially relevant active material areal loadings is introduced. Using a scalable Pickering emulsion approach, Ni-rich LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) cathode powders are conformally coated using only 0.5 wt% of solution-processed graphene, resulting in an electrical conductivity that is comparable to 5 wt% carbon black. Moreover, the conformal graphene coating mitigates degradation at the cathode surface, thus providing improved electrochemical cycle life. The morphology of the electrodes also facilitates rapid lithium-ion transport kinetics, which provides superlative rate capability. Overall, this electrode design concurrently approaches theoretical volumetric and specific capacity limits without tradeoffs in cycle life, rate capability, or active material areal loading.

KW - Ni-rich cathodes

KW - Pickering emulsions

KW - graphene

KW - high capacity

KW - lithium-ion batteries

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85084825856&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/aenm.202001216

DO - 10.1002/aenm.202001216

M3 - 文章

AN - SCOPUS:85084825856

SN - 1614-6832

VL - 10

JO - Advanced Energy Materials

JF - Advanced Energy Materials

IS - 25

M1 - 2001216

ER -